Category Archives: inspiration

inspiration, wisdom

You Find What You Focus On (So Focus On What’s Good)

Leave a comment

Recently, I was reminded of an important fact of life: we find a lot more of something when we’re looking for it!

Some time ago, I began periodically fasting. And on one of my fasting days, I was shocked to find I was already hungry by 9 in the morning. Now, what’s surprising about that is that I rarely eat breakfast, whether I’m fasting or not. And I often eat lunch simply because it’s lunchtime rather than because I’m hungry. So for me to be hungry so early in the morning…well, it’s unheard of!

Clearly, the only reason I was hungry was because I had already chosen not to eat. And for the simple fact that on that day I had chosen to pay closer attention to what I ate and when I ate it (or more accurately, what and when I did not eat), I then became hyper-focused on eating…and on hunger.

In other words, I found a lot more of what I was paying attention to. 

I’m sure we’ve all experienced this same effect. For instance, you learn a new word, and suddenly you encounter it everywhere. Or you see a yellow car and actually think to yourself “that’s interesting, yellow cars are pretty rare”, only to find over the next week or so that you now seem to see a yellow car at every intersection!

What’s fascinating here is that in these examples, that new word and those yellow cars didn’t suddenly appear everywhere, they were there all along. The only thing that changed was our attention to them. It’s quite likely that I’m hungry around mid-morning every day, but I usually don’t notice because I’m busy paying attention to other things.

One thing’s certain: you find what you focus on. This can be positive, or extremely negative. Have you ever encountered somebody that can find the stormcloud behind every silver lining? Don’t be that person. If you’re looking for what’s bad in every situation, you will surely find it! And what value is there in that?

So if you’re going to find what you’re looking for anyway, strive to be the person that finds what’s good in everything. And if I can make a suggestion, I recommend that you look for the ultimate good in everything: God. Yes, turn your focus toward God’s presence in your life. With that focus, you will indeed find countless examples of His benevolence, and be amazed!

Are you ready to be amazed by God?

inspiration, wisdom, wordplay, words of wisdom, writing prompts

Fun With Truisms

Leave a comment

Use Contrasts To Discover Wisdom

This world is woven together by surprising contrasts and parallells. One interesting side effect is that it becomes very easy to create remarkably deep insights simply by twisting phrases around contrasting or parallell themes. For example: To be a friend to all…you must be all to a friend.

Simple. Rearranging the first clause creates a truism — a sentiment that is easily dismissed because it is so pithy. But when you peer into it more deeply, profound truth bursts forth. This simple statement addresses many searching questions: How do you make friends? How do you keep friends? What is a good friend? The answer is simple, but its meaning is great.

Use Wordplay To Discover The Secrets Of The Universe

If you enjoy wordplay, consider creating trusisms. You might even discover the soul of the universe along the way! Here are some more…

  1. To be “successful”, you must “be” successful.
  2. When you are talking, you aren’t listening.
  3. To understand your neighbor, seek to understand yourself.
  4. To get what you want, give what others need.
  5. Kindness is a selfless act. Cruelty is a selfish act.
  6. To discover wisdom, uncover your folly.
  7. To spend more tomorrow, spend less today.
  8. If you dream of success, succeed at your dreams.
  9. Thought creates nothing. Action creates everything.
  10. Giving hearts give more than giving hands.
  11. Evil thoughts and evil acts have the same victim.
  12. Hate begins with a thought. Love begins with an action.
  13. Light is the presence of light, but darkness is not the presence of darkness.
  14. To shower your family with presents, shower them with your presence.
  15. If you want only what you need, you need never be in want.
  16. Hate finds faults. Love accepts faults.
  17. Action builds hope. Sloth builds anguish.
  18. Busy bodies don’t have time to be busybodies.
  19. Physical limits constrain the body. The mind constrains itself.
  20. Today won’t be the same as yesterday. Tomorrow won’t be the same as today.
  21. Praising me makes me happy. Praising you makes us happy.
  22. Sometimes people that seem to have money only seem to have money.
  23. Lies require a host of proof. Truth requires none.
  24. Better questions lead to better answers.
  25. Rules lead the masses. Ideals lead the leaders.