How to build your brain muscle to bring your focus inwards

When I addressed FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in my previous column, I received several messages, and some, asking for its antidote. It’s clear that we all may carry a generous dose of FOMO from time to time, be it holiday FOMO, success FOMO, lifestyle FOMO, college FOMO and so on. One ‘antidote’ (if I may call it that) which doesn’t get enough importance is “focus”. In a world of dramatic distraction, simply bringing focus to self – or the task at hand – can often be enough to get you through turbulence.

Distractions come in various forms; your friends opt for science when your heart is in literature, your colleagues gossip about the toxic work culture when you’re managing it just fine, or your contemporaries getting married and you’re not, and so on. Even if you’re happy for the other, feeling anxious about being ‘left behind’ is a natural reaction. Your brain starts to spin a story around it, and according to psychologists, this amplifies the emotion which gets processed in the body as stress and strain.

You may have heard the famous quote from Tony Robbins, “Where focus goes, energy flows." “What you focus on, you feel,” he says. And this means that whatever we focus on, expands and intensifies in our life. Focussing on that which you don’t have, magnifies the feeling of lack, and you end up creating more of that.

The power of focus affects all aspects of life. You can focus on study goals, career goals, personal growth goals like fitness and emotional health – and you can manifest those goals into being. But learning to focus on yourself, your family, your partner – is the key. Remember, the flowers that flourish are the ones which were regularly watered.

Building your muscle to bring that inward focus can be learned:

Identify Distractions:

You know best what is holding you back or distracting you. It could be something as simple as someone’s social media updates or a dear friend who has landed a dream job. If it creates an upset within you, it’s time to look at it differently.

The Driver’s Seat:

Get back into the driver’s seat of your life. You get to decide where to put your focus.

Feed your body and mind right:

Energy is everything. What you put into your mind and body matters. A healthy body and mind put you into a high energetic space which is ideal for attracting other positive situations.

The Power of Rituals:

Those who know, know. There is nothing more empowering than dedicating yourself to a discipline that works for your life, your body, your mind. Sitting still and breathing, exercising, journaling – help you connect deeper with self. Creating a routine also builds character and sharpens your will.

When you start each day feeling calm, positive and in control of your destiny, focus on what is important – comes naturally. It’s never too late to become your greatest priority.

• Dubai