“The sun’s energy warms the world. But when you focus it through a magnifying glass it can start a fire. Focus is so powerful!” Alan Pariser
As everyone else was declaring their word of 2015, I was tossing them around terms like a salad. Attentiveness was the best I’ve chosen in the past, but it wouldn’t be right to use it again. I knew I needed discipline to stay with the many tasks I start. I knew that required organization, determination, and intention. If I could only focus I could make a decision. I needed clarity. As I was thinking this over, I came across Christine Kane’s blog. A friend has introduced me to her music a few years back, but I didn’t know she had changed her career direction. It hadn’t dawned on me until I did this exercise that every word I had chosen required focus. Later I came across this great quote by Cheryl Richardson (Life Makeovers), “To focus means to bring your attention to the center, to concentrate on one thing intently in order to gain clarity.” Bingo!
So here’s a year to prolific writing, photography, and many creative endeavors!
Good bye, Procrastination. Hello, Focus!
Word of the Year
love Cheryl’s definition. Focus it is!
I like it, too.
I attended a workshop she did years ago, in Toronto. She has sych lovely energy
I’ll bet that was awesome!
it really was. I still have the card she drew from her deck for me that day!
🙂
Jill traded “procrastination” for “focus” too, Suzi:
https://jillweatherholt.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/my-one-word/
How cool is that, will check it out!
Suzi, I stopped by Christina’s website before leaving this comment and LOVED the quote, “When you open to a word that will truly guide you….” Faaaaabulous!
“So here’s a year to prolific writing, photography, and many creative endeavors!”
You GO, girl!
Oh, and I love the photograph in this post. STUNNING!
x
That is my first “Raw” post processed photo…the post processing with DirtMan’s help. He encouraged me to shoot raw and you really can do more with it in post processing than with a jpeg…see, I’m learning!
Focus — yes, I like that, Suzi. I think we sometimes have trouble doing that because we’re all encouraged to multitask (as if anybody can really do their best work like that!). GOOD for you — happy focusing!!
Multitasking and social media are big distractions for me. Focus will be a challenging and rewarding word for me this year.
. . . . this great quote by Cheryl Richardson (Life Makeovers), “To focus means to bring your attention to the center, to concentrate on one thing intently in order to gain clarity.”
. . . to bring my attention to the center, to concentrate on one thing intently in order to gain clarity. This I think is very sound advice. It can probably be applied to any kind of creative writing!
Thanks for this post, Suzicate! Wishing you all the Best for the Year ahead. 🙂
“The sun’s energy warms the world. But when you focus it through a magnifying glass it can start a fire. Focus is so powerful!” Alan Pariser
Most beautiful photo, Suzi, Yes, focus is indeed powerful! 🙂
Best wishes to you as well. I am looking forward to focusing on what’s important to me this year.
Yes focus is such a good word Suzicate. I had chosen graciousness as my word for 2015 but really I think FOCUS is better. I can still FOCUS my thoughts on being gracious without cutting out all the other things on which I need to FOCUS
Graciousness is a great word. There are so many great words to challenge us it’s difficult to decide on one.
Focus is a great single word. And I do not remember seeing you here at The Spin Cycle before.
I used to be on the Spin almost all the time for years, but I’ve been a slacker for the past year or so as I do it now and then. I’m trying to get better…maybe “focus” really is what I need!
Interesting, Suzi, I have learned to live with and appreciate each. And I’m good at both. 🙂
I’m not sure how much procrastination has helped me except I admit there have been a few project I was not ready to complete and procrastination saved those! I’d like to be better at focusing than procrastinating, ha!
Being focused is an art, a talent, that I have had to develop to appreciate. The procrastination skill is, unfortunately, embedded. I do it well without trying. 🙂 Glad you’re better at focusing, Suzi.
Bwahaha, I’m not better YET! I hope to be better. I spent my day “focusing” on new photography techniques, so I’m ready for a little procrastination before I focus on something else.
I love all three…the pic, the quote and the word you have chosen! Isn’t it symbolic that you have chosen the picture of sun, which defines your word and the quote so well!
I chose that photo because it was my first “raw” photo which took much focus to capture and post process, and being sunset was a bonus.
Fantabulous word! It can be applied to so many areas of life. Sort of the antithesis of multitasking, don’t you think….which is very over-rated in my opinion.
Multitasking is my demise! Focusing is going to be a challenge for sure.
Cheers to focus! Love that word, Susan. I am debuting my word of the year next week.
I can’t wait to see. You always choose such great ones.
It’s hard to settle on just one word. That does take focus 🙂
Ha, it sure does!
Wonderful word! Seeing your post in the Spin Cycle actually helped me get my act together, and I finally published my Word of the Year. I’m a huge procrastinator!
So glad to be encouraging! I think procrastination has a lot of friends and possibly losing some this year, ha!
Focus is a great word. I talk about having focus in your writing with my sixth grade students a lot at the beginning of the year. And I can easily see why it’s important in photography! Great word choice!
Thanks. The only why I can do all the things I enjoy is to take time to focus on each rather than blindly dabble with them.
Great word Suzi, and outstanding photo.
Thank you, Merle! ❤
Yes ‘Focus’ is a good word for the year’s adventures.
🙂
Great perspective .. My word for 2015 is Unity.. I so hope more do unite.. 🙂
Now, that is a great word!:)
Love your word choice because everyone could focus on something better. I went with breath – gotta do it anyways!
Breath is a good one; it tells us a lot…and yes, it’s certainly something we want to do!
Reading blogs, talking to people… it seems that most of us are on a constant journey to accomplish certain things. I like your “focus” word. I also like Nike’s, “Just Do It.” I’ve always been one to get sidetracked or distracted and think I’ve accepted it. So maybe I just need to “keep moving” – even if it’s all over the place!
Yes, “Just do it” is one of those self mottos I hear myself mutter when I hesitate.