Often we go through life and never really see everything that is going on. Some people are so focused on the 1% of negative events that they never see the 99% of positivity in their life. They are not focusing on the big picture. If this is you, don’t worry, it is fixable. All it takes is to open your mind and eyes.
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Focusing On The Big Picture
I read a good story the other day to illustrate this point. Some workers came to their office on a Monday morning as usual. Everything was the same except when they looked at the ceiling there was one ceiling tile missing. The missing ceiling tile became the main topic around the water cooler. It was the talk of the office.
One by one, everyone focused on the missing tile. You could hear question after question about the missing tile. What happened to it? Is it up in the ceiling someplace? Was there a reason someone took it?
The next day the workers return, and the tile is still missing. The workers began to only look at the empty space. They focus only on the missing tile. They neglect to see the rest of the beautiful ceiling tiles that are perfectly in place.
The Missing Tile Syndrome
This is referred to as the missing tile syndrome. You are not focusing on the big picture. Your focus is on the small percentage of negative in your life. You become so consumed by it that you cannot see all the good things going on. Your focus is only what is missing in your life.
How many times have you run into an acquaintance, asked how they were, and only received negative responses? They proceed to tell you about every little pain they have. Even if you bring up something positive you heard that had happened to them, they quickly return to telling you about the bad things. They are not focusing on the big picture.
Look Around
When my wife and I took a trip to Colorado, we did a lot of hiking. I saw many hikers who never took their eyes off the ground. They missed out on some wonderful scenery. My wife and I would stop every few minutes just to look around and take it all in. We saw birds and animals other hikers did not. A few times, I even smelled the musky odor that told me a bear had passed by the area recently or was still close by.
When you look at your body, look at your whole body, not just the flaws. Flaws can be fixed, but this is the body you were given, and it is perfect. If you want to change something, great. Start an exercise program and eat healthier. First, fall in love with your body as it is. My body looks a lot different than it did 20 years ago, but I don’t focus on the negative. It gets me through every day, and my engine is purring like a kitten.
It’s A Wonderful World
We live in a beautiful world, open your eyes and take it in. The media conditions you to only see the negative. Begin focusing on the big picture and see all the wonderful things that are happening every day. Acts of kindness are occurring daily. They are just not the focus of the media.
Acts Of Kindness
I encourage everyone to perform at least one act of kindness a week. Smile at someone, compliment a stranger, or tell an employee they are doing a great job. Whenever my daughter, the personal trainer, receives a compliment from her client, she can’t wait to come home and tell me. I can see the pride on her face.
One way I try to extend kindness is in checkout lines. They usually have racks of candy bars to tempt you before you pay for your goods. If the clerk looks like they might be having a bad day, I tell them that I wanted to get a candy bar but cannot decide which one. I then ask them what their favorite is. When they tell me, I purchase the candy, and as I’m leaving I hand it to them. I thank them and say, I hope this helps brighten your day. It always brings a smile to their face.
This is just a small gesture of kindness, but you never know what people are going through. I hope that you will open their eyes to good things going on in their life. Maybe they will begin focusing on the big picture. Focusing on all the positive things in your life and the world will lead you to do more positive acts. It really is a beautiful world we are living in. Let’s continue to make it better.