Give Your Attention to What You Want

One of the biggest problems I see people have is putting their attention on things that don’t serve them. This can be a huge hurdle when it comes to improving your mindset.

Why Your Attention Matters

When we focus on something, think about it often, talk about it, and give it our energy, we’re essentially telling the universe, “Yes, please give me more of this.” It doesn’t matter if it’s positive or negative, the universe will continue providing experiences that match wherever your attention is directed.

For example, if you focus on the good things happening in the world, you’ll start to notice more of them, in people, in situations, and in daily life. The same is true in reverse. This process creates a feedback loop in your subconscious mind: think good thoughts about the world → see good things → reinforce that belief → continue the cycle.

This loop has a massive impact on your overall well-being and mindset. Think about it, someone whose mind is trained to look for the good will naturally feel happier and more peaceful than someone constantly tuned into negativity.

You might be thinking, Well, these things are true! And yes, it’s true that there are bad things happening in the world. But is that where you want your energy to go? Even if something is real, you don’t have to give it your constant attention. This might sound controversial, but it’s one of the most powerful laws of the universe: you attract what you focus on.

I’m not saying you should deny reality or pretend everything is perfect. But energy is simply energy, where you direct it determines what you attract back. If you continually give your attention and energy to negative things, the universe will give you more proof of negativity.

The Power of Awareness

In order to change this feedback loop, you first have to be aware of where your attention is going. I am consciously aware of the majority of the thoughts I think, but that didn’t happen overnight. I’ve trained myself to be this way. The biggest help with this has been meditation.

Meditation allows you to practice getting in control of your mind and your thoughts. It takes time, patience, and consistent practice, but it’s one of the most beneficial things you can do for your mindset. When you learn to control your thoughts, you learn to control your life.

Try this simple practice: notice what you complain about today. Then notice how you feel when you complain, it’s probably not a good feeling. But you can change that. You can choose to look for the good around you instead.

Here’s another one: notice what you judge today, whether it’s others or yourself. Does it make you feel good? Probably not. Try shifting your focus to what you appreciate about people, and about yourself. Let’s be honest, we are usually the most judgmental toward ourselves.

These small awareness practices help you recognize where your attention really goes. Without awareness, you can’t create change. Awareness is always the first step.

Breaking the Negative Loop

Like I mentioned earlier, the hardest part of this process is when you’re currently experiencing something negative in your life. You might be thinking, But this is really happening, I can’t just ignore it! And you’re right, you don’t have to ignore it. But you can choose to look at it differently.

Notice what’s happening, acknowledge it, and then gently shift your attention toward what you do want instead. Better yet, try reshaping how you perceive that experience. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “What is this trying to teach me?”

There is always light to be found, even in dark moments. Sometimes you just have to train your mind to look for it.

How Attention Shapes Identity

What you give your attention to shapes your thoughts. Your thoughts shape your beliefs. And those beliefs shape your reality, your personality, your energy, and your entire life experience.

If you want to experience a life full of abundance, joy, good health, love, and positivity, that’s where your focus needs to be. Even if it’s not your current reality, it doesn’t have to be real yet in order for you to give your attention to it.

Your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined, it simply responds to what you focus on most. So feed it with thoughts and visions that align with the life you want to live.