Focus and my ability to concentrate is in short supply. Uncertainty messes with my brain, but world events needn’t derail my desire to be productive. Easier said than done, right? Focus behaves like a muscle. The more I exercise it, the stronger and less painful concentrating becomes. The problem is starting.

When life gets stressful, I resort to Warren Buffett’s Two-List strategy. His directions say to create a detail list of 25 things I wish to accomplish. Long-term goals are proving too difficult to consider, so I fixate on this week. Completing the list is challenging, but I won’t be dissuaded. Eventually, my paper details a wide variety of tasks from housework, to writing posts.

With my twenty-five complied, I narrow the field to my five most important desires. Buffet says to set aside the remaining twenty, and he forbids dabbling with List 2 tasks until List 1 is done. On this Monday morning, even five things are overwhelming. I take Buffet’s instructions a step further and select one task. That means if I’m in desperate need of clean yoga pants, and it is on my leading five, laundry is my focus for today.

Sure, I still must fix lunch, and see to the normal day-to-day necessities, but I must do my wash before I allow myself to pick the next item from my list. But with a distracted mind, it may be my only success. And that’s okay. Tomorrow I promise to tackle another goal.

What will you accomplish today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

We are all links in a chain. No link is unimportant, each link, every individual, is completely essential. Together we play a role in achieving a greater purpose. My friends and family are health care workers and law enforcement officers. They are on the frontline, working long hours for our health and protection. Daily they see, handle, and resolve issues so we can live in comfort. Yet, they rely on us for comfort, too.

The frontline workers depend on their support systems for things like childcare, senior care, appropriate equipment, food, and emotional care. When they are secure, when they know their families are safe in their absence, they commit and focus on their jobs. When they have needed equipment, and we remind them of the simple functions of eating and sleeping, they work at peak levels with confidence. And when they have seen and experienced more than any human should, they need a shoulder to lean on, and a reminder we appreciate, love, and honor them.

I applaud as businesses pivot from their normal production to manufacture hand sanitizer, face shields, acrylic screens, masks, and other necessary equipment. Restaurants deliver meals to hospitals, fire and police stations, and homeless shelters. Often, they donate or supply these items at cost. Other critical organizations are working to keep the lights on, water running, and the infrastructure humming without interruption.

Even as we isolate, we still perform a vital role. We are the curve flatteners, the smiling faces, the sustainers of positive attitudes, the reminders they are not alone, and their flame of hope.

Are you an aware and strong link?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The simple act of smiling has profound consequences. Scientists say a smile causes your brain to release neuropeptides that can help you handle stress. Your smile charges your body with dopamine, endorphin, and serotonin, chemicals shown to lower your blood pressure, decreases your heart rate, and even ease your pain. Smiling elevates your mood and boosts your immune system. Studies show when we smile, others perceive us as looking younger, thinner and more intelligent.  Yep, that’s right, smiling makes people think you are smart. And thin.

But those wonderful benefits are only the beginning. When your friends see you smile, they smile back. They receive those same feel-good chemicals, predisposing them to smile at the next person they see. Your beaming face can start an epidemic, the good kind.

Remember that when you sign in to your next Zoom, GoToMeeting, Facetime, or Slack meeting. Smile when you send a text or connect the old-fashioned way—on the phone. Seriously. Smiling when you talk causes a physiological change and helps your voice to sound friendly, warm, and receptive.

Whose day will you brighten?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

From Sonya’s 3LineTales at Only100Words.
You can find the original prompt here. Thank you, Sonya.

photo by NASA via Unsplash

Controlled explosions, deafening noise, fear, silent prayers, trust, and courage give way to silence.

The burdens of life, high expectations, and unyielding demands give way to weightlessness.

A unique perspective, a quieted mind, and challenges met give way to peace.

______________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

There is a Spanish saying, “No hay rosa sin espinas.” The translation is, “There are no roses without thorns. Life is rampant with contradictions. Life, death, light, dark, good, evil, ancient, modern, ying, and yang.  Many believe our purpose is to find happiness, become rich, or attain enlightenment. But what if the actual reason is to experience and appreciate everything the world offers? Do we not welcome the warmth of the summer sun after the frigid temperatures of winter? Drought sweetens a thunderstorm, navigating rough waters heightens the joy of smooth sailing, and the coronavirus creates gratitude for our health.

There is evidence suggesting when we face challenges, we improve our existence. You know the adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Weightlifting tones muscles, solving problems strengthens confidence. Devising creative solutions keeps your mind nimble and amplifies your sense of achievement. When we look at difficulties in a unique light, we can see them as opportunities. They are the catalysts of growth, and a reminder to live to the fullest, experiencing the exhilaration of the highest highs, and even the despair the lowest lows.

It also increases your compassion for others. You can’t walk in someone else’s shoes, but your path may have exposed you to similar situations, which enhances your empathy. Empathy produces better people. Shared experiences unite humans in a common cause against a mutual adversary. Maybe this virus is not the scourge it seems. By fighting a microscopic enemy we are developing closer relationships with family and friends, helping strangers, and finding innovative ways to manufacture needed supplies.

Will you embrace today’s challenges?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer