Finding Our Focus During Crazy Times: Only So Many Ducks to Give

focus, no ducks to give

Finding our focus has never been easy. Many of us have always lacked direction and fallen short on “clarity.” We’d multitasked ourselves into a daily fugue state long before COVID and quarantines and Zoom upended our lives.

Time somehow seeped through an unseen hole, leaking away one errand, email, trip, chore, or event at a time.

Ironically, I wrote a blog post Quiet: Have We Forgotten to Be Still in a World That Never Stops? back in February.

Um, so yeah. Oops. #CarefulWhatYouWishFor

Yet, to be blunt? At the time I wrote that blog, our Normal meant living life strapped to Hell’s Tilt-A-Whirl every…single…day. That is NOT healthy. We needed rest, quiet time and peace, yet we were threadbare and run ragged.

focus, stress, COVID-19, new normal, Kristen Lamb

I apologize for not posting for a while. It’s been VERY odd, especially since I’ve posted religiously no matter what for almost fourteen years. Suffice to say, this year—which started with yet another death in the family—had me ground down and exhausted. I seriously needed a sabbatical to recharge.

Moving on…

Focus & The “New” Normal

Nah, let it starve…

So maybe we’ve had enough “quiet time.” We miss getting out, socializing, and long for the days when shopping for groceries didn’t require sanitizer, gloves, face masks, eye-balling six feet for social distancing, and a canteen of holy water.

Alas, there are a handful of phases or words guaranteed to make me twitchy. One is this idea of a “new normal.” First of all, every day is a “new normal.” The entire GOAL of human civilization is to change, ideally for the better.

If we aren’t changing, we’re dying.

That aside? Normal doesn’t exist, other than as a setting on the dryer. And when I hear others (and myself) bemoaning all the changes and trials and wanting to “get back to normal,” I cringe. NO. I don’t want things back the way they used to be, namely because I believe we can do better.

COVID and everything that’s gone with it sure has been a trial. Some have suffered terrible losses, hardships and/or setbacks. But I refuse to endure these tests and tribulations only to go BACK.

Because what was BACK THERE wasn’t all that great.

Nostalgia can be misleading. It’s like that ex we keep returning to because we keep forgetting WHY we dumped the @$$hat in the first place.

Nostalgia can lure us to focus on only what was good, and forget what was broken. Nostalgia cajoles us into dismissing why we were burned out, stressed out and ready to crack.

Since we don’t have a time machine, we’re in this together.

If we focus on all “we’ve lost” then that’s wasted effort that only makes us feel crummy and powerless. We can’t undo what is done, but we can assess, adapt and overcome. THAT is active, offers us agency, and a reason to hope.

Where the Mind Goes, Man Follows

focus
A look into where my mind has been. I MUST KNOW!

When I first started toying with the idea of writing professionally, I had an idea for a book set in Monte Carlo, with the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix as a backdrop. Being bold and brassy, I somehow talked my way into some of the inner circles of Ferrari racing.

Though I never finished the book, I did have a great time and learned a lot of key lessons that would carry me through much of my professional life. One lesson in particular stands apart.

We go where we focus.

In professional racing, a lot of winning involves not crashing. Simple, right? If your car is a pile of wreckage, then chances of crossing that finish line go quickly to ZERO. High speed racing—particularly in places like Monte Carlo—are unusually challenging.

Why? Because it isn’t as much about driving faster than the competition, as it is about driving better than the competition. Monte Carlo is a maze of hairpin turns. Not only must a driver be mindful of the wall, but of other drivers as well.

What I learned was this: If you look at the wall, you’ll hit the wall.

The driver must always be keenly aware of where he has his focus, because focus on the wall? You’ll hit the wall. Focus on the other cars? You’ll hit the other cars. Focus on where you want to go? That’s where you’ll naturally drift.

It’s why it’s so crucial to phrase objectives in the positive. Remember you put your keys next to the door is much more effective than telling yourself Don’t forget that you put your keys near the door.

The human brain tends to only start listening at the first ACTIVE verb, and that’s where it will focus. If we say, Don’t forget to pick up cat food, our brain hears, Forget to pick up cat food.

Watching our words and how we speak can drastically improve focus for the better. POSITIVE goals! Instead of, I don’t want gain anymore weight, try, I want to be healthy and properly proportioned 😉 .

Authors and businesses drive me bonkers with this. Don’t forget to subscribe! Guess what you just told everyone to do? *face palm*

Focus: Only So Many Ducks to Give

Since bluntness is my superpower, here it is. Life is the leading cause of death. Today is the youngest we will ever be. Time is a nonrenewable resource, so we’re wise to be mindful how we spend our days.

Once we understand all this, then ask: Where are we placing our focus?

We cannot care about everything. When we care about everything, we care about nothing. Why? Because we can’t care about everything and also maintain focus.

That race car driver can only care about a short list of priorities. If he lets in too much other “stuff,” he’s far more likely to end up a pile of smoldering wreckage than to zoom across that finish line.

The same can be said for us.

Again, I know it’s been a long time since I’ve posted, but I was too scattered. There was no sense in posting blogs when my mind was a mess. I needed to back off, get quiet, ponder my priorities, and ask myself the hard questions.

Like THIS one!

Was I blogging because I loved it? Because I truly enjoy sharing knowledge, wisdom and even some laughs? Or, was I blogging only because I’d been blogging since 2007 and felt obligated instead of compelled?

What did I REALLY care about?

Because after being sick for so long, and all the upheaval in publishing, and then the world losing its ever-loving mind? I’d caught a bad case of value vertigo.

Until I could regain equilibrium, I’d have little or nothing of substance to offer any of you. Since I value your time, I’d rather post nothing than nonsense.

Focus is Essential in Everything

Stuff I think about…

First of all, obviously I love blogging and miss you guys or I wouldn’t be here. Yet, with the world going crazy, I struggled to even think of a topic. There was plenty of negativity going around, so no need to add to it.

But being positive? It was next to impossible for me to think of anything encouraging to post that didn’t make me want to punch myself in the face.

focus, no ducks to give

As I see it, we’re in the meantime, which is what I like to call that span of suck before the breakthrough. It’s a tough place to be and often we wonder if it will ever end. Thing is? I can’t promise the world will be any better because I don’t (sadly) control the world.

I can only control myself, my actions and my attitude. My locus of focus must be internal, because I have authority there. If I give too many ducks about people, places, things that I can’t control? That’s a recipe for a nervous breakdown.

If I focus on all the negative, what bothers me, what upsets me and gives me apoplexy, guess what happens? I’ll get more of that.

If I look at the wall, I’ll hit the wall.

Dreams & Pain

Seriously.

One of my all-time favorite books is Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve listened to the audiobook. Why I love this book is that Manson has a very counterintuitive approach to reaching goals and living “the good life.”

Many of us, when we have a dream or goal, tend to focus too much on the dream and not enough on what is required to attain that dream.

We might imagine having a rock hard body with single-digit body fat, a successful small business, or being a mega best-selling author. But are we willing to do all that is necessary to get there?

Manson points out that life has problems. There is no escaping problems. All that we can do is choose better problems.

To paraphrase Manson, Warren Buffet has money problems, but so does the homeless guy hanging outside the Quickie Mart. Buffet just has BETTER money problems.

Since I prefer to stay in the PG13 realm with my blog, we only have so many ducks to give. Where are we going to spend them?

Because if my ducks are scattered all over—some arguing on social media with strangers, some trying to Marie Kondo my house in a week, others fretting about whether Pilates or Yoga is a better way to get back in shape, etc.?

I’m circling the drain already. Loads of activity, with little to no results (other than self-loathing).

Author Problems

Authors know…

I’ve been around long enough to see this play out in the writing world. For ages, I’ve heard, “If I only had enough time, then I’d finish that novel.”

BAM! QUARANTINE! How many people have finally had the time? Yet, how many finished novels?

The problem (for many) with writing professionally is that it’s easier to daydream about being a best-selling author than to sit down and work day after day after day.

Writing has problems. Learning the craft, coming up with a book idea, writing the book, editing, revising, building a brand and platform, facing uncertainty and crushing insecurity, and on and on.

How many love the idea of being a best-selling author but not the pain/problems that go with being a best-selling author?

I LOVE the idea of having a fitness model physique, but I don’t love it enough to embrace the pain of having that fitness model physique. Since I don’t want to live in a gym, measure out every portion of macro and micronutrients, and retool my world for this level of fitness? The dream will remain that, a dream.

But, when it comes to being an author? I LOVE to read, and enjoy craft books, writing sprints, revisions, research, blogging, editing, etc.

See how by choosing my pain (problems) I’m able to gain renewed focus? When I understand that life will always have problems, I can make a conscious effort to always be choosing better problems.

Sure, I could argue with strangers on-line about sensitive topics, but why? I’m not (at the moment) running for office and I’m not a political writer. Why would I throw my ducks into an area where they’ll just get de-feathered and roasted?

Unless I aim to completely shift my brand and goals, this path has my ducks all over when I need them in a row to be effective.

Writers change the world all the time, always have. I choose the pain I want, which is to change hearts and minds using the power of story. I’m learning to be more selective about how many ducks to give and when and where to give them.

I’ve Missed Y’all!

So yes, I am back. The world needs a nap and a Snickers (my POV), but I can’t do anything about that other than bring some sense and sunshine into your world…which I HOPE I’ve done.

I LOVE Hearing From YOU!

What are your thoughts? Have you been dealing with feeling strung out? You have more TIME than ever, but all the craziness has you circling the drain or building blanket forts? What have you changed in your life to help you remain positive and manage stress?

Have you gotten any writing accomplished? I’m 45K words into a non-fiction ghostwriting project, so I’ve pretty much buried myself in that and doing home improvements.

I think Lowe’s stock will bottom out once I finish all the painting and repairs here, LOL.

So come on and share! I’ve missed y’all, but I love you enough not to drop more doom at your door. Thanks for your patience while I recharged my optimism 🙂 .

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  1. I am trapped in my apartment in Lake Charles … yes, the city that’s the Bullseye for Cat 4 Hurricane Laura. I am just recovering from Covid-19, in a city empty of everyone … the blood center for which I work wants me to walk to work Friday … so I know what’s it like to have a flock of problems. Oh, and I am stuck at the beginning of Chapter 3 to my latest novel, NIGHT SEASONS. Maybe I brought all this on myself with that title. I think I will name my next novel, BLUE SKIES. 🙂

    1. Stay safe! And y’all check in and let me know you’re okay ((HUGS)).

  2. I loved reading this post.You make some good points. Here, today, on the Texas Gulf Coast, we are planning for hurricane (Laura) in the midst of the pandemic. How did we get so lucky?

  3. I’m more of a lurker than a commenter, but I wanted to say ‘Welcome back. I’ve missed you’. Love the insight and the crazy photos. It’s a dose of tonic, a cup or two of common sense, And a healthy handful of Camaraderie. Look forward to more posts.

  4. Oh, it’s lovely to have you back, Kristen. And I’m sorry this year has hit you so very hard! Like you say, it’s been manic – I’ve frankly been using my writing as an escape from everything going on around me… Take care and stay safe.

  5. there are two ducks in a puddle in my back yard…the puddle is tiny but they are making that duck noise — duck purring? What does this mean? Can I give a duck now?

    Welcome back, mad woman… :O)))

    • Roger Nay on August 26, 2020 at 6:12 pm
    • Reply

    Great post, it made me realize I’ve missed your Hagar the Horrible helmet and great writing in my mailbox.

  6. I understand all about needing time to find yourself again. It took me five years after my mom died, and some days, I’m still not there. Welcome back!

    When it comes to dealing with adversity, there are probably at least three different kinds of people. Those who don’t take a good day for granted, have flexible perspectives and are willing to learn something from it. Adversity isn’t allowed to beat them, so they are usually the first ones to roll up their sleeves and find new ways to adapt. Then you have the folks who believe it is someone else’s job to fix their problems. They either sit on their hands and whine, or think the solution is running amok and destroying other peoples’ lives, because somehow the system failed them. Whoever decided using the term “these unprecedented times” for marketing did it deliberately. They were counting on the fact most of the population’s education and long-term memory regarding human history is so whizz poor, most will fail to realize it’s really just same @#$%, different day.

    I left my day job seven years ago to care for a disabled veteran who fell down the stairs of our house while I was at work. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not super-social, so the whole COVID thing hasn’t impacted us that much. No, I don’t like wearing masks in public, but if you’re going to make me, fine. I haven’t gone crazy making masks. However, I do have one with the cover of the book I released in May. Otherwise, I already have years of practice filling my time with activity and happen to be very goal oriented. I’ve also grown old enough that if I don’t enjoy doing something, I don’t waste my time with it.

    I happen to like writing and my previous job as a graphic designer had deadlines all the time, some of them pretty darn tight. Though it was originally a bit longer than planned, my first book was officially published in May, a year after I started it. I’m hoping to send book 2 to the copyright office next week, provided Hurricane Laura stays east of us. I tend to write in the 80-90ish thousand-word range right now. Having a structured schedule helps. I work for a couple of hours every morning. Then again in the evenings. It keeps me from sleeping in front of the TV after dinner, a bad habit which keeps me up at night.

    The best advice I can give is to start setting goals and deadlines, even if it isn’t normally your personality type. “Someday” has never been guaranteed to arrive, and neither is tomorrow. Nothing ever gets accomplished without some sense of urgency. On the flip side, you have to make allowances for the unexpected, and learn to be gentle with yourself when things don’t work out exactly as you planned. But having a plan of some sort gets you back on track, as long as you maintain a bit of flexibility. Because I don’t write to satisfy trends, my goal is to develop a strong business foundation by building slowly and creating work I actually want to read. Yes, I’m picky and have enjoyed the privilege of reading many fine authors in a wide variety of genres. Will trying to emulate them put me on a list or two? Eh, maybe or maybe not. That’s not why I returned to novel writing last year, but the quality of my work does matter to me. Financially, my writing business is still operating in the red for the time being. However, I set goals for something which had dropped off my radar for more than twenty years and started reaching them. That was an investment in myself. Regardless whether my books gain a following or not, I’ve still accomplished something big. Which is far more valuable than any amount of fickle money, that tends to ebb and flow a bit too easily.

    • Charlotte French on August 26, 2020 at 6:50 pm
    • Reply

    What a surprise this morning! My favourite funny blog-about-anything-writing blogger. THANK YOU for your quirky, honest, insightful, and educational newsletters. I’ve been receiving them for years, long before I finally plunged into the writing pond. I’m one of the lucky ones. I live far away from crowds on the north coast among aussies that are quite sufficient in the art of not giving a f*ck. Good to see you’re back with a vengance. Good words as per usual. Yes, I did finish the first—a k a the umpteenth—draft of my second manuscript.

  7. Welcome back. The Offspring and I have been self-isolating since March. I’ve been out to pick up chemist [pharmacy] stuff maybe four times – an outing of 1/2 an hour hoodied up with gloves and a mask so I don’t bring anything nasty back home. And yet, like you, when I think of pre-Covid, I know that ‘what was BACK THERE wasn’t all that great’.

    Unfortunately, I fear that the greatest change, at least economically, will be to small businesses, many of which will never open their doors again. That will leave the corporate behemoths to continue on as if nothing had happened. Yet so much of what wasn’t great /before/ was part of the corporate culture we’ve grown used to.

    I know frogs don’t actually sit still while they boil to death, but it makes a nice analogy so I’ll use it. We all sat around in that corporate pot, slowly coming to the boil without realising it was killing us. Now that the pot has stopped boiling there’s an element of relief, but how exactly do we hop out of that pot for good?

    Sorry to hear about the death in your family. Take care of yourself and stay well.

    • annekaelber on August 26, 2020 at 7:46 pm
    • Reply

    Kristen, it’s so good to see a new post from you.

    I’ve been chugging along (if it’s at a slower speed than I’d like, can I still say “chugging”? lol) with my novel. I’ve already changed the female lead once and now I’m adjusting the current female lead because she’s *still* not coming together in my head. Every time I try to write one of her scenes (alternating PoVs), they just don’t …. work (?) flow (?) I don’t know what to call it. I just know this suggests I need to tweak her a little more.

    Add in that we’re selling our house in the next 6 months, it’s a wonder I’m not punching out that nun for her alcohol. Wait… I’d go for whiskey anyway; the nun is safe. 😀 I’m trying to weed through the ideas which are too soon (is there such a thing as “too soon to pack”?), but I’ll admit to “hiding out” in audiobook-land while I play a video game or knit another shawl or stuffed animal.

    I should probably try to get some words in today. That book won’t write itself, no matter how hard I wish for it. Stay safe!

    Anne

  8. Nice to see you back!
    I took a blog sabbatical at the start of the year (after only seven years of blogging) and after about three months I realized my purpose in blogging: to give readers a bit of time out, something funny / creative / encouraging to help them cope with ongoing reality.
    But as you say, it’s not always easy. I’ve been getting into the garden more as a bit of purely disconnected time out to decompress and be refreshed. And make the garden look less derelict…

    • Phyllis Bandy on August 26, 2020 at 10:15 pm
    • Reply

    Like Shari I am not much of a commenter. I did miss you. Will be happy when you return to my email. Always smile when I see your posts! This is a tough time. It will get better eventually… Be thinking of everyone who has to deal with the terrible hurricane in Louisiana/Texas. Please take care.

  9. I’m glad to see you! Mark Manson is one of my favorite ‘self help’ authors, and a lot of his first book speaks directly to me. (Don’t tell him, but I’m still wading through his second one… it’s dense.) My work has been crazy on deadline for two months, so I’m not writing at the moment, but I have gone through my beta readers’ feedback – I told them to gut the book, and they did! Thank you to them. *cries* It’s okay though – focusing on it as a puzzle and not my blood sweat and tears is a lesson I’ve learned from you, and it’s helping. 🙂

  10. Glad to see you back. You always bring some good perspectives on life, with a welcome touch of humour. Apart from the social distancing hurdles much of life in our household is on its normal routine, so I don’t know where all this abundant free time is supposed to magically appear! Life ticks on, and am plodding away at a novel, one page at a time 🙂

  11. Welcome back – glad you’ve managed to get recharged despite everything going on in your life and the world.
    Pertinent post! I thought I’d get my stalled blog back to normal, nope, thought I’d get on with writing my first historical novel (not first novel, just first historical. . .been researching long enough now!)
    In the end it’s only been a short non-fiction I’ve been able to focus on, as everything else requires my imagination and plenty of ‘head-space’ …. and there I go, too many other drivers/walls getting in the way!
    Cheers, Ann (UK)

    • Todd Main on August 27, 2020 at 8:09 am
    • Reply

    Loved the post! I try hard to stay positive and be a supporter but lock-down and our negative-wired brain have made it very hard. I’ve been trying to adopt my wife’s mantra, “Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys” and the newest FB meme, “Not My Pasture, Not My Bull****” but it isn’t easy. So definitely lessening the DOOM and increasing the OPTIMISM is the correct prescription.

  12. Yes, you ramble a bit here, but after all, you’re working to get focused again! 🙂 I really like that beautiful black-&-white duck with the blue bill – one handsome duck!

    I hear you. I’m still working full-time (not as a writer), from home, which is a blessing too many others don’t have. When we got sent home to work in March, the 24/7 covid coverage was ramping up, and in about a week, I found the paranoia anoia-ing. By May, I was so frustrated at my inability to get away from the endless obsession of the rest of the world that I wrote a rant. I sent that to my writing critique group and to a few friends, and one friend said I should publish it. Why in the world would I want to add to the incessant clamor that I was complaining about and trying to escape!?!? It was an exercise to vent my spleen.

    Nevertheless, because I have more available time (thanks to the lack of commute), I have launched a newsletter in which I post personal essays and flash fiction, generally with a theme or sorts – the last one was about how pigs and police came to be associated. I will not engage in political commentary – as you point out, who needs more of that? I am far more interested in encouraging people to write their own stories without fear or shame or a sense of obligation to anyone but themselves.

    So, welcome back, and keep wearing that way-cool Viking helmet!

  13. I have Mark Manson’s book. Aside from being a real hoot it is very insightful and right on.

  14. Fantastic metaphors, fantastic post! SO happy you’re back! And thrilled that things are going better for you–at least good enough for you to be able to focus on blogging.

  15. Covid has been good to me. I published my 5th book, line edited my next book and made the cover for that one and I made 50 hand made Christmas cards so far. I’ve expanded what I know about music theory and improved my guitar work. Contacted an estranged daughter. Started writing another book. Read more than usual. Increased exercise. Moved my house. Got another car. Wrote a lot of letters. In other words, I focused more on what’s important and necessities and wasted less time. Nothing changed except sharper focus and thus more production. You do go where you aim. I learned that racing production road racing motorcycles back in the 70s. Aim for the apex,not the hay bails.

  16. Thanks for a great post and the chances to smile at your funny slides! I enjoyed it and think you made some great points.

  17. Hi Kristen!
    I’m so glad to see you back (and so sorry for your losses and your months of illness).
    I will hopefully be emerging soon from two-and-a-half years self-quarantine due to cancer treatment (only to emerge into the quarantine everyone else has been experiencing).
    When I was first diagnosed, I looked forward to having lots of time to write, however I felt too lousy to do so for the entire time of my treatment (except to write poetry). I’m looking forward to getting back to my novels soon.
    I too have had to let my blog lapse. When you don’t have a lot of ducks you’ve got to be really careful where you commit them.
    I am hopeful and eager to get back to that too.
    However, again, I need to be patient. My immune system is so wiped out. I’ve already been sick twice since my treatment at the beginning of the month.
    There has been one blessing from this long hiatus from my life. I have had a chance to really look it over, reevaluate my past and my past commitments, consider what matters most (focus), and plan for something new and better, even if it will have it’s own problems. = )
    In the crazy-busy world of the past, it is so easy to lose track of what really matters.
    I guess one thing that can be said for emerging into a nationwide quarantine is it guarantees I will gradually re-enter a new healthy life.
    I pray you find hope and encouragement in your return to blogging. It is sure nice to hear from you again.

  18. good to hear from you. (i hear the author’s voice, or the one i imagined, while reading. i guess that’s normal). working on book 3. i am strictly working only on novella’s now. may also publish a book of novelette’s, including 2 or 3 of related or similar themed stories in each book. lowering my page counts for less costly products to make available to readers. anyway, always a pleasure to imbibe your intoxicating brews of wisdom. all the best.

  19. As always, reading your wisdom and wit has lifted my spirits and given me good thinks to think about. I am so sorry for the pain you’ve had to endure, your losses and all the challenges, but you always learn from it, and we are all the richer for that.

    • Jean Lamb on August 27, 2020 at 10:42 pm
    • Reply

    Covid hasn’t changed our life that much–still retired, husband still has lots of medical appointments, but I’ve been working on following a weekly and daily schedule (though some sloth till creeps through). Racked up my shoulder, so tried out Dragon Naturally Speaking for a lot of my typing revision, and it’s worked out pretty well (and the stupid program has finally learned how to spell, yay!). Finally into the slow read through revision, though I’m discovering I haven’t figured out exactly what happened with the chordamon (a musical instrument like a harpsichord) yet, and I need a better last line.

    One thing that helped, though, was that I set up a spreadsheet and ran my daily word count. That was HUGE.

  20. Appreciate you and the thoughts you share on things. I studied and wrote a dissertation on crisis and change, they are not the same thing! Think of leadership as the “Number Cruncher”, the “Spin Doctor”, and the “White Knight” versus the “Transformational” leader, or the “Consensus” Leader. You get the picture. Take care, I like the ducks.

  21. Hi Kristen! Sitting at LBI reading a Jodi Picoult book and laughing at a voice that sounds just like you, wondering if you’ve ever read her stuff? I also wanted to share a post of mine so similar to your last. Thanks for sharing! ? And for coming back! I missed your newsletter!!!
    https://www.journeywithwords.com/chergatto-blog/2019/1/19/put-your-hand-to-the-plow

  22. I read The Subtle Art last year and I loved it. It’s honestly a book I think a lot more people should read.

  23. Kristen, welcome back and with a brilliant post. I have a note on my computer “Where your focus goes, your energy flows” since May. Your post was a reminder to keep focused on just a few things and let go of others. Thank you.

  24. Lovely images.

  25. Thank you so much for this. You helped me today on several levels and I’m grateful.
    I have a theory about ‘safe worries’ – problems that we hang onto and drag out when we’re stressed. Hurts that we recall in excruciating detail, with a ‘couda, shoulda, woulda’ mantra playing in the background, all because we survived them and we’re safe now. Going to our safe worries feels like scratching an itch – much better than dealing with our current issues, but not as good as not getting the mosquito bite in the first place.
    I ramble… all of this is to say that you’ve given me a new mantra to banish the safe worry syndrome. In addition to ‘count your blessings’ (bland and common, but true), I’ll now say ‘get a better problem’.
    I’m off to try it out.
    Thanks, Kristen

  1. […] article covers it really well…Finding Our Focus During Crazy Times: Only So Many Ducks To Give https://authorkristenlamb.com/2020/08/finding-focus-mental-health-stress/ I love Kristen’s articles and had noticed her absence – so it’s lovely to see her back…How […]

  2. […] am aware I need to find my focus, but right now I don’t have the strength. I will, though, and I’m lucky to be a […]

  3. […] I wrote a blog post Quiet: Have We Forgotten to Be Still in a World That Never Stops? back in […]

  4. […] a different note, this week’s blog by Kristen Lamb is AMAZING! Really! I strongly encourage you to hop over to her site to read […]

  5. […] are distracting, so Kristen Lamb reveal how to find our focus during crazy times, and John Gilstrap says to take a long view on […]

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