Harness the Power of a Single Focus to Reach Your Dreams and Balance Your Life

Drishti: Focused gaze

If you’ve taken a yoga class, you’ve likely heard the word drishti. Drishti is the process of focusing your eyes on a single distant object, and that action helps you not fall over in front of the class when balancing in a tricky pose.

When you pick a not-too distant object and look only at it, it has the effect of concentrating all your energies toward that single goal. Your brain coordinates with your muscles, and mind and body unite to help you lock in your desire.

What happens when you let your eyes shift away from your drishti? Your body follows your gaze. You lose your balance. You fall.

Your body follows your gaze.

Now step off your mat, and see how the concept of drishti relates to the areas of your life that are much bigger than balancing on one leg in your morning fitness class. I’m talking about the major pillars that work together to create a happy and balanced life: your health, your finances, your relationships, your emotions, and your spirituality.

Set your gaze ahead of you, not too close and not too far.

Whatever your goal, keep your mind set on it. However, there’s a sweet spot.

If your focused gaze it too close it looks like mindlessly busying yourself with tasks in the moment without looking at what’s needed down the road. It’s a lot like riding your bicycle in low gear. You’re pedaling really fast, and expending lots of energy, but you’re not making much forward progress.

On the flip side, focusing on the “some day” aspect of a distant goal isn’t tangible. It’s hard to stay motivated if the object is so far away you can barely see it.

The sweet spot is the not-too-distant future. Our human brains can stay motivated for something that’s within sight. Take your very big goals and break them down into smaller goals that are only a few weeks away.

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Once you set your gaze, lock it in.

Your body follows your gaze. That happens in the literal sense on the yoga mat, but it happens in life as well. Even the biggest dreams can get sidelined by the shiny objects that life has to offer.

✔️You want to save to buy a house, but it’s hard to say no to going out to the bars with your friends.
✔️You want to lose weight, but the holidays are here with so many tasty sweets.
✔️You want more meaningful relationships but you can’t seem to find the time to check in with the people in your life.

Once you set your gaze on your goal, lock it in. Let all those enticing distractions swirl around the periphery. They won’t throw you off as long as your gaze is focused.

You’ll still sometimes lose your balance.

Sometimes you just topple over for no reason, and other times the distractions become big enough to pull your gaze away. Either way, when you lose your drishti and get thrown off course, quickly smile and get right back at it.

Reclaim your pose. Refocus your gaze. Regain your balance. Then give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

You deserve genuine and lifelong happiness, the type of happiness that can’t be taken away from you no matter what sort of craziness is happening in the world. Read my book, Happy Ever After. We can all use that right now.

Visit me at www.christinebradstreet.com