Raspberry Iced M

Intentionally focused.

That’s the theme for June.

Until recently, I thought that focus was measured by intensity.

Big plans.
Big declarations.
Big emotional surges of motivation that made me feel like I was changing everything overnight.

And I’ll admit that works for a little while. It can even be productive.

But as I stepped back from writing, journaling, and reading at the end of May, I realized that intensity is not the same thing as consistency, and that real focus isn’t as bold as I once assumed. So this month, after recovering from what I can only describe as burn out, I am determined to re-center my goals, routines, and mindset.

1. I will continue to do the next right thing. Not the dramatic thing. Not the impressive thing. Not the thing that gets noticed. Just the next right thing. Getting up. Going to work. Keeping my word. Following through. Taking care of my home. Doing the small things I say I will do.
2. I will not chase distraction. My former self once thought distraction = relief. If I felt uncomfortable, I looked for something – anything – to shift my attention so that I wasn’t thinking about my feelings. Validation. Fantasy. Overthinking. Chaos. Emotional noise. But none of it worked, as my feelings were waiting to be addressed when the chaos died down. So – with intention – I will resist the urge to escape myself. I will stay, even when it hurts.
3. I will conserve my energy. A lot of my burn out in May stemmed from offense. I found myself upset over things I could not control. And I realized this past week that I don’t possess the emotional bandwidth necessary to give everything access to me anymore. Not every thought deserves my attention. Not every problem deserves my panic. Not every misunderstanding deserves my explanation. With focus comes the ability to be selective. Does this actually matter? Does this deserve my energy? Will this move me forward? If the answer is no, I need to let it go…hard as that is sometimes.
4. I will implement repetition. To me, the least glamorous part of focus is the routine that comes with it, in part, I think, because it’s boring. Choosing the same healthy habits over and over again long after the emotional motivation fades. Prayer. Truthfulness. Self-awareness. Emotional regulation. Chores. Bills. Water. No fireworks. Nothing anyone would (or even should) notice. Just the unspoken process of keeping the promises I make to myself, and doing so on purpose.
5. I will think long-term. I used to make almost every decision based on immediate emotional relief. If something felt heavy, I wanted out. If something felt uncertain, I demanded reassurance. If something felt uncomfortable, I left. And as such, I am learning to practice the pause-and-pray method when it comes to making choices. I ask myself different questions. Will this choice still make sense next month? Next year? Will this build the life I say I want?
6. I will not be easy to distract. Not colder. Not detached. Not emotionless. Just less easily pulled off center. Less reactive. And more grounded in what actually matters.

Right now, I am not making time to consider perfection or proving myself or forcing outcomes. My priority lies in becoming someone I can trust. Someone honest, disciplined, accountable, emotionally steady, and present. That kind of focus isn’t always immediately rewarding. But it is genuine.

If you had asked me a year ago what focus looked like, I’d have told you something very different than how I’d describe it today.

It’s about peace.

Focus is no longer about doing everything. It’s about doing what matters – and doing it consistently enough to become changed by it.