Photo Challenge: FOCUS
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.” Eckhart Tolle
Photo Challenge: FOCUS – Visitors at The Met Museum
Photo Challenge: FOCUS – Visitors at The Met Museum
Your destiny is to fulfill those things upon which you focus most intently. So choose to keep your focus on that which is truly magnificent, beautiful, uplifting and joyful. Your life is always moving toward something. Ralph Marston
It’s very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems. Thich Nhat Hanh
What do you FOCUS on? For some reason, I’m not quite sure why, when I read the photo challenge for this week, – FOCUS – what came to mind was the people we see gathered around art at museums. I love the way people focus their attention on the art in front of them in a museum. Often, you find people standing in front of a painting for what seems like ages; lost in wonder or deep in thought. I get the impression that some of them leave their bodies and get transported to the period of the painting or art… Some even become unfocused in their focus and can’t remember a thing after they move from one piece to the next… so in the middle of our focus are moments of unfocused action and, perhaps, our brains need that time to calibrate all that it is seeing. That kind of focus intrigues me.
More below
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” Alexander Graham Bell
Photo Challenge: FOCUS – Visitors at The Met Museum
Photo Challenge: FOCUS – Visitors at The Met Museum
That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. Steve Jobs
If you want to have a good life, you should focus on your family, on your business, on your dog, on your fun, and you’ll have a good life. Adam Carolla
Where is your FOCUS? I believe that whatever we focus on, we become… So be vigilant with your thoughts and actions. We are all human with our share of flaws but, it doesn’t hurt to make a daily effort to focus on what truly matters to us. We can start with our family and venture out from there.
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: FOCUS –This week, share a photo that represents focus to you. Are you a stickler for getting in close to your subjects and capturing every detail, or do you prefer a more ethereal look that illustrates the sensations of the moment? Or both? And remember, you don’t need a professional camera to consider focus. Using your phone camera can provide an even more interesting approach. I can’t wait to see your contributions!
Positive Motivation Tip: Be present in your times of focus as it turns to moments of un-focus.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
In this day and age where we have the attention span of a gold fish, focus is truely becoming something to cultivate and guard. Too many things competing for our attention!
By the way, when I focus in a museum, its often because some art peices make me wonder – what the heck was the artist thinkin?! 🙂
Hahaha! Now, I know. 🙂
Focus is my word for the year, My focus is always bouncing from one thing to the next and never truly focused on one thing at a time. I really need to spend more time truly focusing on what is going on in my life not what I need to get done next.
I can relate… I need it myself too.
Very clever, you have a knack of making anything inspirational dear Eliz!
Hahaha! I need it to keep going. TY!
So true, most of us think far ahead that we tend to forget what’s important – the here and now. Great post!
I love your photographs about focus and how you’ve met the challenge and tied the photos into the quotes.
Omyy! I didn’t realize that I’ve been out of focus for months since I’m enjoying too much of what I have! This makes me realize that I need to put myself back together!! Very inspiring!
These people do represent focus and it’s fascinating to watch them. Makes you wonder what goes through their mind when they look at the paintings. Going back to the topic, it’s definitely important that we focus on something that will make us better individuals.
I try to always focus on my goals. And yes, when I’m in a museum, I focus on the art around me even though sometimes I don’t get the art.
Beautiful and insightful pictures!
I have never been to an art museum, but I can see how you got this from the word Focus. Such detail goes into art and you’d miss it if you didn’t focus 100%
I have never been to an art museum, but I can see how you got that from the word Focus. So much detail goes into art, and you’d miss it if you didn’t focus 100%
FOCUS? A simple but must-to-do word. It’s a way on determining what you really what in life. Mind-set yourself to be able to succeed.
I definitely agree that if you want to have a good life, having your focus on the right things are important. You need to focus on family and those you love and appreciate. Trying to focus on everything leaves you unable to focus on anything effectively.
Focusing on what you want makes a big deal in our life. Set up your priorities. Good results for sure.
Focus is really important. It can make you move mountains. The photos are great as well.
Focus can be a powerful word. We live in a world where EVERYTHING tries to grab our attention, so it can be really hard to ignore the excess noise and focus on what’s important to us.
I was a member of our high school glee club. One of the pointers our voice coach taught us was to find a focal point and sing focusing on that object in the room. This I have applied in my adult life too.I set a goal, focus on it, talk to it, believe that the goal and me are one entity.It helped me get to where I am now.
Excellent tip for the rest of us too…
My focus is to see my last child graduate from college. I need to be on track and my eyes focused on the goal. That is the only way I can achieve success, not for me but for the family that depends on me.
A really nice post. The photos are really good and really reflect on your theme. I love museums, they are so inspiring and peaceful. And indeed, I really focus on what I see when I go! xx corinne
lately i’ve been focusing on spending more time with family and trying to make the best of my days versus trying to pile different tasks.
Your photos look really good 🙂 photography is something that I’m trying to get more into. You can create amazing images 🙂
I love looking at art museums. You’re right, I focus intently on each piece because I like to visualize when someone was creating that very piece.
Without focus we often miss the precious little things in life. Your photo challenge and this post are great reminders to stop and smell the roses.
That sculpture is beautiful.I am usually focused on my family and my role in it.
I really like where you went with this challenge, I think you are so right about the way people focus in an art museum and yes, sometimes they really do become unfocused inside of their focus. It’s as though sometimes you become so focused on one thing you are unable to absorb or react to what else is around you.
True… I was there with the unfocused part. 🙂
Focus is so important, and yet something I sometimes struggle with, there are so many distractions.
That is so true, I never thought of how much focus is an important aspect of visiting museums. We take it all in our own way.
A museum is a great pairing with “focus.” Your photos display exactly that.
Right? You know what’s funny? When I was in the museum on the day I took these shots, there were so many people at the exhibits and I kept saying under my breath… “MOVE! MOVE ON… UGH!” Suddenly, a thought occurred to me, take the photos, go with the flow… 🙂
Focusing is so important. I know there are times when we need to multitask, but there are times when we need to sit back and just focus on the task at hand whatever that may be. We can get so much more out of our experiences if we really focus intently on what it is we are doing.
What do I focus on? well, my family is my biggest joy, the purpose of my life. But when it comes to a museum, I just try to understand what the autor wanted to tell us. Understand what motivated him/her to such thing. Great post, I love your pictures, amazing work!
The fact that you chose art is perfect. You’re right that people are definitely deep in focused thought when art is involved.
I like this challenge because I think focus is such a hard thing for many of us. I love going into a library or museum because that is all that is expected of us. No phones, no tvs, no mindless chatter just quiet reflection and focus. There is something very comforting about it.
That is the attraction for me too… yeh, a demanding focus
I love the photos. Focus is so important for achieving your goals. Thanks for sharing.
XOXO //
Very meaningful post as it concentrates on focus. Really focus is very important. In Gita holy Hindu book it is said make focus on target without any distraction then you will achieve complete happiness and bliss.
These look like such beautiful exhibits. And I totally get why you thought of this subject when you read the word ‘focus’. I think my brain would come up with something similar 🙂
Louise x
I also think the word attention could apply to those things in a museum. It holds your attention. I like the quote though. I do need to figure out since our move where my focus should be.
Give it time… you just moved to Colorado! <3
I think in part that what we focus on, we become. There are times when external factors interfere, but for the most party, yes, I agree. 🙂
It is so important to focus on everything you do. I have a hard time sometimes because I always am doing to many things at once. I have to learn to complete each task one at a time.
Focus is something that I lack sometimes. That can be bad when I need to get some work done. I get distracted too easily. Focus is something that I need to work on.
You’re right-there is a special reverence at art museums. People do actually stop and pay attention. I think we can benefit from doing it more often in our regular lives too.
I concur… and that is what came to mind too.
Being able to focus with children around isn’t easy. I have to wait until they’re in bed.
Very inspiring words. If you ask me where is my FOCUS, my focus is on myself and reality. I’m not letting my anger and any negative feelings cloud my thoughts. So I’m not easily influenced by anything. That’s my focus, all of me is in reality and I’m not living in a fantasy.
I relate to what you say! I remember standing like that in front of Monet at National Gallery, London and a lady was so amused and asked me to explain more about the painting!
I’m inspired by this. I always try to stay focus on what really matters to me.
I feel that somehow we focus on the things we love doing and it automatically catches our attention.
An interesting take on focus! I immediately think of the pessimism that I tend to have a bent for. I like your take much more!
Focus is such a big word and is difficult to accomplish with all the distractions going on around us. When I set goals for myself, I try my best to keep focused on the goal. I may tweak the process on how I would achieve it, but I would not deviate from the goal.
I like your unique take on this!
I get where you are coming from. It makes so much sense that you selected the photo above, because it is a sample of deep focus.
awesome challenge here elizabeth, you sure have a way to mix it up nicely and have me glued to your blog with images and quotes to inspire me in alot of things.
This post is totally relatable. Sometimes I need to remind my brain to really understand what I’m concentrating on, to *Focus*
Thanks for the reminder. This is one area I am consistently trying to improve upon and it’s somehow not that easy for me.
This was really cool. I need to let myself focus more… it’s honestly so hard in this day.
It used to be my studies but it’s now and never going to change, my family.
My focus is on my kids. I love blogging but am pulling back a little to focus on the most important things in my life.
I don’t mean to leave such an off topic comment…but every time I read focus I think of the song. You should listen to it if you don’t know it!
Yeah? Okay will look for it.
I love the pictures! And I love your point of focusing on what matters most – family! 🙂
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” said Aristotle and boy was he right.
Katja
I am not very good at focusing at all! I’ve actually been doing a lot of sense exercises that work on my focusing.
That is definitely an interesting idea around focus, I guess when visiting museums you do have a lot of focus going on about the things around you.
Whenever I go to a new city, I always look up the art museums. It is also helpful that many are often free! I love wandering around and getting lost in the works!
FOCUS is the one thing I struggle with more than any other thing that there is. I love to multitask but that usually means I don’t get a single thing done!
I truly believe about this. Enjoy and make the most out of your present but at the same time try to save some for the coming future.
Well said Anosa!
Love this post! Focus is so important. I notice that I often go on auto-pilot, which is definitely not good. This post helped remind me that focus is good! Love the photos as well !
Yes! This was a great reminder to spend more time focusing on ONE task instead of trying to do everything all at once all the time. I’m going to be more mindful!
Focus is so important. If you focus on too much negativity, then you mood will suffer. I try to focus on the positive!
Focus is very important! your pictures are awesome!
Your photos really look good and I always love seeing the museum. Glad that you share this with us
It’s so hard to focus sometimes when there are so many things going on! Thanks for this!
Great post once again, you have a talent of making people think and reflect! I miss that feeling of getting lost, feeling really at peace and just focusing on the art before me and forgetting all the other tourists and art enthusiasts. Its good for the brain to get that sort of dedicated brain!
It is… we all need creative outlets.
My focus lies in two part, my children and my books. Both vastly different from each other. While my children are always my main focus, my inspiration and the reason I aspire to grow, my books allow me to enter a world in which I’m able to release my focus to a more relaxed state. Not saying that my children are not relaxing. But I find in more of a worrisome focus with the world and today’s societal habits. So I use a sub focus to relax my mind so my heart can solely focus on them.
I completely understand what you are saying… reading relaxes me too.
Your first quote caught my eye … and I realised how in life, we are often distracted by many things and our progress is stalled or delayed.
I have been focusing on things that makes me happy. I try not to sweat the small stuff and I have been focusing on my blog and building my personal brand!