How to get some focus in your life

Just do something

Okay, so I’m not doing any art (still) right now but I am getting other things moving. Literally, moving.

Been contemplating the idea (just the idea!) of getting back in shape after too many years away from regular training. With no particular intent in mind, I popped into a local gym for a look-see, and finding out there’s a Summer offer of no membership fee and a reduced rate for a three month block, I thought "hmm, that might get me started."

I got a tour of the facilities and saw a huge range of aerobic machines, half an adjoining workout area filled with machines and the other mostly free weight/dumbbell/barbell set ups. An aerobic/stretching matted area at the front finished off things. What more does a girl need?

Classes available if you want them (I’m not that bothered). So...I looked at my income/spending and thought about - but kinda knew - I was going to sign up. Couple of days later, went for a free trial session, slapped down my card and started training two days after that.

Hello old friend

Whoah. These new machines are space age. It took a couple of sessions to figure out how they worked but a few minutes on YouTube gave me tips and by the end of the week I knew what I was doing and it was just like old times. Weirdly, despite training six days a week from the get go, I've yet to hobble out of bed with groaning muscles. Perhaps I've finally learned moderation.

The move to move more has changed something else too. My on-off keto living is now back on with a vengeance. No messing, no easing in, just get on with it. 'Keto flu' be damned. Not a single cheat item, meal or day for 19 days now. That’s a record for me and the weight is steadily coming down. Not massively but it’s in the right direction. I’ll take it.

Just do one thing

Training and eating right is the only focus for me right now. Art isn’t forgotten but I feel like this is the time to put my attention elsewhere for a while and stop agonising over where to go creatively. Maybe switching focus will give my mind the space to ponder on the ever present question of "what next?"

On the other hand, I've been reading and watching stuff on copy writing (more sales/advertising) and determined that content writing (all about engagement/education) is actually more my thing though there's an element of sales in there cos everyone is trying to get their 'thing' noticed.

Oh...where have I seen that before?

There are interesting things to learn about copy writing. Take the principles of influence. Ponder the following, because reading these turned my inner cynic dial up to eleven.

• Can you think of a time when you were encouraged (or felt obligated) to do something to help someone who was helping you? (Stay home and help/save the NHS).

• How about feeling pressured to go along with what 'everyone' else is doing? If everyone is doing it, it must be right?...Mustn't it? (If we all do the right thing...or X million now vaccinated)

• People in the public eye - seen as trusted figures, those who are attractive and those we like or even who look like us, make us more willing to agree with them. (Seeing actors or 'influencers' doing ads about wearing masks or getting jabbed)

• How do you think people respond when someone with an impressive job title advises them what to do? (Think Chief this or Head of that or National something or other or people in white coats and stethoscopes telling you what's best for you)

• Scarcity influences people to think they have to get something before it runs out or they're at risk if they leave it too late. (Remember the stories of a race to buy supplies of the vaccine and shortages while production was ramped up?)

I don't know about you, it was clear there's been an enormous amount of psychological pressure applied to people these last two and a half years. We've been ̶i̶n̶f̶l̶u̶e̶n̶c̶e̶d̶ manipulated to do what the government wants and it's still going on now with the crises of the day they keep throwing out.

Do your own thing

Funnily enough, it does look like folks are fed up with it all and have stopped listening. You can overdo stuff y'know. Maybe no one told them that? Trust the experts eh...but not too much!

In the end, regardless of what everyone else is doing, or what the experts tell you, sometimes you know yourself what's best, what you need to do, what you need to stop doing and when to switch off from all the different advice and find your own way forward.

What outcome do you want? What are your options? Which ones have the soundest reasoning? That can mean looking critically at what your being told. Sometimes it really is ourselves that know best.