Focus On The Little Things

You know, sometimes it really is the little things in life that could bring us so much joy. A sunset, getting ice cream, or getting gas at a cheap gas station are some of the little things that could brighten our moods.

But it’s always the BIG things in life that we seem to focus on. We want to experience something truly amazing to feel good about life. Unfortunately, the big things rarely happen. The small things, however, happen on a daily basis.

• While you’re waiting for a million-dollar check to come in, you’re forgetting about the couple of hundred you’re getting every week.
• While you’re waiting for a brand new car, you’re forgetting that the car you drive now still gets you where you need to go.
• While you’re waiting to lose 50 lbs, you’re forgetting that you’re sleeping better everyday because of your weight-loss efforts.
• While you’re waiting for your business to explode, you’re forgetting about the small clientele that comes to you on a regular basis.
• While you’re waiting to get a promotion at work, you’re forgetting that you still have a job.

You see, the BIG THING may never happen. Never! But you will always experience the small things on a daily basis. EVERYDAY some good, yet small, thing would happen to you.

When we’ve first started conducting ZUMBA classes at the church, I was always so focused on getting HUGE donations and having a HUGE class full of excited people. So whenever I have classes where only 10 or so people showed up, I would get discouraged.

Or whenever we get a tiny donation, I would get annoyed.

But, while I was so focused on big numbers, I forgot about my small, yet dedicated regulars who came to classes almost every time. While I was focused on huge donations, I’ve missed the fact that I was still getting donations, no matter how small. In fact, ever since we’ve started these classes, I’ve never received ZERO dollars in donations.

Now, I’m thankful for any little that I get. I’m thankful for my small classes. I’m thankful for small donations. Instead of thinking about the big things that I’m not getting, I’ve started to think about the small things that I get every day.

It’s hard to focus on the small things. We want big things to happen to us...

• We want to be rich!
• We want to be famous!
• We want to write a bestselling novel!
• We want to be skinny!
• We want to be muscular!
• We want a new car!
• We want a big house!

But these things may NEVER happen for you. However, the following WILL happen:

• You will make money -- no matter how little.
• You will be famous to AT LEAST one person.
• You will write a blog -- and perhaps make a few bucks from it.
• You will lose weight -- and even improve your health.
• You will build muscle -- but you may not look like a hulk.
• You will have a means of transportation.
• You will have shelter somewhere.

Sometimes, we feel that thinking about the little things is nothing more than settling for less. But let me ask you this question: how sure are you that the big things will actually happen for you? You just may spend your entire life chasing after something that may never happen.

However, you could always chase after something that you KNOW will happen. The little things will ALWAYS happen. Chase after those and focus on those things -- and just maybe, the big things will happen.

But even if the big thing happens, don’t settle for it. Don’t think that since this big thing happened that your life is complete. Keep focusing on the little things. The big things could happen one time and then go away -- never to return again. The little things will always happen -- and if you want to be more joyful in life, keep focusing on those little things.