Guidelight Psychology

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Is Your Attention Under Siege?

In their recently released book One Moment Please; It’s Time to Pay Attention, authors Martina Sheehan & Susan Pearse wisely remind us to step back from the all consuming, task driven  busyness, of our working lives and instead remember that deep happiness is found in moments of clear and open attention. May I invite you to stop for a moment, please read their selected comments in the three paragraphs below and consider whether you might like some focussed professional guidance to get back on track too – like so many of our valued, but initially frazzled clients?

“We became concerned that attention has become one of the most threatened resources on the planet. More information, more access, more choice, more change, more uncertainty, more expectation, more noise, more distraction, more, more, more…Attention is fragile and limited, and when you’re surrounded by an endless selection of things just itching to steal a piece, it becomes overwhelming, almost sickening. In fact it is making us sick.

Stress, anxiety, loneliness, guilt, confusion and disappointment are the symptoms, and an empty life is the result. It’s ironic that living in a world with so much to offer has left us feeling like we have less, rather than more. But it’s clear that the things we are adding to life are just pushing out those things that make life worth living.

We live in a world of contradictions. We care about happiness, but spend time dwelling on worries and frustrations. We care about our loved ones, but allow our to-do list to come before spending time with them. We care about our friends, but only half listen when they tell us what’s going on in their lives. We care about living a life of meaning, but fill the space for deep reflection with busy activity.