What you fixate on affects what you see....

I am sure that you have seen this picture a thousand times, or maybe if you're not in the field of Psychology, it is a distant memory from a class long ago.  Recently, this young woman fancied herself in my world, more then once.  It caused me to wonder about the significance of her appearance, but more importantly I noticed I could only see the young woman looking off in the distance and had to work really hard to see the old woman.  Every time I stared at the picture the first image was always the young woman.  Aside from my own Psycho-analysis that is always a part of my internal dialogue, I thought about an important part of the work that I do everyday.  As a psychotherapist, I help people with their problems!  Not their everyday problems like paying of bills, but more like why they have anxiety, depression, PTSD, or constant stress.  One of the keys to mood and emotion is thought.  In other words, you can't have an emotional experience unless you think a certain way.  If you want to feel better you have to think better!!

Now back to the picture....Focus on either the old or young woman and notice how you cannot see both at the same time.  As soon as you focus on one the other disappears.  How might this be relative you might be thinking?  You only SEE what you FOCUS on.  If you focus on your weaknesses, or your shortcomings, or your money problems, or your physical problems....they will become the picture of your life.  Try shifting your focus to your strengths, your gifts, your good fortune, and your health and then they just might become the picture of your life you would like to see.