I recently brought home a truly vintage clock from my grandparent’s home that they no longer wanted. It has likely been hanging in their basement for some 30 years and we were all surprised that all it took was a new battery to get it working like new again. I hung it in our bedroom, to immediate complaints from Kyle about how loud it was. The tick seemed to be even further amplified at night as we were trying to go to bed. I told him to stop focusing on it and he wouldn’t even notice it. I have to admit that I thought it was pretty loud too and considered taking it down. However after taking my own advice, we stopped noticing it. Now over a month later, I don’t even think of the clock come bedtime even though the sound of the tick has not changed.

The ticking clock reminded me of negative thoughts. They are always going to be there but it is only when we focus on them that they truly become a problem. Ironically as I am typing this, I hear the clock ticking away and of course it is because I am thinking about it. At night, it may as well have been someone pounding on a drum as it literally made it difficult for us to fall asleep. However in all reality it is a very small tick, much like negative thoughts. When we stress about things and constantly think about them, they become huge and often inhibit activities in our daily lives. The stress can even make us sick on a physical level. However, if we shift our focus to something else, they seemingly go away or at least work themselves out. If anything, without focusing on them, they don’t seem like that big of a deal. The good news is we can choose what we focus on and the same mentality can apply to positive thinking as well. Focus on the good in your life and it will outshine all the negativity.

Don’t let small ticks become loud disturbances in your life. Shift your focus to what will help you achieve your goals. For us, shifting the focus to sleep instead of the noise, resulted in, well sleep of course. And I got to keep the clock up, which I really like. Take a moment and evaluate the ticks in your life and then eliminate them by removing the focus. Replace the ticks with your goals and you are on your way to the life you dream about.

Featured image via Pottery Barn.

Alicia is the editor of The Charity Wedding, a blog that blends matrimony with philanthropy. Other than giving back Alicia has a passion for food and wine. She serves as the Assignment Editor and is a contributing writer for the food channel of She Knows.