Choosing a Filter for Your Lens on Life

“I’ve made it a practice to take time each day to contemplate what I’ve done well.” – Jessi Butterfield

Choosing a Filter for Your Lens on Life

My wife is a sports photographer.  She understands things such as when to use a different lens in order to get just the right picture for her purposes.  She also knows how to use a filter to create different looks for her finished product.  Her knowledge and application pave the way for her success.

Our daughter Jessi recently talked with me about using a carefully applied filter to the lens of life to in order to simplify personal success.  “I’ve made it a practice to take time each day to contemplate what I’ve done well.  It allows me to focus on what I’ve accomplished rather than feeling as if I never do anything well enough” She explained.

As I listened to what she was saying I remembered my friend Henry and what he once told me.  “I made it a practice to focus on the little miracles that happened for me and my family at the end of each week.  When I did so, I soon began to see wonder at every turn.  It allowed me to show my children that if they looked at the world in this way, they would have confidence that good things would happen to and for them on a daily basis.  It is this confidence that has helped us to face challenges together and personally, knowing that good will prevail in the end.”

Do you have a firm belief that good will prevail in your life?  Here are some small steps you can take to foster such a belief for yourself.

First, determine what you want to see in the world.  Jessi wants to see the things she has done well every day.  Henry wants to see the little miracles that have made a difference for him and his family each week.  What lens and filter would have the biggest impact on you?

Second, schedule a regular time to ponder what you’ve seen.  Henry and I have found that a weekly self-appointment works well for us.  Jessi has found that a daily appointment keeps her focused and feeling good.  You might want to try a couple of different intervals to see what works best for you.

Third, make sure to write down what you’ve seen.  Not taking the time to write has the same effect as a photographer taking time to set up her shot, looking through the lens as if she is going to record the event and then not clicking the button on the camera to memorialize the picture.  If you do this, you will never have your life’s art to look back to for strength and admiration.  My friend Kristin talked with me a couple of days ago about her review of just such a piece.  It brought everything right back to the present for her and allowed her to feel the warmth of it again, as if it had just occurred.

Finally.  Make sure you put your experiences in a place where others can learn from you.  You may not think it will make a difference for anyone else, but what if you could change the life of just one person?

I walk through my house and see the changes in my life and the lives of our children and furry family too.  My wife’s photographs are everywhere. Now you and I can use the same techniques to choose a filter on the lens of our lives.  We can begin to look for what ever we want to focus on so we can record the power, wonder and majesty of our lives.

Choose your lens and filter today. See what kind of beautiful art your life is and will become.