I don’t generally watch or read the news.  This is intentional.  I see and hear what’s going on around me and in the broader world today through indirect sources, mostly conversation with others.  I may choose to inform myself on a specific event that has occurred, mostly out of curiosity, but I don’t jump to take sides or cast judgement.  I just observe from a distance.  I’m not completely ignorant to all of it, but I definitely do not focus on it or spend any time at all thinking about it.  I came to a personal decision about our leadership by doing some simple research and exercised my right to vote.  I did not absorb any of what the mainstream media was putting out there and calling news.

I DO however absorb a ton of content on personal development, spirituality, real estate investing (of course), fitness, nutrition, astronomy, and the advancements in technology.  These topics for me evoke a humbling sense of wonder, curiosity, excitement, inspiration, and awe.

I started realizing that my experience throughout the year in 2020 was very different, and sometimes the complete opposite of what many people around me were experiencing.

Instead of worry, anxiety, distress, and doom, I was experiencing growth, insight, optimism, calmness, and sometimes levels of excitement, like I used to get when I was a kid.

I can only think to attribute this to the direction of my thoughts and focus.  I decided to put focus on being grateful for everything I have as a daily practice.  I decided to continue focusing on my personal development.  I decided to put focus on creating strong and meaningful partnerships.  I put focus on helping people learn about how to build passive income streams through real estate investing, which is super fun.  I decided to put focus on deliberately creating my ideal life and pretty much succeeded in doing just that in 2020.

These are all things that have a direct positive impact on the quality of my life experience and the people around me.  Focusing on biased media drama and the negative emotions of hate, anger, divisiveness, and doom that surrounds it will have as equal an impact on your state of well-being, and your personal experience will become one that reflects all of those things.  The daily mental stress of this being your focus could literally weaken your immune system and create health issues, starting a negative feedback loop.

Decide to make 2021
better than 2020

This is a choice.  It’s about shifting your focus and your perception of the events that you witness.

Your decision to make this year better doesn’t mean that random occurrences around you and in the world, that could be perceived as negative by the dramatic masses, will cease to occur in 2021 because you decided it to be so.  But if you look at these events calmly and as just that, events, then there are no problems unless you decide to turn them into one.  They are simply events arising in your experience or awareness and it’s your reaction to or perception of these events that could turn them into a negative experience for you.

I know I may be simplifying things, but maybe this is exactly what we all need to do.

I am in control of my thoughts and focus and you are in control of yours.  Therefore, I am in control of my reality or how I experience life.  I am working towards NOT giving that control away to other people, although sometimes I find myself falling right back into that old pattern.  It’s not easy, but I’m aware of it when it happens.

If you find yourself giving away your control……your right as a human being to live at peace and experience joy……to someone or something else, stop for a moment and become aware of it.  Then make the conscious decision that the random driver that cut you off or the angry coworker or the opposing political party or the president of the United States does NOT have the power to take control of your thoughts and emotions.

It starts with a shift in focus.  If more of us could shift our focus from the negative and stop believing and saying and repeating that we are different and disconnected and doomed, that’s when things will start to heal.  It’s the focus on THAT stuff that got us here in the first place.

I’m not saying you have to ignore current events.  Just try focusing MORE of your thoughts on being curious, compassionate, and grateful throughout your day.  It can be about the simplest of things too……your morning cup of coffee, the phone call from a loved one, the laughter from your child, helping a neighbor, the campfire in your backyard, the birds that are truly living in the moment, the sunrise that you don’t want to end.  Simple things.  Fill your day with them, take a deep breath, smile, and say thank you.

No one is going take away the joy I have for life.  Join me and make the same decision for yourself in 2021, regardless of what’s going on out there, and start to experience life with a refreshing and healing sense of optimism.

This is more than real estate for our team at Sterling Rhino Capital.  This is a mindset, a lifestyle, a means to connect with amazing, like-minded people, and a journey towards financial freedom.

“Where focus goes, energy flows.” – Tony Robbins

Paul Wilcox
Co-Founder & COO