Written by Leisa Parsons
I love the trend of focusing on a word for the year rather than a list of resolutions that may or may not happen. I do a lot of online fitness classes, and subscribe to a couple of different streaming programs. During one workout, the instructor was using the correct Sanskrit names for many yoga poses and terms — there were no “downward dog” poses. We were doing “Adho Mukha Śvānāsana” (yeah, I realized quickly that this workout was beyond me!) One word that I remembered and didn’t have to Google was “drishti”. A “drishti” is a specific focus point that is held while maintaining a yoga position. Often times it is very difficult to stay balanced while trying to hold a certain pose, but if you pick a point on the mat or the wall to focus upon, it becomes much easier to stay upright. Essentially, a drishti is a visual anchor that helps you to keep your balance. (If you think it sounds hokey then try standing on one foot with your eyes closed) I have learned that I can hold yoga poses much better when I focus on a drishti and let other distractions fade away.
In a similar, more spiritual manner, I can avoid falling into danger if I focus upon the Lord. Just as a yoga drishti helps keep me anchored and balanced, focusing on the Lord will keep my spirit safely anchored. I’ve thought a lot about a word I want to help define 2022 for me (this is hard because there are so many great words!) however, I have decided “focus” will be my word.
I want 2022 to be full of joy and I know it’s achievable as I focus on my Savior. I know President Russell M. Nelson’s promise is sure, he said, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.”1 I want joy in 2022!
I just returned from the baptism of my twin nephews Max and Milo. Their church leader gave them both a blanket and embroidered on each was the phrase “Always Remember Him” I love this! I want one embroidered for me! I want to be more intentional on where my focus is this year. I want to focus on Jesus Christ — His incomparable life and perfect example. I want to focus on how I act, rather than on reacting.
Focus requires that I block out a lot of distractions. I’ve come to realize that many distractions are inherently good — but they are still distractions. As I have attempted yoga over the years, I quickly learned that a drishti helps block out distractions. When I focus intently on a point on the floor I successfully ignore whatever is going on around me. If I break my focus and look over to see what the instructor is doing, or what my dog is getting into, I almost always lose my own balance.
I’ve been thinking about many distractions, and pondering what I can do to better focus on Christ and eliminate these distractions. Obviously, any activity that impedes us from keeping holy habits like prayer and scripture study, or any decision that would prevent us from entering the temple would fall into this category. I know that the best way to avoid becoming distracted is to intently focus upon the Lord — learn of Him, come to know Him through the scriptures, and renew covenants regularly.
“Focus” is a key for me. As I seek to eliminate distractions, and instead focus more wholly upon the Lord, I will stay upright, have more strength to resist temptation, have more joy and hopefully find myself becoming more like Jesus Christ. When my focus is riveted on my Savior I will find a natural balance, but that doesn’t mean things will be necessarily easy. If you’ve ever done yoga then you know that while it is important to stay balanced, it doesn’t make the contorted poses any more comfortable to hold.
If we can keep our focus on the Lord, we are promised a blessing beyond comparison: ‘Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.’” 2 We still must endure life’s trials, and patiently persevere, but if our focus is upon the Lord, our final destination is certain.