Navel gazing

 I heard someone use the term "navel gazing" the other day, and I had never heard it before.

Picture it, you're looking down at your belly button, and what expression do you have on your face? I'm guessing it's not a smile. How often does a happy, joyous, peaceful expression include turning our faces downward? Pretty much never.

Navel gazing is a portrayal of the "woe is me" attitude. We're sad, disheartened, discontent when we "navel gaze."

I really liked the phrase and decided to tuck it away for future use, because I think it's just so descriptive. "Stop being a navel gazer," which means look up, look ahead, look at what's around you. When we stare at our navels, we're not noticing the beauty around us, the moments filled with family and friends, the sun shining through the window, the smell of spring on the air. When we stare downward, we focused inward and on our own troubles.

I challenge you this week to look up, look ahead, look outside of yourself and stop being a navel gazer. There's a lot of wonderful things right in front of you if you take the time to focus your eyes forward.