One of my mentors, Dr. Donald Epstein, once said to me that all we can ever do is to decide where we are going to place our focus. One simple, little thing, yet so profound
Another way to describe where we place our focus is where we place our attention. The only way we can assess and change, if necessary, anything in life is by focusing our attention on it.
To release past emotional trauma, we must pay attention to it. To read and understand our body, we must listen with our attention. To cultivate and enhance relationships, we must give them our attention. We must pay attention to our thoughts if we are to create and realize our vision for life.
And if you believe you have a soul, then you might want to pay attention to what it wants too.
The end goal of awareness is adaptation. Awareness plays a crucial role in the process of adaptation. Adaptation refers to the ability to adjust to new conditions or changes in the environment. It involves modifying behaviors, strategies, or responses to better fit the current circumstances. Awareness, in this context, encompasses various aspects that contribute to effective adaptation.
In the simplest of examples, awareness of my hand on the hot stove affords me the opportunity to move my hand so that I don’t incur as much damage. Without awareness I could burn up my whole hand. Conversely, with greater awareness comes enhanced adaptability. I may feel the heat before I even touch the stove, and I could avoid getting burned altogether.
Awareness in the context of adaptation is an ongoing and dynamic process. It involves a continuous cycle of observation, reflection, and adjustment. Individuals and organizations that prioritize awareness are better equipped to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and thrive in an ever-changing world. Cultivating a mindful and adaptable mindset is essential for success in both personal and professional contexts.

Awareness Through the Lens of Wellness
The focus of the modern, western health care system is on symptom suppression or disease management. This is usually accomplished with medications. I have a headache. I don’t like headaches. I take an aspirin and the headache is handled. Maybe I don’t like taking medications, so I treat the headache with an herb, and the headache goes away. In this second example, I’m choosing a natural product versus a synthetic one. However, the objective or strategy of symptom suppression remains the same.
It’s easy to understand why this strategy is so popular. Nobody likes to experience discomfort. I know that I don’t! The promise of the magic bullet is very attractive. And it tends to work to a large degree. At least in the short term.
But then the pain, or whatever we’re suppressing returns, because this strategy doesn’t address the root cause, or why we’re having the symptom in the first place. The strategy becomes, take this pill everyday for the rest of our lives. And it usually leads to more pills. More suppression. Side effects, and more pills for that.
Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes we may consciously choose to diminish pain. It’s not a bad short-term strategy, especially if the pain hinders our function or is too uncomfortable to contend with.
Putting aside the direct negative effects that go along with medications, there’s something that’s even more damaging. By covering up the symptoms, we’re literally stifling our body’s signaling system and obscuring our awareness. Remember, awareness is the first step to necessary adaptation or change.
We can use this strategy in all areas of life as well. And if we’re not creating the life that we want, we most certainly are. Instead of aspirin, maybe it’s alcohol. Or sugar, or TV, or social media, or sex, or anything that helps us to avoid the pain – physical or emotional.
Dr. Donald Epstein categorizes this as Restorative Healing or Restorative Living. The objective of restorative approaches is to return to the state of existence prior to the onset of pain, discomfort, or any undesired symptoms. In this model, we seek to label and minimize. We don’t want to have to feel what’s not working in our bodies and in our lives. Epstein offers a counter strategy he calls Reorganizational Healing and reorganizational living. The objective of the reorganizational model is to use challenges in health and life as an opportunity to shift our perspectives, inspire action, and reach a greater state than previously experienced. Growth.
Exploring the root causes and lessons of our health and life challenges helps us to develop strategies that will bring more clarity and decisive action toward living our best possible life.
~ Dr. Gene Clerkin