Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that you have to stop thinking or cease all thought. In fact, research suggests that our minds naturally wander approximately 50 percent of the time. Being able to exercise focused attention simply means being able to direct your attention, becoming aware if your mind has wandered, and then being able to redirect your focus. In this simple exercise, I’ll ask you to direct your full, undivided attention to a single object of focus, which is the experience of breathing. If you find that your mind wanders, I’ll simply invite you to refocus your attention. You can use this focused attention practice any time to start or end your day, or when you feel stressed or distracted, or any time when you want to bring more calm and focus to whatever you’re doing. So let’s begin: