02.01.26
Marty Clemens
It's a Matter of Perspective
"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change!"
It's a matter of perspective! Why can't you see it?
Is the glass half empty or is it half full? Is what you seek nowhere, or is it now here? Two people are looking at a number that is lying on a table. One person says its a 6. The person on the other side of the table says the number is 9. Which is it? Two women on a rainy day; one is happy as it will help her flowers grow, the other is sad for it will most likely ruin her outdoor wedding plans. It's a matter of perspective; why can't you see it?
The phrase "it's a matter of perspective" means our individual viewpoint will determine how we look at various situations, people, or experiences. It doesn't necessarily mean your view of things is right or wrong. But it does suggest that there is opportunity for growth in perhaps taking consideration of another's viewpoint that might differ from yours. And isn't that what we're trying to achieve in this life; growth?
In my articles, I offer recommendations of positive influence to help develop your growth. Just because I give you this advice doesn't mean that I'm an expert or know more about it than you do. It just means that in my lifetime I've learned the hard way that my patterns of behavior weren't always the best. Or put another way, I've probably done more dumb stuff than you have.
Here's another perspective to consider. It's not often that I have an extra $500 in my pocket that I can just choose to spend on anything I want. But a while back that was the very case. As luck would have it, that same day I got a text from my son saying he needed $300 for a new tire for his car that had a blowout. And about an hour later I got a text from my other son needing $150 for who knows what. So, after feeling great about having this money burning a hole in my pocket, how much did I had left? After careful consideration, I had $500 and two unread text messages!
Having a clear perspective is realistically viewing yourself and situations you're in or that are around you and the world you live in. It's more about truly understanding the bigger picture of things. You've probably heard the saying, "can't see the forest for the trees". There you have it. The best description of perspective. The forest is the big picture and the trees the detail. We often get so focused on the "trees" around us, the details of our lives and situations, that we don't understand where the "forest" is to be found.
If you want to understand the key points of a clear perspective, take a moment to examine the following:
- See the "forest" - this means looking beyond the "trees" in front of you, the details of the problems you're dealing with and focusing on how it relates to the bigger picture. This will help you determine the priorities needed to address the situation.
- Help is in the mirror - this is looking at the person you are. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your opportunities for growth? And, what are the threats you face that will keep you from your objective? You may recognize this as a S.W.O.T. approach. Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
- Objective perspective - this is developing the ability to view situations or things from someone else's point of view in such a way that you are not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.
The reality is often that each of us project our own limited vision as the limits we believe to be of the world. Henry Ford once said that whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right. Perspective starts in our mind. What is our default perspective? Is it positive or negative in nature? Can we possibly change our perspective? We can when we actively pursue different viewpoints from our own. When we begin to talk to others by asking questions on their opinion, we begin to change our perspective. When we challenge ourselves and our assumptions, we begin to change our perspective. When we make a focused effort to exercise positivity, we begin to change our perspective.
We can change our perspective. I want you to look at the following exercise in changing your perspective. I saw several examples of this in my research and really thought this exercise was impactful in changing perspective. Read each of the following lines top to bottom...
today was the absolute worst day ever
and don't try to convince me that
there's something good in every day
because, when you take a closer look at things,
this world is a pretty vile and evil place
even if
some goodness does shine through once in a while
satisfaction and happiness don't last
and it's not true that
it's all in the mind and heart
because
true happiness can be obtained
only if one's surroundings are good
it's not true that good exists
I'm sure you can agree that
the reality
creates
my attitude
it's all beyond my control
and you'll never in a million years hear me say that
today was a good day
Wow! A bit of a negative perspective. If only we could change that perspective. We can! Now to finish the exercise, read the same series of lines, but this time start at the bottom and read up to the top.
Now what do you think? Can we change our perspective? Can we open our eyes to another viewpoint? Can we flip our instinctive perspective from negative to positive? I think we can! This exercise should prove that being aware of your perspective matters. If you believe the world is all bad and against you, it will be. But, if you believe the world around you is good and for you, it will be!
You are not what happens to you. You are what you choose to become because it happens to you. Be aware of your perspective. Change it if need be and most of all...
Be inspired! Inspire others!
For an additional perspective on this topic, check out this video:
"Shift Your Perspectives"
- Wisdom
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