“It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in
themselves.”
-- C.G. Jung
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different
results.”
I can vouch that this Chinese proverb is true. Yes -- been there, done that. I
suspect all of us can get caught in this trap.
So the big question is – How do we get new results? How do we create change in
our lives?
Fortunately, we hold the power to change our experience of life. And it’s really
quite simple: we need only shift perspectives. See with new eyes. We usually do
this by viewing a bigger picture, a bigger playing field so the parts make more
sense.
To illustrate this, imagine climbing a forested mountain path. As the path
snakes back and forth as you move up the mountain, you have a limited range of
vision. But when you reach a higher viewpoint, you get a big picture. You can
clearly look down on the path you’ve climbed -- you can pick out the easy parts
and the hurdles. You can also relish the expansive view to the horizon.
Here is a short exercise: Close your eyes, take a deep breath or two and
remember a tense or emotional situation. Sense how physically close it seems to
you. Then in your imagination, physically pull back from it till you feel
better. How far did you have to move? Now ponder and reflect on the situation
now that the emotion has eased.
This is just one of about 75 tools we offer on our
Shift Perspectives list. Have a look. These are
great ways to raise your consciousness, create more compassion and empower
yourself.
~ John
“When you’re in the muck you can only see muck. If you somehow manage to
float above it, you still see the muck but you see it from a different
perspective. And you see other things too. That’s the consolation of
philosophy.”
-- David Cronenberg
“A day of hunger is not starvation.”
-- African Proverb
