Look What Happens When You Shift Your Perspective

More people today are waking up to an instinctive need for some kind of shift in their lives.

Why all the fuss about opening up to a shift in your perspective?

Some things like work, relationships or chores are just what they are. There is not much you can do about them, so why not just accept them? Why shift your perspective?

This is an oft-repeated thought, as you may be well-aware.

But, is it accurate?

Your perspective is the way you see something; how you perceive it; the lens through which you look at the world around you.

It is shaped by your family, friends, teachers, religion, culture, race, ethnicity, country, environment, language, music, art, economics, health, and opportunities.

All of this blends together to create a perspective that is unique to you.

Therefore, for everything that goes on around or within you, you come to an understanding and respond to it through the filter of your personal background experiences, your beliefs, passions, and purposes.

Take a child walking along your neighborhood road, clothes streaked with dirt and grass stains, shoes caked with inches of mud – can you see them there?

You might see a child covered in mud and think of imagination, freedom, fun and pride, while I might see the same child and think of neglect, loneliness, uncertainty and despair.

Same child, same mud. But the two of us bring different experiences and beliefs to the situation which influence our ‘reality’.

In actuality, your ‘reality’ and my ‘reality’ may have nothing to do with the ‘reality’ of the child we are viewing. Since each of us lives in our own ‘reality’ of a world, shaped and created by our perspective, our ‘reality’ does not entirely reflect the ‘true’ reality we all assume to share and take part in.

Now, here is the cool thing about perspectives - they can evolve, and you are in control!

You grow, you change, you evolve, you learn.

Your perspectives transform along with you.

You may have already noticed this in your life. Perhaps something that once brought you great joy (like staying out until the wee hours of the morning!) no longer entices you so much. Or vice-versa, maybe something that once was not so enjoyable (like taking the dog for a walk) has become something you look forward to now.

The tough part can sometimes be sorting out and adjusting to these shifting perspectives.

You can sometimes feel attached to them; they define you in a way, and letting go of them, even when for the better, is a bit intimidating and difficult.

Have faith!

Just because a particular perspective once served you well does not mean that you need to hold on to it when it is no longer in alignment with your heart and mind.

Becoming aware of the fact that you would like to shift your perspective is the first step.

Then, allow for time.

Some perspectives are easy to shift and will happen like that (snap!), while others are a bit more complex. Know that for these tougher ones, even the smallest shifts begin to impact your experiences in the world immediately, so embrace the baby steps.

And above all, recognize the power you have with regard to transforming your perspectives and creating your life.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

~Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer hit the nail on the head with this thought.

Let me share two true stories from this past week with you which exemplify this.

The first is a silly little action that made my daily exercise routine seem much less like ‘exercise’.

I was putting my sneaks on, thinking about doing my ‘ejercicios’ (Spanish for ‘exercises’, roughly pronounced in English as ‘ay-hayr-see-see-ohs’, a much more fun way to say ‘exercise’, as far as I am concerned).

I was looking forward to it and thought ‘Yay, getting ready for some ejercicios!’. Then I thought, ‘Hey, that rhymes, I can call them ‘yay-jercicios!’.

Silly, I know, but switching it to ‘yay’ at the beginning of the word made it even more fun to say, made me chuckle, and set me in an even better frame of mind as I went on my merry-exercising way.

And each day now as I consciously repeat my new word, I chuckle and reflect on the impact a silly word can have on a mindset.

The second story came from a discussion with a group of lovely ladies.

The talk was of the many things we do each day: go to work, visit family/friends, read books, shovel the snow, etc. No one was really complaining about these things, just talking about them as what we do that either occupies our time and energy or what we feel we have to do.

Then one of the gals shared a comment a friend had shared with her a while back. The comment was, “How about if instead of saying ‘I have to…’ we change it to ‘I get to…’?”

Wow!

I get to shovel snow (because I am strong enough and healthy enough!).

I get to visit family (because they are still alive, nearby and I have the means to get to them!).

I get to read books (because I was provided an education and have access to all kinds of reading materials!)

I get to work (because I am capable and have an opportunity to share a skill that will help others!).

Again, words!

Switching out ‘I have to’ for ‘I get to’ transforms the whole emotion of the action.

No longer is it an obligation or duty, it is now an opportunity and a gift.

You are still working, reading, visiting, etc. The situations have not changed, but what a shift those words create in the energy you put into the action - which then ripples out to touch all involved.

So why all the fuss about opening up to a shift in your perspective?

Well, because sometimes, if you are looking for more positivity, peace or joy in your life, seeing situations through a slightly different lens transforms your perspective and thus, your life experiences.

Again…

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Dr. Wayne Dyer