Happy Monday!

I trust you had a restful weekend. There’s such wisdom in taking time to let your mind and body recalibrate. Creating space for mindful activities, engaging in regular movement, practicing good nutrition, and connecting with spiritual pursuits brings clarity to our thought lives and endurance for work/life balance. In turn, these practices add to successfully reaching our goals.

Perspective is also a component in achieving goals. When we take the time to broaden our worldview, we increase our potential to make informed decisions. If we determine to see everything from a singular light or vision, we limit our capacity to be more effective and lose the opportunity to expand our knowledge.

For example, consider an argument with someone dear to us. If we decide that we’re entitled to be right in a given situation without considering the other person, we accomplish very little growth. If we choose to understand the other’s point-of-view, the act may open us to new insights and better communication with another.

Image result for pictures of perspective

We’ve heard terms such as, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” and “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” We may have dismissed them as someone’s attempt to make light of a situation or consider the words as prosaic cliché. A more accurate explanation, I believe, is akin to Thoreau’s statement that “It’s not what you look at that’s important, it’s what you see.”

Take a field of dandelions, for example:

Image result for inspirational quotes on perspective

It’s a matter of perspective, of vision.

Scripture reminds us of the following in John 6:16-21:

“In the evening, his disciples went down to the sea, got in the boat, and headed back across the water to Capernaum. It had grown quite dark, and Jesus had not yet returned. A huge wind blew up, churning the sea. They were maybe three or four miles out when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, quite near the boat. They were scared senseless, but he reassured them, “It’s me. It’s all right. Don’t be afraid.” So they took him on board. In no time, they reached land—to the exact spot they were headed.” (MSG)

Perspective is a choice. If seen as isolated, it can cause confusion and fear. If reviewed with a broader perspective, it can provide additional information for better-informed decisions, embrace a willingness to enter into another’s vision, and culminate in a new understanding of work, social life, and quality living. Most importantly, perspective allows us to hold space for another in non-judgmental ways, extend grace and mercy, and encourage growth.

We’ve all had times when we felt distant in a relationship with a spouse, another family member, or a friend. Maybe we felt misunderstood or the need to protect our position. Perhaps the situation caused us distress. We thought we had to defend ourselves, or it might have been something as innocent as forgetting an important date, running an errand, or becoming distracted by our thoughts when another was reaching out for our attention.  

It’s essential during those challenges to pause, reflect on the actual issue, determine a course of action to correct a misunderstanding, and reach out in a positive and affirming manner. In any event, gaining perspective is a choice to be open to a broader sense of wonderment and consideration.

Take a moment this week to seek an alternate perspective to gain new insight about yourself and others.

Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda