The Benefits of a Different Perspective

Like many during this pandemic, I’ve taken to walking in my neighbourhood to get some fresh air and exercise. I usually prefer walking in a loop so that the scenery is different the whole way. One morning, I was a pressed for time, so my walk was a simple out-and-back route. On this walk, when I turned to head home, I was looking at the same houses and gardens that I’d observed on the outbound direction, but this time I was approaching them from the other side. To my surprise, I saw details that I hadn’t noticed earlier. There was a garden gnome and a unique flower that made me wonder ‘why hadn’t I noticed those before?’. I was looking at the same thing, but from a different perspective. I realized that when I look at the same situation differently, I can notice something new. There can be benefits of a different perspective.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Max Planck

After writing my post on developing awareness through journaling, I started reading some of my old journals. When I was in my thirties, I'd journaled about my hectic, unbalanced life at the time. In those days, I gave away a lot of my time and energy to working and volunteering. My life was desperately lacking recreation and play. Meanwhile, I observed my work colleagues fill their weekends with fun and play. I’d wondered why they weren’t volunteering during their weekends. Then, a different perspective hit me: I asked myself why wasn’t I having more fun on my weekends! My perspective on my life changed. I realized that it was up to me to add some fun to my life.

A few months later, I had dialed back my volunteering. I worked at more manageable levels. I purchased a shiny new road bike that I’d always wanted. I rode off into the sunset, pleased with how my new perspective added fun to my life.

How can you change your perspective to see something in a different way?