At a recent conference one of the keynote speakers challenged all attendees to try a different angle. As a writer of fiction, the ability to take on a different angle is pretty well a necessity, but I’m not sure how well such ‘new perspectives’ always translate from fiction into reality.

Here we are in a brand new year. I’m sure many of us have made resolutions. Yet, have we tried looking through new eyes when setting our goals?

I don’t know about you, but if I’m entirely honest with myself, I can get a little comfortable with how things are. The way I approach daily tasks is familiar and I probably think it works quite well. Now, I suppose that’s fine if I’m happy with the outcomes, but I know that after time even the more tried and tested processes can become a little stale. How can we challenge this?

Take a different angle.

We look through our eyes and experience. But isn’t my way the best way? Hmmm …

Challenging our thinking and perspective always involves stretching (i.e. discomfort) and it can rasp our pride, if there’s any of that lurking in the shadows. It involves listening for understanding. How does it go – two ears, one mouth? Ouch, certainly not my strength… And perhaps the biggest point is value: of people and their life journeys.

Another way to gain a different perspective is a dramatic change in life circumstances. That sounds uncomfortable once again, but in reality it doesn’t even have to be a particularly large change to offer fresh vision. For example, the week before Christmas I was horribly ill with some virus that invited itself home. Short but sharp, yet for that morning of affliction I felt more miserable than I had in months. Once recovered, I was so SO grateful to be well. Had I of not been sick, thoughts for those enduring sickness may not have even crossed my mind during our Christmas celebrations.

What about the plight of the poor? (Perhaps read my poem ‘Civilised’ on this website, if you haven’t already.) Or an opinion you haven’t heard – hey, you can always agree to disagree, but if you don’t have the discussion you’ll never understand the struggle…

But how is this possible without time?

Maybe that’s one key to a different perspective. Time. Allow more time to listen; allow time for new experiences; value the times life stings as well as its joys, and then share this newness with others. It doesn’t sound so easy, but I’m thinking it’s a worthwhile goal for 2013.