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.
Hi Adele
Sounds challenging. Always good to shift your focus, especially when it helps someone else. 🙂
Rachel
Very true, Rachel. I think we can all benefit from making a deliberate choice to look outward in life, though this can be much easier said than done, especially when hard times hit. Those are the moments I am reminded that it’s such a blessing to have good friends and family about me. The storm doesn’t seem quite so fierce when there are loving arms offering shelter (or a shoulder and a box of tissue … 🙂 ), and those precious people remind me that we’re all walking a journey and can ease burdens for each other – and share our joys, too!
Appreciate you sharing your journeys & insights, Rosie & Nola. Those unexpected curve balls in life can really shake things up (even if it is something exciting – congratulations, Rosie)! For me, getting & maintaining a fresh perspective can be challenging. I think it can be too easy, even after a massive life change, to swiftly become comfortable & slide right back into familiar ways. Or perhaps that’s just me. 🙂 One thing I’ve learned is that hindsight provides such good perspective. True, sometimes we never understand why things happen, but often when I’ve looked back on really difficult seasons I’ve been able to recognise a thread of specific events drawing me & my family towards a bigger purpose & place than where we were before. (That doesn’t mean that there weren’t some scary landslides along the way, though!) Yet, those new circumstances can at times feel intimidating & require courage to embrace. Get so inspired (& challenged!!!) when I see people, in the midst of hardships far beyond what I’ve ever known, displaying the most incredible strength, dignity & courage. Love that imagery of a diamond against black velvet, Nola. It’s only when we’ve walked through the blackest tunnel do we realise just how bright daylight can be. Beautiful.
I can totally relate to this at the moment.
A huge change in life’s circumstances (finding out I was very pregnant 2 weeks ago with our 3rd child) has definitely given us a fresh approach to life. I have learnt to expect the unexpected & sometimes life just happens & we don’t always know the reason why.
Another thought-provoking post Adele. I’ve often thought that there would be no problems in the world if everyone thought exactly the same as me 🙂 But that would be pretty boring. Not always easy to take another perspective, but well worth it. Your comment about being sick also reminds me of something I read from Selwyn Hughes yesterday: “Just as a precious diamond is best seen against a dark velvet background, so does the truth of God shine more beautifully when set against those black moments of life …” Thanks for sharing.