Powerful tips related to putting things in perspective and practical, actionable steps you can take right away to find solutions to your problem.
See? I am one of the luckiest persons alive!
I always happened to meet the right person at the right time. By being at the right place at the right time. And making the right impressions, bringing the right things to the fore, and making the most of an opportunity.
My heart is full of gratitude and my life is just wonderful.
I didn’t always believe this, though. I used to think I was just lucky. Lucky to have escaped the life I had growing up in a dusty little mining village in the middle of nowhere in sunny South Africa. Lucky to not have been consumed in the mining machine the way that most of my peers were. And still are. They’re happy in their own way. I am happy that my life turned out different and in ways that I believe are better.
And since escaping that life, my journey has had many twists and turns and I similarly believed that I was lucky each time that things turned out better.
But over the years, as I matured, I began to realize that luck played no role in my life. Not when it comes to the places in my life where I seemed to have just the right amount of good fortune.
In my view (that is still forming as I go through this journey called life) “luck“ is when you play a game of chance, like cards, and the universe, God, or some other magical supernatural power deals you the right cards, or your opponents worse cards than yours. But when you happen to meet the right person at the right time, and that leads to prosperity and good fortune in your life, it isn’t luck at all. Instead, it’s the actions of that person and your actions at the right pace and time, that result in your happiness. There is no luck involved, not like in the sense of a game of chance.
When I slowly started to realize this, my happiness and gratitude grew into an overwhelming sense of joy that changed the lens through which I view everything in my life.
It also changed the way that I look at … challenges.
We all deal with trials and tribulations in our lives.
No matter how blessed we feel, situations will arise to challenge that. Often these problems consume us, and we feel like there is no way past them. It happens to us all, myself included. What I have learned is that whenever we feel like this, then we may need a shift in perspective.
We have this wonderful ability to recognize our problems and then to properly put those problems in perspective. This ability is key to happiness and prosperity. The best part is that anyone with a little bit of intelligence can learn how to put things in perspective.
These nine tips are the perfect place to get started.
1. Think Beyond This Moment
When you are actively dealing with a problem, it takes up a lot of you mental capacity. Things can seem bad at that moment while you are stuck in that mental space. It can be like you get sucked into a vortex from which nothing can escape, not even light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel. When it gets that bad, you can easily lose perspective.
Try to take some time to think about the future. It can help you put things in perspective when you think about how much any of this will matter in ten years.
Sure, it is very difficult to see past a problem if you don’t imagine the outcome or the resolution yet. But sometimes, when you can imagine what your life would be like in a positive way at some distant point in the future, you can shake your view and escape that vortex. Regaining perspective will boost your mental capacity to make sense of the current situation and you could have that aha-moment-in-the-shower more predictably.
2. Stop and Consider
When dealing with some issues, your feelings can become overwhelming and start blinding you to some of the facts of your situation. You fail to see all the circumstances of the situation. If you end up blinded like this, you could lose sight of the very thing that could be the key to unlocking the solution to your problem.
Take some time to stop and consider what exactly you are going through.
Think about how the problem will truly affect you, and when. And why. Consider how bad things are. At the same time, ask yourself if there are any positives to this situation too.
3. Don't Treat Your Inner Monologue As Fact
You can't always trust that little voice in your head. Quite often, our inner dialogue tends to be overly negative. Just like you should question your negative self-talk, you should also question if that voice is blowing things out of proportion.
This is very helpful because when you are caught up in a situation, the negativity can be overwhelming. Negativity builds like a negative feedback loop that can easily spiral out of control. When you fact-check your negativity, the associated negative feelings subside. Which slows the negative feedback loop. Which gets you out of that mental state and into one where you could find creative ways out of your predicament.
That is how you find a solution, fast.
4. What Would Your Best Friend Say?
Whenever you are struggling to switch your perspective about something, ask yourself what your best friend would tell you. Most likely, they will have a more objective view point, and perhaps even a more positive spin on the situation that you have not yet considered.
At the very least, they will likely remind you that you can handle anything that comes your way.
This could boost your confidence a little. And sometimes that is enough to regain a grip on whatever it is that feels like it’s slipping out of grasp.
If you cannot imagine what they’d say, have the courage to ask them. You may just be surprised.
5. Get Back to Nature
Sometimes all it takes to shift your perspective is a nice walk in a quiet park. Spending some time in nature is a great way to disconnect from the minutiae, and remember there is a huge world around you. Your problems often feel small when compared to the vastness of nature.
Downtime like this, in which you become mindful of the moment instead of what is troubling you, often unlocks solutions in unexpected ways.
6. Spend Time Helping the Less Fortunate
Helping the less fortunate is a winning strategy all around:
You help someone who needs it.
You give yourself a boost.
You remind yourself that your problems are not as challenging as you first imagined. And when you realize this, you will also realize why. And the why, is often the key to solving your problem.
We can all use a reminder like that once in a while.
If your problem doesn’t have a solution, you often realize that it is a door that is closed for you faster than you otherwise would if you idly sit days on end in a little corner topping over something that doesn’t have a solution. When you compare your life to someone less fortunate, this may make you realize too that the door that is closed as a result of this insurmountable problem, still doesn’t make your life as unimaginably difficult as you perhaps initially thought. That outcome may become more palatable and solve your challenge in a completely unexpected way, by pointing to new doors that open in its stead.
7. Spend Some Time with Children
Spending time around children is a wonderful way to switch your perspective. It reminds you of a simpler time when your cares melted away in the face of the next adventure.
Their child-like innocence and carefree attitude have a way of rubbing off on you.
8. Stop Worrying About "Should"
If you require a seismic level change in perspective, forget about all the "shoulds" in the world. You don't need to worry about where you "should" be at a certain age. Don't burden yourself with society's idea of what you "should" have or "should" be doing. You will feel happier if you just focus on your own timeline and realize this is your journey. That is unique to you. And which will take you to the next place on your journey that will be perfectly right for you.
9. Focus on What You Can Control
If you are dealing with a difficult situation, sit back and figure out what you can and can't control. Once you do that, shift your perspective to taking action and away from everything that brought to this point.
When you know what you can control, all that is left is for you to take steps to address those things that are within your control.
Here's 3 action steps that you can take. See how you can expand it on your own:
Suggested Further by Reading
Check out these gems available on Amazon. Note that Woodbridge Hypnosis earns from your qualifying purchases. And to earn from your qualifying purchase, I make a little effort to curate the list, find the image and text for your ease of browsing. I trust you find this in order. However, these books may be available at your local bookstore or library. And if not, find anything else that may be on topic!
Open the list to find out more about each. Click the link to buy it on Amazon.
1. You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective
Many people believe they can only be happy when their problems are solved, relationships improve, and goals are achieved. In this simple guide, Dr. Richard Carlson shows readers how to be happy right now — no matter the situation.
His plan, based on the principles of
Thought (thoughts are voluntary, not involuntary);
Mood (thinking is a voluntary that varies function varies from moment to moment and these variances are called moods);
Separate Realities (everyone thinks in a unique way and lives in separate psychological realities);
Feelings (feelings and emotions serve as a barometer for when one is “off-track” and headed for unhappiness); and
the Present Moment (the only time when genuine contentment, satisfaction, and happiness).
This timeless book guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living along the way.
In this revised edition, #1 New York Times bestselling author and nationally known stress-management consultant Dr. Richard Carlson reveals a profound breakthrough in human psychology. Most of us believe that our happiness depends on outside circumstances, that by solving our problems, improving our relationships, or achieving success we will find contentment. But Dr. Carlson clearly shows that happiness has nothing to do with forces beyond our control — in fact, he says, it is our natural state.
With this simple and practical guide, Dr. Carlson shows us how to be happy now, before we solve our problems. By understanding the above five principles we can discover a new mode of living that doesn't repress natural emotions yet doesn't allow feelings and thoughts to overwhelm us.
You Can Be Happy No Matter What is a navigational tool that gently guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living.
2. The 7 Perspectives of Effective Leaders: A Proven Framework for Improving Decisions and Increasing Your Influence
3. Purposeful Perspectives: Empowering Black Women Towards Spiritual Alignment, Self-Mastery, and Joy
4. Peace, Possibilities and Perspective: 8 Secrets to Serenity and Satisfaction in Your Life and Career
5. Keep the Big Things Big and the Little Things Little: Putting Things in Perspective and Staying Positive
These are small action steps that you can start in your life today. I am very passionate about our innate ability to change in small ways. We hate change, but we all want transformation. Check out my e-Book, Transformation, that you can buy here.
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