How to Shift Your Perspective

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible’!” ~ Audrey Hepburn

Memorable quotes are often the ones that shift our perspectives in a simple, yet profound way. From such wisdom, we view the world through fresh eyes. This is a gift of being human walking upon this planet.

We each have the powerful ability to appreciate life in a new way with every passing moment. And with enough moments, they will shape how we perceive the constitution of life.

Interestingly, we each perceive life in our way based on our life experiences. However we have all come to recognize in one way or another an implicit universal truth. The truth that tends to center around our nature.

For example, we are all aware of that “crazy” uncle that shows up on the Holidays. Or how about a spoiled child? Or how life never seems to work out well. There is also the opposite where someone always seems to get everything they want and have the perfect life.

We all have wildly different experiences from our interactions with the world. However one thing is common. We are all living a life within the capacity of a human being.

And one truth of this life, from what I can understand, is that human beings have the capacity to live a life on a wide spectrum ranging from extraordinary difficulty to magnificent riches no matter the circumstance. Therefore it would serve us to inspect our internal lens, and choose the way we want to view the world.

This is not impossible. For if it is possible for another, then it can be possible for you.

The Perspective of a New Born

As alluded to above, our perspective of life evolves from moment to moment based on new experience which shapes personal beliefs.

As infants, we do not have enough information about the world to make a determination. However the infant’s only perspective is through the lens of vulnerability. The child must completely depend on another for support and love. And thus, our evolution begins at a very simple level.

As the infant grows into a child, and the child matures into an adolescent and finally an adult, we often find ourselves completely dependent on another for support without the ability to fully comprehend our surroundings.

In a way, it is a gift to be able to take in life in its fully raw form until we gain the cognitive ability to selectively appreciate this world. In other words, we develop the ability to choose what we see; to choose the lens with which to view the world. And this choice impacts how we interact with our environment regardless of what environment we find ourselves in.

Keeping Our Lens of Vulnerability Clear and Choosing Our World View

Too often, human beings are prone to “growing up” with the lens of vulnerability tarnished. Much like cataracts developing within the lens of the eye as an individual ages. This makes us stiff and unable to see life clearly.

Maintaining vulnerability is important to live a rich and fulfilling life. Divulging our innermost emotional world to those closest to us is instinctual to feeling loved. However no one seems to be able to teach us how. And so we find ourselves learning the hard way. There is no shortage of people that do not understand our unique perspective. After all, it is unique because only one truly understands our inner world. And so we suffer alone.

This suffering begins the process of tarnishing our lens. However it can also spark the process of greater clarity. We assume that others must see the world exactly as we see it. However this is the first step in clearing our internal vision.

A friend of mine who has dyslexia said, “I just thought that everybody reads the same way I do.” He had no idea that the experience of reading was less difficult for others until someone pointed it out to him.

Therefore we must always be mindful that our personal experience of life is not that of others. We walk on this Earth believing that there is only one way simply because we have only our own senses to experience it. However that thought process is itself tarnished. We must consistently work towards gaining greater clarity of others. We must make the effort to consistently refine our vision.

And what helps to refine our vision and grant us clarity? Gratitude.

How to Gain Clarity

Most of us tend to lose clarity through distraction. We are often literally drawn apart. Too many things in this world demand our attention. And at the end of the day, nothing is accomplished. Worse still, we lose our sense of self. Why? Because we can no longer see ourselves.

So how do we begin to regain our sense of self? How can we begin to see ourselves yet again? We must take care to clear the dust that has settled upon our viewing glass. We clear the dust with the cloth of Gratitude.

That dust comes in the form of life’s difficulties. Difficult childhood growing up. Longing for a sense of belonging. Struggling to make ends meet. Embarrassment, anger, lust, avarice, power. The list seems endless.

However the ironic thing is that you need the dust to create greater clarity! Much like how one needs the grit on a piece of sandpaper to smooth out a surface of wood. Creating the silky texture would be nearly impossible without consistently applying something with a rough texture like sandpaper.

Similarly, we can use life’s difficulties to clarify our perception of life; difficult though it may be. So while experience the dust settling on our lens and clouding our vision, we can use the cloth of Gratitude to put that dust to positive use and create greater clarity beyond our imagination.

How to Shift Your Perspective

The question is actually incorrect. This question continues to imply that your perspective is the only right perspective, and you simply want to entertain another’s for whatever reason.

However if you want to bring yourself to a greater conscious awareness of the world you inhabit, losing the boundaries of perspective will then create the space to experience a clearness of vision we have yet to appreciate. Unlimited by what our eyes can see.

Therefore we must focus on what is beyond the material world. What we cannot simply buy or obtain. We must focus on true blessings.

Our senses, ability to walk, the experience love and cherished loved ones, the versatility of our minds, the ability to make an impact upon the world. There is a multitude of blessings we lose sight of on a daily basis. However creating the daily conscious effort to say, “Thank you” will change your life.

Express Gratitude Daily

If you choose to express gratitude on a daily basis, nothing is impossible. You become possible. Why? Because you shift your perspective from a world of limitations to a life of unlimited possibilities.

It is truly unfortunate that we celebrate Thanksgiving only once per year. To give thanks is a powerful life skill. And daily practice will certainly impact your life and the life of those around you in a positive and meaningful way.