Finding new perspectives

I recently went for a walk in the woods near my house. I'm super fortunate to have some beautiful conservation land at the end of my neighborhood and a nice 45-minute loop that I often do. While I can sometimes hear cars, it borders the water and I'll often feel miles away from my daily routine when there.

I've walked the trails through these woods easily over 100 times - probably a lot more. I thought I knew all of them, where they went, how they intersected together. Last time I was walking, I saw some people coming from one direction (and wasn't feeling social!), so I scrambled up an embankment and uncovered this brand-new path. Walking not more than a few minutes, it led me to an overlook with a little bench. I had no idea this existed, even after enjoying these trails for years. It had been there the whole time (and I've sat under this overlook and bench many times). Now it was found for me to enjoy. A new path, a new way of seeing a familiar view.

You may have heard the phrase, change your perspective and you can change your life. I'm pretty sure I wrote a blog post about it before (but doing a quick search I couldn't find it—so maybe I dreamed it!). There is a lot of truth to this statement, though. Everything we see is through our own perspective. Everything we touch, taste, smell, hear, feel. We are the ones interpreting it. Nothing exists without your perception. And when you can pause and notice what your perspective is, you can start to shift in new ways. As Anaïs Nin says, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

One way to do this is to start noticing the narrative playing in your head about something small. Your commute, an errand like grocery shopping, or washing the dishes. When you do these things (that most people don't typically love), what is your perspective? The thoughts playing in your head? Can you shift it ever so slightly to something more joyful, introspective, grateful, or fun? Seeing what you do on a regular basis in a new light and completing it in a new way. Opening your senses and mind to something new.

Another way to practice a new perspective is by listening to a type of music that isn't really your favorite. Can you play a song or artist with an open mind (and heart)? Let yourself notice the music, the lyrics, the rhythm. Imagine the people creating the music and what they were going through at the time. Pay attention to how you feel and what you think, both what your "usual" narrative would be, and then re-writing it into something new.

When we allow our perspectives to be adaptable, we can view the world through new eyes and kind hearts. Things that feel mundane, annoying, or that we just don't like can be experienced in new ways. Things that feel like "have to-do's" can be reframed to "get to-do's" and be done with more gratitude. Sure, it doesn't mean we will love everything we do (it is going to be a hard sell for me to start to enjoy cleaning my house!) AND I know how fortunate I am to have a house to clean, to have a body that can clean, and to have the resources to buy supplies. Plus, there is nothing a little Taylor Swift blasting on the radio can't help with!

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