Wednesday Wisdom – Perspective

Having just returned from a couple of fabulous, busy weeks of vacation in the East, during which time travel was extensive, I have arrived home feeling revived, refreshed and rejuvenated.

One would think that, after a time filled with such activity and little sleep – the latter mostly due to body clock challenges – a few days of recovery would be sensible, before launching into what is to be a jam-packed remainder of the year.

Not so.  A tremendous sense of renewal has arisen from the perspectives obtained by being so far removed from my known home, culture, environment and daily routine.  I hasten to add, this is not because of any ‘ah ha’ moment or life-changing insight, but rather because of how much the trip away reminded me of the greatness of life.

It has always fascinated me how so often, when clients and friends have chosen to move out of their ‘zone’, there has been a tendency return therefrom with a sense of determination to ‘do things differently’, having decided to engage in change, maintaining and applying the new ‘lessons’ learned during the time away.

Whilst it is acknowledged that new perspectives can have the above-mentioned effect at times, they can also have the opposite effect. This is in-so-far as they have the ability to reassure and confirm that what we have and how we have chosen to operate in the world on a day-to-day basis is actually quite perfect.  And that change is not always necessary.

In other words, sometimes the need for and benefit of altered perspectives, is not in order to see things differently, but merely to have sight of the same things from a different angle and realise that life is good as is!

Although distance may be considered to be a necessary component of gaining perspectives and insights, it ought to be noted that one does not have to travel 24 hours away from home, across wide oceans and foreign lands in order to gain this different view. Rather, what is required is to be mindful of not succumbing to the temptation of playing, listening and dancing to the same old tune in the same old way, with these patterns having the ability to limit or reduce the feeling of thriving.

A mini-vacation can be taken right where one is, by simply moving seats for a little while.  In fact, it is highly recommended.

An example of how this can be done was shared with an old school friend of mine last week who was visiting Cape Town and enjoying time exploring its surroundings with his family.  He put a picture of the Ferris Wheel at the Cape Town V&A Waterfront on one of his Facebook posts, to which I responded by noting that taking a ride on that wheel is something I do as a local at least once or twice a year.  Although I love Ferris Wheels, and will ride one in every destination I can, this local activity is one that I have found to provide easily accessible broader perspective, literally. It is a simple and in-expensive exercise, right on our doorstep in the Mother City.

Next time you feel ‘stale’ or are weary, thinking of how things need to change or are not good enough, take yourself on a mindful, mini-vacation in order to enjoy the benefit of the power of perspective.

The chances are that there will be far more good discovered by doing so than not, and when considered from a new seat, things are pretty okay – if not actually good.

They could even be great.

ELISE