Embracing Multiple Perspectives

Photo by Leon Seibert on Unsplash

The importance of widening our perspective has been bubbling up regularly in my reading lately. It's a deep subject, too vast for one simple article. The main idea, however, is that gaining the ability to look at all areas of our life from as many different points of view as possible, is one of the best way to find solutions to problems, help us reach our goals, and create more happiness in our lives. 

It all has to do with what we perceive as our reality.  And no, it's not about seeing world through rose colored glasses by only seeing the positive.  It's about acknowledging we have many realities surrounding us to chose from. It's a good choice to focus on ones where we can believe there is a possibility of change or success. Remember the old question of whether you see the glass half empty or half full? Dwelling on the possibility of failure is a no win situation.

It turns out our perceptions of the world around us have a powerful effect on how we view what is happening in our life. How we experience the passing of time is a great example.  Bored at work, the time crawls by. Immersed in an exciting research project, the day seems too short.  Another is exercise. I know when I am out walking, if my mind is distracted by creative ideas or listening to an audio book/podcast, the kilometers pass quickly. I come home energized and ready to work.  If I am bored, I find myself constantly thinking, "How much further?"  My walk feels like a slog through mud. "Am I there yet?" The time drags by and I come home spent.

Those are just a few examples, but I am sure you can come up with many more.  We have all had moments immersed in thoughts, creating or having a great experience where time leapt ahead at the speed of light. It all has to do with the reality, the perspective, we chose to embrace.  As this bit of wisdom continued to pop up on a regular basis, it was obvious the universe was speaking to me. It was time to stop and listen. 

How can I apply looking at different realities to my life as a writer, author, poet and speaker?  Since I instilled my daily writing habit, shorter articles and poems seem to flow out of me. The longer books, however, continue to be a challenge.  What are some of the angles I can look at this road block from?  Which reality encompasses the idea that successfully finishing and publishing a new book is not only possible, but achievable? 

I would love to say I have it all figured out and am well on my way to publishing print book three, but that's not the case.  Eureka moments are few and far between. When they happen I am joyful. Outside of those times I chose to simply keep moving forward one step at a time.  Each day I make time for a few minutes of quiet reflection, eyes closed, and let my mind wander to realities where publishing success is possible.  

When I land on the right one - I will know. There will be joyful dancing and lots of very loud hallelujahs.