Recently, I was talking to one of my mentors about a subject, and I started telling him about some limitations related to the topic.
He listened for a few minutes, and then he highlighted a couple of areas where my thinking needed to shift. He challenged me to move past my barriers and recognize what I had working in my favor.
He was right. I had several things going for me in the situation, but I couldn’t recognize them because I was frustrated.
After the conversation, I felt empowered and inspired. I could see my current difficulties through a clear lens. My situation was actually a setup for my success, not my failure.
My mentor’s observations were not profound. I already knew everything he mentioned, but it was like a light bulb went off in my head when he recounted the facts to me.
Sometimes, we get entangled in our circumstances and neglect to look at our problems from a more objective point of view. We can forget to give equal weight to the positive and negative factors in our situations. This is where I got tripped up.
After talking to my mentor, I thought of several ways I could have avoided becoming frustrated in the first place and 6 keys to help me in the future.
6 Keys to Cultivating a Better Perspective
1. Practice thankfulness
I have written on this topic before in my blog post, Thankfulness, and it is something I regularly practice. However, I needed an extra dose when dealing with my situation.
Thankfulness is an attitude of the heart and something we have to choose. When we seek opportunities to be thankful in every circumstance, it shifts our perspective. It helps us to see life as a blessing, not a curse.
2. Shift the focus from limitations to resources
We tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on others so we might mistake our assets for liabilities. We need to stop looking at what we lack in a situation, and instead, look at what we have working in our favor. We can’t use resources we don’t recognize.
In my situation, I needed to do a particular task, but I did not have the written credentials for it. However, I have the experience it takes to effectively complete the job. I missed out on an exciting opportunity because I overlooked my own skills.
3. Avoid comparing yourself to others
Each person has a different set of abilities, resources, and experiences. If we compare ourselves to others, we may feel like we have to emulate them, rather than be our own best. We might disqualify ourselves when we don’t measure up to our skewed impression of them.
I got caught up in the comparison trap. I kept looking at the people around me, thinking they might be a better fit for what I wanted to do. They are the people who seem to excel in the areas where I struggle, and they seldom make a mistake.
We need to remember that each person is on a unique journey. We might think someone else has an easier situation, but we don’t know what they have already been or are currently going through. They may feel just as unqualified as we do, yet they choose to persevere. In fact, they may be looking at us in the same way we are looking at them.
4. Instead of viewing problems as impossible, look for solutions
I kept staring at my issues through a defeated mindset, and I was looking for problems, not solutions. If I had taken a few extra minutes to expect answers in my situation, I would have felt less frustrated and hopeless.
Fixating on our struggles for too long can leave us feeling drained and powerless. Our thoughts, words, and actions often become toxic, causing us to grow more anxious. This makes it difficult to see even obvious answers. We lose touch with the reality of our issues and may start believing we are in an impossible situation.
Instead, we need to look at our challenges through a hopeful lens. Often times, we will find answers when we least expect them and from unlikely sources.
If we keep a solution-based mentality, we are more likely to experience our breakthrough.
5. Look at difficulties as a launching pad for success, not failure
I admit it. I was expecting to fail when I considered my situation, but I should have seen my challenges as stepping stones toward my ultimate success.
How do bodybuilders acquire large muscles? They train with some resistance from weight-bearing objects. Every situation we face, pleasant or challenging, can increase our strength and endurance. We gain invaluable skills, knowledge, and experience as we persevere.
We all face rough patches, but not everyone comes out better for the experience. How we deal with life’s challenges is up to us. Our obstacles are building necessary muscles so we will be prepared to reach our next goal.
6. Take a look from above
If I had looked from God’s angle, I would have seen the open door he had placed in front of me. Instead, I kept staring at closed windows.
God’s perspective starts from above. He doesn’t come face-to-face with our troubles; he soars over them. God isn’t fretting about what is coming up next for us, and he doesn’t want us to worry either. He prefers for us to see things from his view and to trust him. Our greatest problems seem small from his vantage point.
If you haven’t given your life and circumstances to him, ask God to show you his truth. He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to take our worries and exchange them for his peace.
Although this list is by no means exhaustive, I hope you have found it helpful.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post, and please take a few minutes to check out some of my previous entries, if you haven’t already.