Don’t ask why, but the other day, Vishnu and I talked about maintaining perspective. I honestly have no clue how we stumbled on to this topic, but I thought I’d share some of what we discussed because it was interesting, and I think it opened both of our eyes to what’s important to us. And life is something I can talk on and on about!
What I really walked away with is a new”ish” way of thinking about perspective. I say new”ish” because I’ve thought a lot about this topic, but I’ve always found it hard to implement a calm, focused way of thinking when obstacles appear.
I think we can all agree that life can be a B**** sometimes. Every now and then, the plans we make for ourselves change for reasons beyond our control. It’s almost like getting a “go to jail” card…you can’t do anything about it. You feel stuck. And trust me, I totally get that some situations warrant anger, frustration, sadness, etc. Been there, done that. However, when I think about 95% of the things that didn’t go my way over the past few yeas, I know that my perspective and attitude were quite honestly…messed up. My automatic response was to freak out, cry, get angry, etc…always. Thinking back on these moments, I’m embarrassed.
Another way Vishnu and I thought about this was to analyze how we react when people are nasty to us. It’s so easy to get pissed off and be nasty right back. In fact, in the past, that’s always been our response. Tit for tat. Without some perspective, every unfriendly encounter brings negative energy to your life.
While a little bit of venting and anger is absolutely necessary, holding on to it is not.
I once read in a magazine that the best way to maintain perspective is to ask yourself the following questions:
– Will this matter an hour from now?
– Will this matter a day from now?
– Will this matter a week from now?
– Will this matter a month from now?
– Will this matter a year from now?
– Will this matter 10 years from now?
If you were to pick a situation from your past that really bothered you at the time and ask yourself these questions, what would the responses be? Does that situation/issue still matter today? Was the intense emotion worth it?
Something to think about!
While watching TV at the gym the other day, I heard something in one of the commercials that also got me thinking about perspective and life. I can’t remember what the commercial was about, but I do recall the premise behind it – life is short. The announcer person was saying things like you only have so many vacations left in life, you only have so many hugs to be received, you only have so many sunrises left to witness, etc. As morbid and sad as it sounds, it’s true. Life is short. Perspective is important.
But really, I always say that “going forward I want to focus on what’s important.” But as soon as something goes wrong, my good intentions go out the window. Well, it’s time to walk the walk and try to maintain perspective because most things will not matter for long and life is short.
And if my wordy post wasn’t enough, how’s this for perspective…
Please be sure to enjoy your weekend by doing things that make you happy and spending time with those that matter. 
Awesome message! 🙂 It’s true..we can all talk the talk but incorporating this mentality into our daily lives is a whole different story. A reminder every once in a while (like this post) helps too!
Excellent post! You write so well P. This week I’ve definitely put things into perspective since my dad is getting a small heart procedure – he’s fine. I do bitch about little things, but I beleive my overall attitude has changed. people can be so mean in NYC, everyone is rushing and that energy does affect me when I go to work, and the commute, but then I’m like I choose to work here, and to me the vibrant city environment is worth it. I loveeeee the image you posted – you’re right, we are so lucky.
I love this post – it’s something that I try to remember (but don’t always do a good job at it) – that I need to keep the “little” things in perspective of the “big” things!
Love the way you explain your thoughts, P! I think the older I get, the less I let little things faze me. Especially when things aren’t in my control, I try not to get worked up- too much wasted energy that could otherwise be projected in a positive matter!