Why Perspective Matters

Why Perspective Matters

 

Have you ever had a bad day? I mean, a really bad day? We all have! Now, I want you to think back on that situation, and reflect. Was it a bad day, or was it a bad situation that you let ruin your day? Did you let that bad day turn into a bad few days, a week, or even a season of your life? We are all going to face adversity if we live long enough. The question is, how do we react when we face challenges? Have you been faced with a financial situation that seems dire? A devastating job loss? A critical diagnosis that is life changing? Insert your trial here. Whatever the situation, there is always a bright side. No matter the circumstance, there is always a solution. More importantly, no matter what you are facing, there is always HOPE. So the question is, how do we obtain this hope? How do we stay positive when the world around us is negative? What lens do we see the world through and how can we get better vision in our life and business?

Here are some ways that you can see things a little differently than you have before and I hope that these will allow you to weather any storm that you face.

 

  1. Stay Positive

 

We always have a choice in everything that we face. Do we stay positive or choose to see the negative in the situation. A negative person will see everything as awful and in the worst possible light. A positive person can turn any challenge in to an opportunity.

 

If you see the good in every situation, you will always be able to overcome it and move forward better than you were before. If you face challenges and never learn from them, you will get stuck in the past or with bitterness in your heart. This leads to depression, anger, and an inability to move forward.

 

Start your day with encouragement. Prayer, devotions, motivational quotes or podcasts, meditation, etc. are exactly what you need to stay positive. Do whatever it takes to get in the right mindset first thing in the morning. It will make a significant impact in what you can achieve throughout your day.

 

God’s word is full of encouragement and if you couple that with worship music, you can find a place of peace and fulfillment beyond any of the items mentioned above.

 

  1. Ask yourself if the situation is even going to matter in time

Upset about the football game your team just lost? Will you care a year from now? 5 years? 10 years? The person who cut you off in traffic? Do you think they did it intentionally? Will it matter in an hour? Only if you let it.

Is the decision final? Is it simply a no for now? Is it terminal? Are there other people facing the same thing that you can reach out to?

Too often, we let things that are unimportant ruin our days. And in turn, we ruin other people’s days. Think about the impact you can make if you reflect on the situation, before you react. If it is not going to matter to you in a few hours, days or years, you probably don’t need to get too upset about it now.

Eternally, there are some things that are very important. Sometimes, we let the day to day effect our spiritual outcome instead of realizing some of the things that bother us are not really important at all in the grand scheme of things. This life is not about this life. We all have so much to live for.

  1. Talk to people you can trust about your issues

 

Everyone needs accountability in their lives. Everyone. If you think you are self-made, you are just self-absorbed. If you just break that down to the most elemental aspect, you did not birth yourself. Therefore, you could never be self-made in any aspect. We all need others to live this life. From birth to death.

 

Who are the people that put things into perspective for you? Do you have accountability partners? People who keep you in check? People that can call out your greatness or call you on the carpet? We all need these people.

 

When I started to surround myself with uplifting people who call me out occasionally, my standards for everything went up. I also realized that I needed to make changes and be less selfish. When you start to focus on others, your perspective will dramatically change for the better.

 

  1. Ask What, instead of Why?

 

Sometimes we want our situation to change but God is trying to use that situation to change us. We often need to look internally instead of externally to see what needs to be done. Self-awareness and evaluation is a great place to start when trying to determine what needs to change.

 

God can use the worst situation you have ever had and turn it into the best thing for your life. When you start to see the problem as a stepping stone on your life’s journey, instead of a roadblock for your growth, you can start to do so much more than you ever thought possible.

 

A simple twist in your line of questioning can instantly impact your thinking and how you perceive things. When you wonder why me, instead of what should I take away from this, you get caught in the negative and you have a victim mentality. An overcomer is not a victim. They are someone who has an issue, faces it head on, and leads others out of the same situation because they know what to expect and they have been there before. Learn from your trials and help others to benefit from your wisdom.

 

These are some ways that have helped me change my perspective for the good. When I stopped focusing on me and started helping others through situations I had already faced, I had a completely different view of why I was here on Earth. You can too. If we can stay focused on the big picture, the small problems that we face don’t become a big deal. The big problems that we face, while extremely challenging, still have a lesser impact in context of a worldly or eternal view. I hope this encourages you today and you start to think outside of yourself and focus on things that matter most, like serving others.