Saturday 25 August 2007

5 Ways To Keep Things in Perspective - Revisted

Hi there,

In the last of our summer re-runs, here is a post I know will help a lot of people out there. Well it helped me when I was writing it...

Let me know what you think!

Allen

Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds


I am going to be honest with you now dear reader. I am no Tony Robbins. That’s right! I am just somebody who is interested in self improvement and I am sharing with you self help stuff that works for me.

I don't always apply these strategies and tips (my wife would not be shocked at all by this). I get caught up with the "everydayness" of life and I can sometimes loose perspective. That’s why I am always so interested in your own opinions on what I write. I usually list out some strategies that I have found helped me and ask "What strategies can you think of?". This is as much for my own education as to get your own creative juices flowing.

Let us take this example. As I get caught up in the "everyday-ness" of life I loose perspective. I start feeling stressed out over small silly things that don't really add up to much in the big scheme of things. Sometimes it takes a serious life event like illness or bereavement to give me a good kick up the back side and realize what a great life I have after all.

So I think to myself what can I do EVERYDAY that would help me keep a healthy perspective on things? Well, as is tradition on this site, here are 5 ways I feel that will help us all keep things in perspective.

1) Look at your worries from the future.

How would your worries today be viewed by yourself as you look back in 10 years time? How would the worries look from 20, 50 or 80 years in the future. My grandmother used to say "Try not to worry, you will be dead in 100 years time." Which is very true and this doesn’t half give you perspective on your problems.

2) Compare your problems and worries to others less fortunate than yourself.

How do your problems compare with people who live in war torn countries? How do your problems compare to people facing hunger, terminal illness and poverty. Reflect on these things and this should give you some perspective on your own problems.

3) What's the worse that can happen?

Look at the worse case scenario as scary as that might be. Is the problem your facing really as bad as you think it is? It may not be? If the worse does happen at least it may not come as much of shock? This strategy only really works with less serious problems that we have exaggerated in our own minds.

4) Talk to your friends and/or family or children?

There have been countless times that I have come home from my day job feeling like the whole world was on my shoulders. I then would have a good chat with my wife and she would more than most give me her sense of perspective on the issues of the day. It is often so good to talk to someone with a sympathetic ear who have a certain distance to one's own problems. Children have a really healthy perspective on life and really bring you back to earth. I remember the time that we had to move from the area where my wife's niece.
"Why do you have to move from here?", asked the niece.
"I have to go as I have to start a new job.", replied my wife.
"Why don't you just get a job near where I live then?, pointed out the six year old. :)

5) Spend time with your pet or go walking in the nature.

My little cat at home provides a daily does of perspective for me. After a stressful day at the office there is nothing like a furry cat wanting to play with you to bring perspective back and a smile to your face. Walking in the nature can also be a good way to remain grounded. There is a park near where we live and just seeing the different wild life going about their day with no worries at all really puts things into perspective for me.


I feel I have so much to learn in the ways of keeping perspective. What ways can you suggest to me, that would help us all keep perspective in our everyday lives.

Good Luck,
Allen

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