Hold on if things have not started to get a bit stressful this season because they most likely will. Everyone is facing their own personal hurdles, from family loss and illness to financial burdens, and the list goes on. But no matter what you face, it may help keep it all together by keeping things in perspective.
Keeping things in perspective means to take into consideration the true meaning of importance or thinking about the situation or problem in a different way.
Keeping in perspective means looking at the whole picture rather than one particular frame or moment within the picture. It can also mean stepping back from the problem or situation to see it differently.
Keeping things in perspective does not require you to re-examine every part of your life. It requires taking notice of how you are responding to a situation, stopping, taking perspective and then recalculating your reaction.
Take driving through snarled traffic or when that person jumps into the parking spot you have been idling for as examples. Keeping things into perspective would require you to take a deep breath, and rather than worry about how ridiculous someone else’s driving is, consider how blessed you are that you have the means and freedom to drive wherever you need to. That person that jumped into your parking spot? Keeping things into perspective would be to consider how important that spot must be to them, and there must be a reason for their behaviour, so shake it off and look for another location. In the big picture of life, is either of things that important? Isn’t it more important to arrive at your destination safely or find a parking spot away from the mayhem? That’s perspective!
Your holiday cookies look more like lumps of coal than the holiday haystacks you were trying to achieve. Keeping things in perspective would be to laugh at the new creation and serve them as lumps of coal. Does it really matter that much compared to other things that are going on? And if it does matter that much, then re-calculate your reaction to a failed attempt and start giving yourself a break.
Tips for how to keep things in perspective
- If you feel like you are losing control of a situation. Stop and ask yourself what exactly you are struggling with. Sometimes, pinpointing the specifics on why you are reacting a certain way can help you refocus and regain control.
- Accept and adapt to things that you cannot change. Worrying about things out of our control can cause anxiety and stress without release. Can you change the present situation? If not, focus more on how you can adapt to the situation.
- Focus on what you can do can to overcome the feeling of hopelessness. Identify the situation and write down action steps that you can take to better the situation.
- Comparing yourself to others is one of the quickest ways to lose perspective. You are not them. You are unique, and your life and experiences, while connected, are still different. Adjust your response and perspective to what is right for you, not what they expect of you.
- Observe rather than judge a situation. We often upset ourselves by interpreting events based on what we think rather than what is really happening. A waiter brought you the wrong entrée, so you lose it on them. Is it really that big of a deal? Perhaps they are overworked or have an illness they are managing. You don’t know, so rather than judge their behaviour, give them a break, and by doing so, you are giving yourself a break and can focus on more positive things, like the great company you are having dinner with.
- Think of negative situations or events as an inconvenience, not a life-altering moment. It would be nice if everything went our way and everyone behaved as we think they should, but the world is not built this way. Think of these little things as minor inconveniences that will pass.
Picture yourself and your situation in the future!
Consider your space and place in this world. Life is in constant motion and forever changing, and what will be today will most likely not be for tomorrow. Accept that things, you and the world around you will change and try not to get hung up in one frame of the big picture.
Give Yourself Permission to Breathe
Wherever you are in your life, we hope you give yourself permission to breathe. We hope that you take time every day to take stock of all the amazing parts of yourself, and you check personal criticism at the door.
The world we live in today is not easy; demands and stresses are bearing down on us every day. Our hope for you is that in a world that is always rushing, you can find a moment of stillness in your life to just be in the moment. Whatever that moment is.
If you feel grief, give yourself permission to feel it. If you feel tired, give yourself permission to take a rest. If you feel joy, then allow yourself to celebrate happiness. If you are not sure what you are feeling, release the pressure of trying to define the feelings and just be in the moment
Whatever happened today, this week or this month, give yourself “Permission to Breathe
- To remember
- To honour
- To celebrate
- To nurture
- To practice thankfulness
- To laugh
- To cry
- To Breathe
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