Perspective

Definition of perspective=A mental view or outlook

As life gets crazy (here come the holidays) it's great when I am reminded about a HUGE life lesson I learned about Perspective.

Today is the best day to remember this as it is the 3 year anniversary of when my life lesson started, November 24, 2004. Read more about it below.......

Talking with a few friends of mine, the feeling of a "Full Schedule" (better word to use than Stress!!) is sometimes overwhelming. Why does stress impact us all, no matter who we are, how old we are, what job we have, or what our "family" looks like-it's all the same. Stress impacts us all, but the end result is different for each of us. Why is that? Why does the same "type" of stress debilitate some-but not impact others? I believe it is two fold, the perspective we have and how long we have had that perspective. There are still 24 hours in the day, no matter what perspective you have. Will you "choose" your perspective, or have it chosen for you.
I learned this after traveling to Africa and seeing family after family living in poverty, all with smiles on their faces because they had each other. Some wont live to see tomorrow, but you can't take today away from them.
So why do we allow our perspective to be chosen for us. We allow "life" to bombard us hit after hit and then wonder why at the end of the day (or week) that we feel overwhelmed.
How do we choose our own perspective? I don't have an easy answer, I wish I did. I know what I "don't" do which would help me and many others.....Offensive Scheduling-then sticking with it. Easier put....proactively schedule time doing things that refuel you-then don't allow them to be pushed aside by something else. I always like doing things for others, so even if I have something planned that would refuel me-if someone asks me to do something, I drop what I am doing to help out. You might be like that also. Even though it sounds like the right thing to do, I am realizing more and more that if I say no (or not right now) that I will be a better person to help out in the future. So when was the last time you did something that refuels you? Do you even have a list of what those things are? Start there!

1.List those things that refuel you and then list those things that drain you.

2. Schedule this week (let your week end on what ever day you want) one of those things that refuel you.

3. Continue scheduling one refueling thing every week and add another refueling thing for every draining thing you have.

Easier said than done. Let me know if it works for you, and I will do the same.