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The more I grow up, the wider my perspective seems to get. I believe perspective in life is one of the keys to happiness.

In my ingenuousness, I used to take a my-way-is-the-highway approach to everything, and even now seeing life through a broad lens doesn’t come naturally to me.

I still have strong opinions and convictions on certain issues; But time and life experience have helped me to develop the wisdom to learn to try to share my opinions with grace and love.

As I move through life, I’m learning to intentionally allow things into my life that will grow my perspective in the blind spot areas. And let’s be honest, a lot of life is full of blind spots.

I think for me in particular, the passing of my wife has given me a fresh and different perspective to life. I’m frequently struck by how quickly our lives can change — how suddenly the things we’ve taken for granted are revealed to be incredibly fragile and almost terrifyingly precious. And how the things to which we’ve attributed immense importance can come to seem like inconsequential matters by comparison.

When I think about the times I wasted focused on trivial issues that at the time seemed like must-do’s, that feeling of knowing that time wasted and is full of regrets will never be back – that feeling is sobering. But it also clarifies to me just how small and trivial the majority of our daily trials and tribulations really are.

This is the power of perspective. I think it’s important for all of us to consider, on a regular basis, how what we judge to be bad or good on a given day is really very relative to the rest of what we are experiencing and focusing on at a given time.

There is a Chinese saying that goes: “Crisis is an initial moment when something begins or changes.” The outcome will depend on your perspective, which in turn will drive your choices.

As John Lobbock said: “What we see depends on what we look for.” In fact, this is true and here is why:

1. Your viewpoint shapes your thoughts, decisions, actions — and ultimately, your feeling of success. For example, have you ever wondered why people in some of the poorest parts of the world seem happier than those in the wealthiest nations? It’s probably because they view life through the values-lenses of health and family versus wealth and fame. Of course, those choices are not mutually exclusive.
2. If you are experiencing a challenging time right now, think about how you can shift your perspective. If you’ve lost your job, maybe it’s an opportunity to go back to school or turn your hobby into a business. If you have lost a loved one, focus on the special times you spent together and how that made you feel and made you a better person for life!

Some action steps:

Choose to take at least one action to make a difference in your life today. Here are some suggestions:

• Be a neutral observer – When a situation occurs, don’t immediately judge it. Take a deep breath and take yourself out of it. Try to see it from multiple angles.
• Take an optimist viewpoint – Always look for the opportunity in a seemingly “bad” situation.
• Deliberately test out a new perspective – Next time you are in a traffic jam, don’t fret about “wasted” time. Use it as a chance to reflect and think about your life or day, I spend close to 3 hours on the road to work everyday – I use the car as my “Mercy Seat”.
• Be grateful for what you have – Next time you think you have it bad, think about those who have it worse. Remember the Denis Waitley quote: “I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet.”
• Offer your services to others who could benefit from your talents. This may change their perspective as well as your own.
• Keep a “belief journal” – Write down your core values and beliefs. Determine which ones serve you and which ones don’t. Constantly review it and make adjustments.