Perspective {thoughts from an ocean trip}

Perspective.

Where we sit in life determines what we see, what we do, how far we fly and ultimately....who we become.

Is your view on life a little dull?  Maybe you need to get up higher to see the limits of where you can go.

Yes, there are limits.

Yes, there are things we can't do.

I'll never be a prima donna ballerina- no matter what I say or do. And really, I'm o.k. with that.

But I think a lot of us are living at a lower altitude than what we could be doing.  I suspect we are holding back not because of external circumstances but because of internal turmoil.

What would happen if we shifted our vision from what is right in front of us to what is outstretched before us.

Would you stop looking at the situation from where you are?  Dare to get up higher and live a bit larger.

Recently, I went on a trip to the Lost Coast of California.  There, the rugged mountains, majestic trees and ocean collide to form a mostly deserted coastal region flowing for miles and miles. If I was naming it, it would be called the Lonely Coast. One can drive for a while and not see a single car. Same for the beaches- few people were walking on the beautiful sandy shores.

At one particular beach, however; I watched  a guy climb up a big rock formation.  He climbed to the very highest point of the rock formation and stood, several feet above the ocean and looked out. Then he sat down and gazed at the vast expanse around him.  No doubt his viewpoint of the ocean (and the shore) was a little different than me- loitering on the safety of the sand.  Watching him climb up and down brought a few thoughts to mind.

Sometimes it takes a heck of a lot of work to climb up to get a new perspective.

There's a lot of junk to encounter on the way.

A lot of people who might try to persuade you to stay on the ground.

Others who emphasize the importance of practicality and security.

Mostly,  the  person in the mirror typically gives me the worst advice, including all sorts of reasons why this or that won't work and other ridiculous notions to worry about.  It is a long battle to retrain the brain to think healthy and courageous.  A daily battle, one might say.

Once you climb the rock and do the work, the perspective really is different.

That guy on the rock sat there for a long time. At one point he stood up, looking far into the horizon.  The day before I had gone on a coastal mountain trail. The trail off the coast of Trinidad brings hikers high above the seashore, the fisherman and most of the coastal town.  Nothing from daily life is heard except for the low "dong" of the lighthouse noisemaker.  The sky is deep blue and the ocean is serene.  The hike is a bit of a workout but the view is well worth every bit of effort and sweat.

You can't stay on top  of the rocks forever.

You gotta climb down, keep moving and take on new rocks formations, hills, and mountains.

I think the metaphor that we keep climbing up is misleading. We don't keep climbing  up. We go up and then climb down. We take on new challenges.  Sometimes we need to rest and break from the work. Sometimes we change paths completely.

The important thing is to not stay in the valley. Look up. See the opportunity.

And another opportunity.

And another. (As Martha Stewart says, "there's always another opportunity." Don't get upset over past missed opportunities. Another one is on the way).

Action Challenge:  Climb up on a rock or swing on a swing in the park.  Notice how things look different when you are higher. What seems more important now? What new thoughts do you have? Notice how you can see farther than normal. Some things seem farther away, perhaps less significant?  What do you see now that was once hidden from view?

Take this back to your creative vision.  What "problems" will become smaller the farther away they get?  Is there a vision, an ability to see out to the distance....or does the daily all that is seen?

A change in perspective can create a life change.