Reflections to Change Your Perspective
So much of our experience in life is affected by how we envision our circumstances and respond to what we imagine. Take any life experience—promotion, layoff, relocating, buying a home, losing a loved one—and there’s a person who can find a positive outlook as well as a person who can find a negative outlook for that experience.
Sometimes, when we feel like we’re spiraling in life, all we need is a little shift in perspective to help us find our feet again. Keep reading for a few reflections and exercises to change your perspective.
Imagine repeating your life as it is
Does the idea of living your current life on repeat fill you with joy or dread?
Here’s a powerful thought experiment for reflection that challenges us to think about our current path and actions.
Grab a blank page and ponder these questions:
What would you change in your life to feel excited about living it on repeat?
Who do you need to become to feel good about it?
What self-limiting beliefs or negative attitudes need to go?
If you’re feeling introspective and allow yourself to dream freely, you might discover some meaningful changes.
If you’re feeling stuck in your career
Journaling is a fantastic way to work through where you feel stuck.
I suggest journaling about when you last felt energized by what you were working on as well as about the times you felt annoyed, drained, or frustrated—this will help you make a "definitely yes" and "definitely no" list of the types of activities you want to spend your work time doing.
If you can afford to do some consulting before looking again for a full-time gig, that might be a low-risk way of trying out different types of work and seeing what you enjoy—you’ll want to make a list of the kinds of work you might want to do along with a list of the organizations or people on your "dream" list of places/folks to work.
Then, instead of advertising to everyone everywhere that you're open for work (which might result in a flood of random and/or lower paying things you don't want to do), start by reaching out to that dream list one by one to let them know you'd love to connect because you've got some capacity and would like to see if there are any areas they might need help with where you can support them.
If you’re experiencing grief
I lost my mom in early 2024, so grief is on my mind a lot in recent years. There is no predictable way to grieve—it hits each of us differently—but I appreciated this analogy about how grief sometimes works like a ball hitting a button in a box. It made me feel better about how my own grief sometimes shows up.
If you’re in the midst of grief, or know someone who is, let this be a reminder that it usually gets (a little) easier.
If you're an Instagram user, my friend Robin introduced me to this account and I’ve found it helpful on the topic.
Remember, life is a series of chapters
I posted this some time ago on Instagram (if you aren’t following me there yet, you should come on over!) but it bears repeating: Life is a series of chapters.
Sometimes you're frustrated with an aspect of your life and eager to change it.
Sometimes you're tearing things apart because you know you need something different.
Sometimes you're building something and growing.
Sometimes you're coasting. Then the cycle starts again, doesn't it?
And often, life throws us some really intense curveballs.
Still, you’ve got to live in your chapter. Don't force it to be something it's not. The mountaintop will come again for you if you're currently in the valley.
Figure out what matters now and let the rest go. This doesn't mean you can't take action to make things better; it just means expecting life to always be great is only setting you up for deep disappointment.
Follow strategically on social media
Does the time you spend on social media support your personal and professional goals?
If not, one way to create a reality where it does is to ensure you follow accounts that inspire and educate you about the goals you’ve set and unfollow any that are holding you back.
For example, I care a lot about the future of my country (I'm based in the USA) and how it treats our people, and one account that informs and inspires me on this topic is Sharon McMahon (Instagram | Substack).
Maybe you care about being a great parent? Ensuring you get good perspectives about global events from those in diverse parts of the world? Or about exercising more? Getting involved in your local community?
Follow accordingly.
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About The Author
Jessica Eastman Stewart is a consultant, workshop facilitator, and podcast guest expert. She teaches busy professionals how to get more organized at home and at work so they can stop feeling worn out and start living a Joyfully Managed Life! Thousands of readers drop everything when her weekly newsletter, The Friday Five, arrives in their inbox. Every Friday, you’ll get FIVE amazing tips to help life feel INSTANTLY more joyful and easy!
