The Perspective Shift That Changes Everything

Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to talk about a perspective shift that can change a lot of the ways you live your life. So do you ever find yourself caught in the mindset of why is this happening to me? If so. You're not alone. I think most of us can slip into this way of thinking, especially when difficult events compound and it feels like the world is out to get us.

But when we go through life with the perspective that things are happening to us, it can keep us bound to a victim-like mentality, presupposing that we're helpless to the experiences of life. There's a different perspective we can take though. One that I find much more empowering. This is when we shift the perspective from life is happening to us, to life is happening for us. Because think about it, if something is happening for you, well, that means there's a lesson to be learned, an opportunity to be discovered, a challenge to be accepted.

And that as a perspective, presupposes that we're capable of meeting the moment and poten, potentially becoming stronger on the other side. Do you feel how this is very different from feeling like life is happening to you? And we just have to take it hit after hit, after hit. What if life is happening for us? And every hit was actually an opportunity to rise up, to learn about ourselves, to speak up and to grow - mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I don't know about you, but that immediately feels empowering to me. And in a weird way, almost makes me excited about some of the challenges in my life.

I start to see them as experiences that can transform me, tenderize me, stretch me and even open me. And listen, this is not to trivialize intense experiences and suggest that you should be excited about the grief you're going through or the job loss or the societal injustice and oppression you may be experiencing. There are many things that are inherently painful and it's important we have the chance to feel the sadness, the anger, and the confusion. And at the same time, we may also be able to hold this perspective that there's something bigger to experience here, an opportunity to find meaning in suffering and an opportunity to experience more parts of ourselves that we've been disconnected from. The people I know who often experienced the most joy are the ones who have been through the most hardship because they know the contrast.

The people who experience and embody love the most are the ones who have endured painful separations and loss. And the experience that we most resist in the moment often helps craf, craft the multi-dimensional being that we're growing into. One that knows joy and sadness, pleasure and pain, resentment, and forgiveness. And in the context of living a whole full embodied and present life, these are the many dimensions that come with being human. So as you navigate your day and beyond, see what it might be like to take the perspective that instead of life happening to you, it's happening for you.

Thank you for your practice. I'll talk to you soon and take care.