Painting a Balanced Perspective
We were strolling around our lovely local art museum in the contemporary gallery. If you are not familiar with this type of art, the meaning is not always obvious and can take some imagination to interpret. We made a game of it. We took turns guessing the meaning behind a piece of art and then we read the description. Sometimes it was as if we were privy to the inner workings of the artist’s vision and other times we looked at each other, shaking our heads, not really understanding how the artist got there.
It made us start thinking about perspective.
In art, perspective is a scholarly study of how artists turn 2D surfaces into 3D experiences. In literature, it refers to the vantage point from which a story is told.
In our day to day lives, perspective is the particular way we view or interpret a situation. It is heavily influenced by our personal experiences, beliefs, and background and it molds how we process our physical and emotional lives. It acts as a mental lens, shaping how we see and understand the world. Much like an artist's interpretation can lead to impactful artworks, our perspective can greatly impact how we perceive everything we experience.
Thinking about our physical world, consider a hike. Our perspective changes as we move from the bottom of the mountain to the top. When we reach the summit, we not only have a different view of the world, we may have also changed our outlook on our ability to do challenging things.
Perspective impacts our emotional world as well. Think of that stereotype of the teenager rolling their eyes. If a parent perceives this as disrespect they will respond with anger, launching into a lecture about how their child needs to change their attitude and dole out consequences. If they are using the developmental stage lens, they will understand that teen brains function poorly under stress. They may still be irritated, but not at the same level. This change in perspective can lead to a much more productive discussion about effective communication.
In times of uncertainty, perspective can become skewed. Uncertainty creates a kind of opaque lens where it becomes difficult to see how things will turn out. Our brains really struggle with those shades of grey. It definitely prefers when options can be clearly seen.
So, what do we do when the world seems to be complicated, moving quickly and outcomes seem more uncertain? First, we have to take a deep breath. Not only does it just feel good, but it allows increased blood flow to the brain and relaxes muscles which makes us more clear headed and brings more resources to figuring things out.
Second, we need to remind ourselves that while we can’t stop world events, we do always have control of how we look at things. We have control of our perspective.
When times feel unstable our brain does have some instinctive responses. Because uncertainty is anxiety provoking, we can engage in catastrophic thinking. In other words, when one bad thing has happened which means other, worse things, are going to happen. The other end of the spectrum is putting our heads in the sand. If we cloister ourselves away and don’t think about it, it will all go away. In the first scenario, the brain is working overtime and in the other it is cutting itself off from the stressful stimuli. Neither of these responses are helpful in the long term and can result in more chronic anxiety either because you are stuck in the worst-case scenario loop or you feel blindsided when some new event pulls your head out of the sand.
The key to achieving a sense of stability is to develop the ability to foster a perspective that allows you to stay in a state of balance. One of the uniquely human abilities we possess is the capacity to step outside our immediate viewpoint and consider events from different perspectives. While this skill does not always come naturally, it can be strengthened with practice. This means giving your brain the tools to take in information, evaluate it thoughtfully, and develop strategies to navigate life effectively. We thought we would share some of these strategies with you.
Practice Self Distancing: This is the ability to step back and view yourself more objectively. Research shows that when you can create a bit of distance between a stimulus and the associated emotional response, you are able to experience less distress, increase insight, increase problem solving and improve conflict management. Like any skill, the more you practice it, the less reactive you become. Without some emotional distance, you can get trapped in ruminating over the event which increases stress. Try being the fly on the wall. Imagine yourself observing a situation from the perspective of a neutral, detached observer. What do you see from this vantage point? This can help you separate emotions from an event and evaluate it more clearly.
Diversify Your Sources: We all know that feeling of going down a rabbit hole looking for information. One answer leads to another question and before long you hardly know where you started. Because there are so many media outlets, we may find ourselves relying on a few sources. If we are not careful, this can lead us to an echo chamber where we are locked into a singular mindset that blocks us off from a broader perspective. To avoid this, seek out different opinions and be sure you are validating your media sources for accuracy.
Cultivate Mindfulness Practices: Because we are inundated with information and stimulus all of the time it is essential to have a grounding practice that works for you. This can be a mindfulness walk, yoga, meditation, journaling or a gratitude practice. Anything that forces you to stop for a moment, separate yourself from the day to day grind and focus on just what is in front of you is a useful tool.
Focus On What is Controllable: When you feel like there is nothing you can do, stress increases exponentially. Most of us are not direct actors in the halls of power, but that does not mean that we are powerless. Focus on where you can wield influence. Maybe it is getting politically involved, volunteering at a charity or donating to a just cause. Or maybe it is focusing on raising good kids or being extra kind to your neighbors. Our brains love the feeling of being in control and these types of activities can help bring calm to our souls and make us feel more engaged.
Stay Connected: Being isolated and alone with our own thoughts is the quickest way to increase anxiety and depression. Invest in the people around you and focus on developing a circle of people that support and challenge you. When you invest in others it pulls you out of a self-involved perspective and broadens your view.
Because of the difference in our human experience, each of us will use a different lens to observe the world. The perspective we cultivate each day shapes the way we react to the world. We can strive to develop a perspective that allows us to not only be true to ourselves, but creates a safe path for us to be open to the perspectives of others.
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