Life is Perspective Part 3

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Abraham Lincoln

I’d like to post one more blog on the topic of perspective because I am having so much fun doing it!!  As perspective has been on my mind, it is interesting to me to notice how many people who are in similar situations react so differently, and therefore have such a different experience in life.  One simple example happened at work the other day.  An announcement was made at work that would impact me and my colleagues.  One partner of mine that I spoke with complained and complained about the announcement until she had come to the conclusion that the company was destined for doom while another partner of mine, though a little apprehensive, expressed her excitement at being able to do things differently and felt this announcement in particular would help the company grow and prosper.  Both received the same news, yet their reactions and experience could not have been more different.  Much like this simple example illustrates, at the end of the day our experience in life, whether positive or negative, is because of our perspective.  If we stop to take a look as I have lately, we can find examples all around us to prove this.

So after reading my posts one of my friends asked me, “Is it really possible to take the right perspective with what is going on now days?” Unfortunately, our environment can influence our perspective and most often in our society today, the things that surround us taint our perspective and move it in the wrong direction.  However, despite the many negative influences that surround us, there are plenty of people who have a positive perspective on life and therefore have found a way to overcome.  So if others can do it, we can do it!  We cannot allow our society, the media, or any other outside influence to control our perspective. 

If there is one thing I’ve learned, our circumstances do not define our happiness and success in life.  So in answer to my friends question and to sum up my last three blogs on this topic, we can have self-control and self-mastery over our perspective.  Again this has been proven to me time and time again when people experience similar situations and events and have such different outcomes as a result of them.  If we can find a way to view situations for what they are and take the right perspective, we will lead a successful and happy life.  Yes, our life is all about the perspective we choose, thus we must choose wisely.

If you haven’t had the chance to do so, I’d encourage you to read my two previous blogs (part 1 and part 2).