By Karen Gregory, HRSS President
“The Pessimist complains about the wind; the Optimist expects it to change; the Realist adjusts the sails.” ~ William A. Ward
It’s all about perspective. As I wrap up the week and month of May, that oh by the way has sped by faster than a freight train, I reflect over the first part of this year and where I am today. There were good days, there were bad, and then there were the ugly.
As I reflect on the first part of this year, I realize it was like a roller coaster ride and depending on the day I was riding high, or worse, I was hitting the low and begging for someone to please let me off! Of course as each day passed, I would hop right back on that roller coaster and ride it again.
And as I reflect over my experiences thus far I realize that what I get out of life is really more about my perspective of those experiences than anything else. It’s about how I choose to see things — Is my glass half full or half empty?
It really is quite simple. I can choose to dwell on all of the things that didn’t go my way, and trust me there were plenty. Or I can choose to focus on all of the great experiences I gained by going through the peaks and valleys of what we call life.
Possessing a positive perspective, even when things don’t work out the way we want, is a powerful life-changing habit.
And with that I’d like to suggest three healthy habits for creating a positive perspective that all leaders should possess:
1) Spend time with positive people. You will be amazed at how your perspective and life can change when you surround yourself with positive people with positive perspective.
2) Experience life through a new filter. Look for situations you don’t understand or surprise you and be curious.
3) Choose to consciously look at life from another perspective. Consistently and consciously thinking about seeing new perspectives will make all of the difference.
Perspective changes not only our world, but the world around us.
As Price Cobb, an American race car driver, said, “Some days you’re the bug. Some days you’re the windshield.” And I say sometimes you just have to look at life from a different perspective.
We’d love to hear your comments. Has the power of perspective changed anything for you?
