Two Proven Ways to a New Perspective

FRC Blog / By Caroline G

Bored

Ever get bored of your day-in-day-out, and you just can’t seem to find the way out? It’s like your life is on repeat and you’re spinning around the same routine. Doesn’t seem too satisfying, but also doesn’t seem terrible enough to escape.

This type of attitude is more detrimental than you might think. You think you’re fine, but this leads to:

• Lower expectations of your and your coworkers’ performance
• Less optimism throughout the day
• Low motivation toward current or new goals
• Complacency with negative outcomes and situations
• Risk for increased negativity in attitude, words, and actions

If you’re not enjoying your life, we’ve got great news for you. A simple perspective change can be all you need to spark the light to a new perspective and a happier day-to-day life.

Seeing a New Perspective

There’s loads of benefits to a fresh start with a new perspective. Once you see a brighter view, a shift happens and you get an abundance of positives. (We talk about this with Process Coaching.)

• Energy increases
• Opportunities open up more clearly
• Motivation, momentum, and movement occur
• More positive outcomes abound!

But how do you experience this new Perspective we’re telling you about? A new perspective requires a shift and you’ve been stuck for a while, unable to see a way out. So, here are three ways tips on getting yourself out of the rut and into a new light which will surely open up your possibilities.

Scenario A

You’ve been stuck in the same job position for years and you’re just not happy, but there’s nothing better available and it’s good enough to pay the bills.

Scenario B

You’ve tried again and again to lose weight and get in shape but you don’t have time or money for the gym or fancy diets.

1. Reworking Old Views

You may think you’ve seen it all, tried it all, or done it all, but sometimes the answers are on the path you already walked. You just… walked right by them.

Take a new look at your situation and start asking yourself questions. Is this how I want to do this? Is this working for me? When you run into a roadblock, don’t be satisfied – dig deeper.

Scenario A

• Do I like the actual job I do? If so, why do I feel so unsatisfied? I love the actual job. I’m not going anywhere though and I don’t like working with certain people.
• If the people or position are dragging me down, what about them bother me? I don’t feel recognized by my coworkers or leaders.
• What is in my control to change? I could remember why I chose this job.
• What steps do I need to take to reignite my passion for the job? If I enroll in a class to further my credentials, it’ll get leadership’s attention and spark my interest for learning more!

Scenario B

• Why do I want to lose weight and get in shape? I hate how I look and how tired I am. I want to keep up with my kids and be more active.
• What have I tried and what happened when I tried them? I tried low calorie, low fat, low sugar, but I was miserable and missed food! I tried the gym but I felt judged and didn’t know what I was doing.
• What healthy measures do I enjoy? I love going for walks with my family. I actually like healthy foods, but I grab packaged foods because they’re easy.
• What could I do to make those things more accessible? If I plan time for active play with my kids like I plan my work shifts, I’ll stick to doing it. Also, if I prep food once a week, I’ll have planned snacks and meals not rely on junk.

2. Step Outside the Box

We all get stuck in the same old routine, but a new perspective means stepping outside the box. You can imagine the situation belongs to a friend. Picture yourself helping them through it. You could also start throwing out wild ideas and decide if some of them aren’t so wild. Removing your barriers is removing your mental walls. Tear them down and see what possibilities await.

Scenario A

You feel like you need to stay in your job for the money, but it can’t hurt to look at what else might be out there. Imagine you’re looking for a new position or starting out in your career today. Where would you look? What would you look for? Bonus! You’re already doing the job and have experience! What can you do with this previously ignored benefit?

Scenario B

You’re limited by time and money but what is available to you? You’re already grocery shopping. Just pick more healthy items a little more each week. Replace one item/snack/meal with something a little healthier each week to try it out. Don’t starve yourself – fill yourself with something good!

For exercise, take the stairs, stretch every morning, go enjoy fresh air (take your laptop if you need to!) Breathe better and feel better. If you get really creative, you might find yourself doing squats while folding laundry. Anything is possible!

Fresh Start

A new perspective means a fresh start and that means energy, motivation, goal crushing! If you fall off the wagon, just get up and start fresh. It’s your wagon; you’re in charge. For more ideas on gaining perspective, check out Caroline Contillo’s article on Idealist. You don’t have to be stuck or bored or deal with it. You can be your own catalyst to change. All it takes is a new perspective, a fresh look at your situation and what you have the power to do about it. You do have the power to change your situation. Don’t walk past it. Look closer, ask yourself questions, and find solutions inside yourself.