Opening to a new perspective can help us to reduce stress and increase a sense of peace and happiness. Our lives begin to change the moment we become willing to see things from a new perspective. We sometimes become locked into a rigid way of seeing things in an attempt to protect ourselves from fear, pain, or other emotional experiences that we judge as unpleasant.
Meditation can help us to practice seeing our experience from different perspectives and with decreased reactivity. When we practice insight meditation, we are noticing the sensations, feelings, and thoughts that arise, investigating them up close, and practicing observing them with kindness and acceptance. Practicing meditation helps us to become more skillful at noticing our present moment experience in real life with a similar attitude of kindness and curiosity.
Is there a current situation in your life that is causing you stress or despair? Try pausing, right now, to check in with your body, heart, and mind. Are there places that you need to soften? Are there places you need to strengthen? Now ask yourself, “In what way could I try seeing this situation from a different perspective? If no immediate or obvious answer arises, try a mindful writing practice about the situation from the perspective of an outside observer and see what emerges.
…when we are ready to be taught, we become teachable.
Julia Cameron
Jen Johnson is a mindfulness coach, teacher, and therapist teaching mindfulness and creativity for healing and resilience. Learn more about mindfulness coaching with Jen.