You need different perspectives

Extreme self-care. That was the order a dear friend gave to me recently. And I gotta tell you…extreme self-care feels right about now.

Amongst our group of friends, this particular woman is known to be a wise owl!

These days, there are reminders of all kinds of things that we cannot control constantly swirling around us. It’s easy to focus our time and energy there. However, when we focus on what we can control – like our self-care – we shift into a more productive and positive outlook.

The lens through which we view our world can have a significant impact on our daily life. When we zoom in, we see all the details. We’re up close and personal. Although we might not be getting the full picture, what we see looks big and important.

When we zoom out, we can see the big picture. It's an essential view for strategic decision-making, though we may miss nuances that can make a difference. We might also be compelled to ignore specific concerns in favor of focusing on general themes.

It’s important for us to remember to do both – zoom in and zoom out.

Rather than consider different views as fixed and static positions, we can think about them as different vantage points. For example, when an owl is flying through the sky her view will be very different than when she’s perched on a tree limb – even when she’s looking at the same exact woods.

If we get stuck on one lens and miss viewing challenges from a variety of perspectives, there’s bound to be a cost.

Even if it’s not the vantage point you typically take, try seeing things from a different view. Remember to zoom in AND zoom out.

You might be surprised at what you experience with a new perspective....

Perhaps even a butterfly will emerge!

I first saw photos of this owl butterfly (native to South and Central America) years ago. I remember being blown away. And I've never needed anyone to explain why it's important to zoom in and out, or look at life from different angles again.