Perspective II

“Insanity – Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
“If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you are going.”
Somebody else

Here is another useful “tool” for getting a better perspective on things.
This is not as remarkable or disturbing as to see your life through the eyes of people at the opposite spectrum of life or as seeing yourself through the eyes of your nemesis, but it is never the less useful.

There are some life problems I call “dramas” problems that deal with relationships and emotions – very hard stuff to handle, especially if you are a male.
You need to put yourself out of the equation and look at the “drama” from a different perspective.
You can do that by making up a story, a fable, a narrative of the events but with different people and in a different setting – you can even use animals as characters.

Let’s say you just had a fight with someone you love or have been dumped by your lover or betrayed by your best friend or whatever your situation might be, and you don’t know exactly what and why it happened or even worse you don’t see a way out of the situation.
Write down the story in a theatrical play up to the present time, but do not stop, make up an ending to the story, preferable positive.

Take a break after you are done and come back in an hour or two, or even better go to bed and read the story the next day morning.
You will see that there will be parts that do not make sense anymore, parts that sounded true when you wrote them down but now looking with an objective eye doesn’t ring true any longer.
You will also see mistakes the characters have done and even ways of solving the drama that you did not considered before.
Edit the story until you feel it reflects exactly the reality of your situation.
Play the drama until you find a solution or closure to your emotional pain.

I know it sounds like a silly way of dealing with a problem but give it a try, you might be surprised by the results.
Here is a little story I wrote, inspired by somebody I knew. The Swan and the Swine
You can see the characters and the drama unfolding from the outside perspective the story tale gives you.

Of course the best way to get a different perspective on your “problems” is to get a different perspective.
If you have the money and the time, a visit to a good shrink – therapist – can do wonders.
A good and wise friend or relative can be also as useful - although I find that free advice is seldom taken seriously.

And of course you can always find more ways of looking at life by asking in your blog:
What is your most favorite and efficient way of getting a perspective on your problems?