Choose Your Perspective

I was picking up take-out last week, when I had an interesting encounter with a random stranger.

This woman, let’s call her Jane, was also picking up take-out. The restaurant was a bit chaotic. They were juggling a recent return to in-person dining and still managing a high volume of phone orders due to Covid.

We were clearly standing in the way, interrupting the flow of traffic. Waiters were maneuvering around us and the hostess was trying to seat people as we tried to find a sliver of space and stay out of the way as we waited for our bags of food.

Jane was clearly getting frustrated. To be fair, it was a frustrating situation. The restaurant was barely coping, lacking systems to deal with customers, and just trying to keep up with the situation.

Jane turned to me and began complaining. After a minute or so she stopped and looked at me, waiting for my response. I offered shoulder shrug. When Jane realized I was not going to contribute to the conversation, she turned away. My name was finally called, I grabbed my bags and walked out the door.

Perspective is interesting. The way we see something says a lot about who we are and what we are thinking. Our perspective is shaped by our experiences but can quickly change as we take in new information.

Who is right in this picture, the man or the woman?

Both are right, of course. Instead of arguing, they could simply walk around the table and change their perspective.

Perspective is a choice.

While Jane and I both saw chaos at the restaurant, Jane felt the need to complain about all the flaws to a total stranger. She was looking for someone to commiserate with her.

What Jane did not know is that while I was also frustrated, I saw how hard the staff was working. As a former waitress I could sympathize. I felt badly for the restaurant and what they must have went through over the past year, unable to serve customers and make money as they had in the past. I was willing to wait a little longer and be uncomfortable for a few minutes. I had no desire to complain.

Changing our perspective does not negate reality. Instead, it shifts our focus. If we focus on the negative, then life will be full of negativity. If we focus on the positive, then we invite positivity into our lives. We must choose our perspective.

How do you view the world? Are you manifesting positivity or negativity? How can you change your perspective to create a life you love?