Get Some Perspective!
Perspective is a funny thing. We all seem to have a natural default when it comes to perspective and though it may be an automatic response, just below the surface lies intention: intention to foster that perspective or to adjust it.
Opening our email reveals some insight to perspective. Is it gratitude for employment or dread of what’s piling up in the box? Does one frustrating email or text create a perspective that influences the rest of your day? Do you see that angry email as an opportunity to respond with kindness or justification of your angry response? Your perspective will fuel your response.
Perhaps we’ve lost our perspective or possibly just gave it away without even knowing it. We can choose to reclaim a positive perspective and actually improve our healthy and the wellness of those we encounter.
Meetings are a part of our culture. Walking in to meetings we take with us perspectives…perspectives that influence our opinions and responses. These perspectives can cause us to be less than productive as a team member, and we influence others perspectives by our words, actions or attitudes. Perspectives can actually influences the flow of a meeting and the direction it takes: solution or problem focused, antagonistic or collaborative.
Being wellness focused, the Mower Refreshed teams are beginning to practice TAKE 5 at the start of meetings. Pausing at the beginning of meetings to hear quickly what those at the table are grateful for that day, something that made them smile recently or how someone blessed them. Simple (could be someone let them go ahead in line at the grocery store), short (grateful for heat in my car) and no we don’t sing Kum Ba Ya! This quick start that take less than 3-4 minutes changes perspective, changes the level of productivity, has changed the direction of the meeting to achieve action steps we hadn’t imagined. We get present and this creates healthy environments for collaboration that fosters innovative thinking.
Who or what is influencing your perspective? Are you allowing a friend, co-worker, family member, financial limits, addiction or even a disease to dictate your perspective? Your perspective is yours alone…consider your next meeting, your response in a delayed line at the grocery store or that annoying email with attention to perspective. When told to “get perspective,” choose carefully where you get your perspective…its contagious!
