what it means to put things into perspective
3 quick mindset shifts to turn "I can't" into "I can"
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You want to feel more positive in your daily life — and it’s absolutely possible.
Today, I’ll share 3 simple ways to “put things into perspective” so you can:
challenge negative thoughts,
see yourself with fresh eyes,
and move from overthinking to action.
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to reset your mindset and move forward with more clarity, confidence, and calmness.
You will be able to stop your incessant “whys, whats, ifs, wheres, and whens” but TRUST in your path and re-enter courage as your natural state.
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Before we start, it’s storytime about how living in alignment shows itself to me:
After trying out a contemporary dance class yesterday (so much fun!), I went to get my new fav banana coffee.
As I was sitting there in a hammock alone, I saw a lady stop in front of the coffee shack, looking wide-eyed.
So I said, “Hey! You ok? wanna sit down with me?”
She smiled and sat down. We introduced ourselves, and I noticed her energy was off.
She seemed sad because she hadn’t found her community after jumping around a few here in Costa Rica… I felt for her.
While we were exchanging our stories, I noticed the power of sharing our stories helps us heal.
Then what?
A squirrel came above me looking for food, and I was like “wow!” and fed him a banana. The coffee shack barista told me his name is Albin.
Then came an iguana, and I fed him, too.
Oh, and his name was Alex(!)
Here they are:
These serendipitous moments brought my inner child out and I was so happy!
The lady, who has been here for 3 years already, said she’d never seen this… I’ve been here not even 3 weeks.
Is it my new energy arriving, or is it me? I believe everything is meant to be.
Why am I telling you this?
Because I believe in signs, in timing, in every meeting with a stranger to bring meaning.
And when you start to nurture this perspective, you start to feel ALIGNED with life!
Signs happen that you cannot ignore.
It is as if everything in your life is flowing for you, not against you…
Wanna relearn this?
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I’ve tried healing in isolation — and honestly, it left me more depressed.
When you’re alone, you can get lost in your thoughts and start believing you’re the only one going through this.
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If you are in your solitude phase, I totally get it! I’ve been there.
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So, now you know how to put things into perspective by thinking that everything is happening “for you” and not “against you”, but how do you put this into practice?
Recently, I was asked by a coaching client what it means to “put things into perspective” when saying this to her to make her contemplate something important.
Do you use the phrase a lot, or do you hear it often? Then here is what it means to put things into perspective because:
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” — Lyndon B. Johnson
The meaning
According to The Free Dictionary, to put something into perspective means to:
“To clarify, appraise, or assess the true value, importance, or significance of something.”
So, for example, if you are depressed, you usually see things out of perspective.
Someone can be there for you to put things into perspective and show you that things are not as bad as you really think they are.
With this in mind, I will continue to tell you how we interpret the phrase these days in other contexts, too.
At least for me, I say it in different ways to allow my clients to become more self-aware and reflective.
When saying the phrase out loud to other people, I instigate an answer from them because I want them to think for themselves, so here is how.
Think about it again
Most of the time, when saying put things into perspective, it is encouraging you to think about what you have said again.
Ok, so let’s take an example: You have just said “I can’t do this” and I would tell you to put things into perspective, meaning to think again and realise that you actually can do it.
Remember: words matter. Like my T-shirt says:
When saying “put things into perspective” to a client, she hesitated, then responded:
“Ok, so maybe I can…”
You see, when you put things into perspective, it allows you to take the time to refresh and even evoke positive thinking.
Positive thinking brings results.
It is all about practice and telling yourself you can do things that you think you can’t do, and instilling belief in yourself.
Next time you are going to think “I can’t do this”, put things into perspective by taking a moment to rethink and reflect on what you are telling yourself.
What you tell yourself predicts not only your future but the way you are with yourself and others.
What you tell yourself is who you are — so what are you choosing to think today?
“Nothing happens to you, it happens for you. See the positive in negative events.” — Joel Osteen
Think about it from another person’s view
The next perspective is seeing it from another person’s view.
This is really interesting, actually, as it allows you to be in another person’s shoes as well as inducing you to become more empathetic.
When a client of mine was struggling to see her worth, I said, “Put things into perspective by putting yourself in your parents’ shoes”.
I wanted her to see herself from her parents’ view, you see. But it wasn’t that easy.
She had just turned self-employed after working for someone for ten years.
That meant she wasn’t actually earning any money yet and felt like she had to prove herself to her parents because they were asking when she was planning to make a living.
I, instead, wanted her to see herself from her parents’ view as courageous, bold, and outgoing for doing what she was doing.
They may have been holding this against her, but I am sure at the same time, they would have been seeing her as a bold and courageous woman for making the transition.
Nonetheless, thinking about what other people see is a great way to see yourself from another perspective and appreciate yourself more.
Have you ever tried doing this? Try it out and lift yourself!
Stop thinking, start acting
The last point on how to put things into perspective is to stop thinking, start acting.
A lot of the time, we overthink. We are only human.
We waste time in our heads with the whys, whats, whens, and hows…
STOP.
Be still.
And then listen.
Your intuition directs you when you activate your parasympathetic system.
However, overthinking stops us from acting on actions that we may have been putting off for a while.
If you are procrastinating or stumbling on something, and I say “put things into perspective”, then maybe it will help push you in the right direction.
Putting things into perspective means clarifying something so you can move on with it.
Do you want to move on? Then put things into perspective and practice taking action rather than thinking too much about it before you do it.
It’s like right now in my life, I am at a crossroads.
After being in a mental clinic for half a year, I am putting things into perspective about what I truly want to do with my life.
Helping other people is a must, so I am going to start studying again.
I wouldn’t say it is bringing me back, but pushing me forward to see how I can further study because learning is life.
This doesn’t mean I will stop writing, but it means that I will keep going and shift onto newer horizons.
I put things into perspective by realising now is all I have.
I make the most of being here by letting go of fear and drawing near.
I am happy I get the chance to and blessed that I can start afresh.
What are you putting into perspective today?
The takeaway
Here is what it means to put things into perspective:
Stop thinking, start acting on the actions that you have been putting off
See things from another point of view — someone you know specifically
Think about it again and reflect
1. Think again — Catch yourself when you say “I can’t” and ask: What else could be true?
2. See through another lens — Step into someone else’s shoes to appreciate yourself with more empathy.
3. Stop thinking, start acting — Swap overthinking for one small step forward.
This post is recycled from Medium back 4 years ago… so crazy, now I am entering yet another new start in my life and edited it just a bit!
You can’t do it alone — here is why.
That is why we heal together in Healing Hearts Hub. Join us.
See you there,
Grace