A Change in Perspective

In November 2022, Dave took me to the figure skating show, “Holiday Festival on Ice” for my birthday.? As my special day falls in December, it coincides with Christmas-themed events.

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A figure skating fan, I was familiar with the headliner, Kurt Browning, and other skaters like Elvis Stojko, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje.? However, I paid little attention to one of the other skaters on the list – Elaj Balde.?

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I had seen Elaj compete more than once at the Canadian National Championships and, I will admit, I wasn’t a fan.? While he was the 2008 Canadian Junior Champion he never really “broke through” at the Senior Level.? When he skated, I wasn’t enthused.

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All that changed with “Holiday Festival on Ice.”? When Elaj took the ice, he brought the party with him.? He had fast music and he skated just as fast.? He got the audience going and when he did not one, not two, but three backflips (one of which was overtop of Nam Nguyen who was lying on the ice) the crowd went wild.? He was fantastic and I found myself thinking, “Here is the next Kurt Browning.”

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Of all the skaters that took the ice that evening, Elaj was my favorite and I later Googled him and watched some of his show performances.? Again, he was fantastic!? I saw a different skater in the show performances than I had seen in competition and my perspective changed.?

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I saw a new side of Elaj and I looked at him differently – positively.

This reminded me of a time years ago at work when my manager told me I would be getting a new neighbor who would sit at the cubicle next to me.? My reaction was the same as when I saw Elaj compete at Nationals.? I wasn’t enthused.? I didn’t know this person very well and from my limited view, I thought they weren’t very friendly.? I wasn’t particularly excited that they would be moving next door.

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However, like my experience with Elaj, that quickly changed.? When this person “moved in,” I had a chance to get to know them and I discovered they were a fantastic person!? I had been completely wrong in my view of them.? We had excellent conversations and got along really well.? So much so, that when they changed jobs and moved to a different desk, I was quite sad to lose my neighbor.?

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I had seen a new side of this person, and I looked at them differently – positively.? My perspective had changed.

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To this day, I hold this person in the highest regard and when we run into each other at the office, I am the first to ask, “Do you have time to go for coffee?”? And, if time permits, we most certainly do.?

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Can you recall a time where you found your perspective on someone changed when you saw a different side of them?

Is there someone around you that you have a limited view of?

Recommended Resources

-????????? “The Third Side” Perspective Taking Exercise – some fun mental exercises – what do you see?? https://thirdside.williamury.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/3S_Perspective_Taking_Exercise.pdf

-????????? “Perspective Taking” video by RISE (2:50) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqz7UcCgbLA

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Monthly Challenge

Think about something or someone you aren’t really enthused about and spend some time learning about it or them.? What did you learn?? Did your perspective change?? Do you view it/them more positively?