Changing Paradigms: The Bird’s-Eye-View

I am fascinated by Paradigms

The lens that generate our perspectives

The subconscious glasses through which we see problems, choices, and situations

How often we forget these glasses are on?

Distorting, influencing what we see

There are times that we switch glasses

Sometimes, through our own intention

Other times, as the result of an outside force

Last week, I recognized flight provides a wonderful example of a Paradigm Shift ?

It offers the opportunity to see the same thing, differently

As I looked through the window of a Southwest Boeing 737, I felt excited (and nervous!)

The plane took off, and we began to move further off the ground

In the process of ascension, I found my visual perspective beginning to shift

I was quickly seeing things differently, I did not have a choice

What were once large buildings, now appeared smaller

Everything on the ground was rapidly shrinking

Cars began to look like ants, houses like monopoly pieces

It is as if these large structures turned into a well-organized Lego set

?

In this state of mesmerization, it dawned on me

A simple realization, but one that also felt profound

I see these objects so differently

Yet, they have not actually changed

My perspective has changed

From a higher level, objects are the same size, yet they look different

As we continued to ascend, the shift in perspective grew

I could the landscape from a bird’s-eye-view

Now even those monopoly pieces were hard to see

Those objects had not changed

The Paradigm I was looking through had shifted

I thought to myself, “I should apply this to my everyday life ….”

Everything looks bigger close-up

That includes our tribulations, our challenges, and our frustrations

Of course that problem looks daunting,

It is all you are able to see

You’ve allowed your perspective to shrink, without realizing it

Instead of taking the Bird’s-Eye-View, you are standing right in front of it

You haven’t given yourself the opportunity to see it from a higher-perspective

You may not even realize that a different perspective even exists

Take a step back

Look at the bigger-picture

What else are you missing?

As I continued to look out the window, other analogies came to mind

From 15,000 feet up, you see shadows cast by clouds differently

Instead of looking up from underneath the shadow, you see the greater surroundings

What looks like a cloudy day, might be quickly be replaced by sunlight

That soon seemed to change

Shortly, the pilot announced we were passing through a storm

He turned on the seatbelt sign, and told us to prepare for turbulence

My window-view quickly lost visibility, there were only heavy grey clouds

It looked, and felt, as if the darkness had no end

While I knew the storm would not last forever, there was no way to see beyond it

Without previous experience, I may well have thought these clouds had become my permanent view

How often does life feel this way?

When we find ourselves in the midst of a storm, it feels like it can last forever

Without a clear end in sight, we can question if the light will ever return

When we become depressed, we are unable to see outside of our present Paradigm

We lose sight of an alternative perspective, the storm becomes our tunnel vision

While our minds know the storm will pass, our hearts question that reality

If we aren’t careful, our minds begin to accept that this storm is permanent

Why try to find a different perspective, if we don’t believe one exits?

Life is hard, not every day is filled with sunshine

We are faced with clouds, storms, and turbulence

It is important to remember, that these storms do not last forever

That everyone must spend some time in the rain

However, we must take responsibility for where we find ourselves

In the midst of a storm, you have to keep moving

As hard as it can feel, you must get out of bed

You must keep progressing in order to pass through the clouds

Just as a plane pushes through turbulence, you too can handle adversity

There will be insecure, unsteady, and frightening times in your journey

And that is okay, as long as you keep moving forward

A plane is built to handle the turbulence

Unlike the plan, the human mind goes a step further

We are capable of not just sustaining turbulence, we have the ability grow stronger from it

I believe this is an ability we are all born with

But one must develop it, experience leads to greater resilience

The storms of life give us an opportunity grow

You don’t merely make it out of the storm alive

You emerge stronger, wiser, and more prepared for the next one

This next connection is not revolutionary, but worth sharing

How often do we allow ourselves to burnout trying to appease the demands of others?

How often do you feel guilting saying no, putting your self-care first, and making time for yourself?

It is difficult to do

Add the societal pressure of go-go-go and the nearly unlimited access others have to us through technology, and it can seem like a losing battle

But it is essential to make time for your own self-care and wellbeing

In doing so we show up as the best-version of ourselves

That means saying no to things, it means not saying yes to everything

Others may be disappointed, but those that truly care about you do understand

The airline’s safety briefing has the right idea:

If needed, four oxygen masks will drop from a compartment overhead. To activate the flow of oxygen, pull down on the mask until the plastic tubing is fully extended. Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally. Secure the mask with the elastic strap. Although oxygen will be flowing, the plastic bag may not inflate. Continue wearing the mask until otherwise notified by a Crew Member. If you are traveling with children or anyone needing special assistance, put on your mask first. Please remove any face coverings before donning an oxygen mask.

We can’t help others if we aren’t willing to help ourselves first

Hot-Take: Taking care of yourself is one of the most unselfish things you can do

Just don't wait until an emergency to do it!

This last thought came to mind while typing

You know how the crew announces, “We are now above 10,000 feet. You may now use larger portable electronic devices”

Maybe we should remember to do that when interacting with social media

From a higher-perspective, you might remember how filtered what you see is

These are not realistic portrayals of other people’s lives

They are a glamorized snapshot

Yet, you compare your unfiltered reality against someone else’s beautified distortion

This seems like wise advice:

Remind yourself to get a bird’s-eye-view before scrolling

Keep what you see in perspective, your social media feed is not reality

Travel is a wonderful opportunity for a Paradigm Shift

It gives us the chance to think and perceive outside our normal environment ?

I hope that these perspectives are helpful

And the next time you travel, you reflect on what Paradigm Shift you experienced

Get a Bird's-Eye-View when faced with a difficult problem

Remember that storms do not last forever, they help us grow stronger

Prioritize your wellbeing before trying to help others

Take the 10,000 foot view when looking at social media

Thought of the Day: 07-08-2024