How to Get Your Perspective Back on Track
These days, it’s easy to fall into the muck and mire of worry and defeat. Personal crises like a financial emergency, the loss of a job—or worse, your home—punctuated by the daily news can ruin your perspective and dump you into a pit of despair.
What you need to know today is that even when things seem completely hopeless, there’s always a way out. That’s not to say that you should slip into denial when bad things happen. But good things also happen.
By learning how to control our thoughts and stepping back to see the bigger picture, we can climb out of that pit and into the sunshine of a new day. It’s all about learning how to get our perspective back on track.
Feelings are fickle
Our feelings cannot be trusted. They send messages to our brains that are not always reliable. Today, your emotions, like mine, may be all over the map. Instead of allowing our feelings to run the show, we need to take control by writing things down in clear, simple sentences. Acknowledge the facts. It is what it is—no better, but no worse, either.
Allow yourself to mourn
The loss is real, so don’t deny it. Feel the hurt and the pain, but don’t stop there. Keep moving through it. And don’t beat yourself up if you need some help. Grief comes in many forms, and you may benefit from a qualified counselor to help you navigate through this period.
The future is better than you think
We’ve hit some bumps in the road. All of us are living through things we never dreamed would knock us off course like this. Even if you feel like you’ve lost everything, consider it a heartbreaking interruption on your journey. While things appear cloudy right now, you do have a bright future.
Dwell on the positive
The simple act of gratitude will change your perspective. Compared to about 95 percent of the people on this earth, you are wealthy and blessed with abundance. You may not have it all, but when you get right down to it, you do have enough. You’ve had a setback or two, but it’s not the end of the road. Failure is not the end unless you quit. We can’t allow one setback—or even a series of setbacks—to define us.
Don’t give up. Never, ever
No matter what. You know what they say about quitters: They never prosper. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Lift your head up high. What looks like darkness right now is just a cloud. Behind it, the sun is shining on the bright future!
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I really like the thoughts about prayer. God will hear us. He cares very much about each one of us. Also this has given me some quiet time to reflect on life and what’s most important. Keep praying
Hello from Ontario Canada. I’m so lucky that my adult daughter moved in with me a few years ago after my husband died so I am not alone (and neither is she). My daughter can work from home through this so life is pretty simple for us. We’re isolating although there have not been any cases in our small city and only a few in the surrounding counties so far. I’m not sure but it looks as if, learning from everyone else, Canada may have got the social distancing down early enough to not get overwhelmed or maybe it just hasn’t hit us yet. Italy reported today that there were fewer new cases today and almost as many recoveries as new cases. No matter how hard it hits, THERE IS AN END TO THIS. Just keep your hearts open and your minds closed to bad news. We can get through this.
Thank you Mary for your encouragement, which means so much to so many. How about starting a movement to refer to “physical distancing ” while maintaining social nearness through phone calls, social media, etc. While physical distance is so important right now, social connection is crucial for our mental and emotional health.
I am a senior female who lost my husband in November, 2019. I am a strong, independent,capable and optimistic person who was acclimating to my “new normal” until today. I had an appointment today to get routine cortisone injections in my shoulders, but last Wednesday my orthopedist cancelled all appointments except for emergencies. Normally, delaying the shots wouldn’t have been too big of a deal, but I have been in a lot of pain because I believe the PA missed the joint in my left shoulder (and possibly the right) three months ago. I am depressed and teary-eyed today, mostly because the pain continues to increase and there is much uncertainty about when I may get relief. I have two dogs, three cats and three horses to care for. I feel like I have been abandoned by the health-care system.
Hello Linda – so sorry to hear about your shoulder pain and the loss of your husband. Mine died 10 years ago but I remember how hard adjusting to what you call the ‘new normal’ was. My heart goes out to you. I’m not a medical person at all but I have dealt with a lot of joint pain (after breaking my back in 3 places) over the years. I have found that heat and just resting the sore places is the best thing I can do for myself and then gently moving around after a rest. Heat is way better for me than cold as cold seems to make it worse (my chiro said it’s because the metal in my back -it gets colder than my body). Don’t know what might work for you but I do wish you well. You haven’t so much been abandoned by the health care system as de-prioritized. THIS TOO WILL END.
Hi Mary!
I too am related to you. My husbands sister is married to Scott Hunt. Been with you for years now and sure enjoy your daily emails, tips etc. I agree with you on perspective and positive
attitude. Just taking a few moments daily to do a gratitude journal. Writing down each day
a few things that I am grateful for helps to to keep things in perspective for me. We are truly blessed and this too shall pass. If God doesn’t take us out of the situation then we must go thru it and he is there every step of the way. So grateful to have that personal relationship with Him as I can do ALL things thru Christ who strengthens me. Praying for you and yours.
Wow … a little extended-family reunion here! How fun. Now … trying to figure your branch on the family tree 🙂 … and I’m pretty sure I’ve located it. Your sister-in-law is Joanie who is my neice-in-law! We are a prolific family. And for cousins “listening in” here, Joanie’s husband Scott’s father is George and Gwen’s eldest son, Lloyd! There, now everyone is confused. Hehe.
Mary, thanks so much for this inspiring post. Just scrolling through it without the benefit of reading all it made such sense to me. Just got an email from a friend this morning who seems to have drifted off the path of where we should try and stay just now. I have forwarded it to her and hopefully she too will read and re-think about what is going on. LOVE your daily posts – have tried some of your cleaning ‘recipes’ and they are golden. Keep up the great work, and my prayers for you and yours, as well as all those who tune in too.
Mary: I have followed you for decades and you always give us what we need. Thank you for including allow yourself time to mourn. 3 friends have lost their husbands this year. I try to appreciate how tough it would be to suddenly alone during this time. I try to support them now with phone calls and notes. Loneliness is the hardest now. I lost someone I had known for nearly 50 years yesterday and we all need time to recognize our hearts are broken but we can help someone else get through this. Even from home, we can call, write notes send something to be delivered to support the person who is having a much harder time. God Bless You Mary Hunt.
Linda
Thank you Mary for reminding us that we always have hope. So we should all hang in there because this too shall pass.
I see a lot of posts about how the Coronavirus has effected us negatively, so I wanted to tell you what I have noticed. I see more people walking….and smiling. I see more people outside in nature…again smiling. I see more parents spending time with their children….and the children are so happy….most of the parents, too. I see more people exercising. I see more people reaching out to help their neighbors or just checking in on them. I see more LOVE. The canals in Venice are almost clear again….so what does that say? Think about that. This Coronavirus has brought the world much tragedy, but it has brought us more gratitude for what we have, more appreciation for the simple things…like birds singing the new dawn of a new day…the blooming of our spring plants….the promise of a different tomorrow…maybe a better one. I know there is fear and, yes, death, but if you let that fill your thoughts, you will “go to the dark side” in your head. Don’t give in. See the beauty that surrounds us and be grateful. Maybe this is nature’s way of resetting the earth and just maybe, we should listen.
Thank you for the encouragement. We do need each other especially during these difficult times. I look forward to your email each day. Hang in there everyone, we are all in this together!