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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How our whole world has changed in a month! I remind myself to keep my eyes focused on Jesus. HE is our hope in times of trouble and HE never leaves us. At times like this, may we (the church) rise up and let our light shine. We do this by helping others any way we can.
Praise the Holy name of Jesus. If we keep the Lord first in these trouble times we have nothing to fear remember FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU, many of us will fall in pot holes, sink holes, and etc but if we keep our focus on the Lord our God we will make it through, just remember to keep on the straight and narrow and count our blessings not our problems. He is in control and don’t ever ever forget that. relax and enjoy each day he has given us. He is an amazing God.
Mary, do you know what I did to help me feel more “normal” ? I read your emails! They make me feel that all is still well with our world and that the wholeness of homemaking is still a valuable tradition in this upside down world we find ourselves living in. Thank you and God bless you xox
Mary, you are indeed a star. I am 70 , live in the UK, look forward to your email every day – massive achievement – and hope that you and yours stay safe. I am an agnostic so I won’t bring any God into this, but every other good wish from this side if the Atlantic.
What a great article. I’ve felt off balance the last few weeks and was down with what I think was snow mold allergies so as a nurse I stayed home, not wanting to frighten anyone with my coughing. I am not in the front lines but have friends who are. I am finding classes to do on line, liking a cooking class, another on dealing with emotions during the pandemic and have another one tomorrow, going to deal with organizing paper-ugh! Luckily though I have a husband, we made some goodies and took to our elderly neighbors along with some of our chickens eggs. Today it’s a sunny day in northern MN so shoveled the recent snow off our boardwalk and put chairs out in case neighbors walk by and want to talk. Otherwise I am writing to my dad’s old assisted living place, a VA nursing home and a young sick woman who has been living in the hospital for two years waiting for a heart transplant. I am finally finding my purpose in this time with looking out for others. May we all find our purpose and place at this time! God bless you all!
Thank you for your kind words. It is hard not seeing the grand kids. I know God will do what is best for us all. I love reading your articles. Keep it up. My hubby and I are in our 80’s so We only go to the store. With the other seniors.
We are so blessed! Yes, we are told to stay at home, but I love my home. The beginning of March we acquired a 8 week old black pug puppy and we have been entertained through all of this. I miss my friends, family and neighbors. But, I know when this is over we will have a greater appreciation of those relationships that often we took for granted. Our church has been preparing us for this crisis for years and in January 2019 introduced a home – baed scripture study and eliminated one hour of church. We have always been encouraged to “Be prepared” and we have not had to buy one package of toilet tissue! We all need to HANG IN THERE! I, too, miss my grandkids and great granddaughters! Thank goodness for Echo and Skype! May your family be blessed and kept safe from this awful virus.
Spending a lot of time with my husband who has metastatic prostate bone cancer. Very fortunate to have my daughter close by to shop, bring us what we need and to go to doctor visits. We have a God Who knows, Who cares and will not leave us. I find comfort in the Scripture, watch various ministers, connect with family and friends. In all things, God is good!
Thank you Mary, for being there for us all and for your positive post today. As Sky said, “This too shall pass.” I’m grateful -and thank God- that we have water and electricity. The stores may not have what we want, but they have what we need. I’ve never gotten so many emails and texts asking how we are! (I’m 72 and under treatment for cancer.) I keep remembering what my mom and aunts told me about food rationing during WWII, and thinking, “How blessed we are not to be in that place now.” And remember, as Belle said, God is in control, and He loves us. Stay healthy!
Hi Mary, good advice here. This stay-at-home order has forced me to get ‘techie”. I’ve learned how to FaceTime and video call my grandkids! Even tho we are not too far from eachother, being older and susceptible has put a crimp in our ability to get together with them. Along with praying for our world and this outbreak, reading, crochet, and spring cleaning are keeping my busy. I’m praying for everyone ceaselessly. Thanks for your column!