Sit in a Different Chair

Think about it for a bit, we spend most of our lives, sitting and looking at life from the same point of view. Sure, there are things that might change it sometimes, but most of those don’t last. Let’s face it…we LIKE the comfortable, familiar view that we have developed. And besides…it took a long time to develop it!!! Let me keep it, damn it!

Our life views are developed by our mind, ego, and heart over a rather long time. From the day you are born, your mind starts taking information in and forming your life view. As we grow, our ego develops and is fed more information and it adds to the life view. And finally, we reach the point where our hearts contribute greatly to our life view. At least…that’s how it’s supposed to be.

So, what happens when we run into problems, hurts, disappointment, challenges, and all the other things that life throws our way? That’s when our life views can be changed and we might not even notice it. You ever run into someone that seemed angry at the world? Might be that somewhere his life view was changed to show that the world is a hurtful place and he developed a certain response to it. Or maybe the person that is afraid of everything, taking no chances, timid, and withdrawn? Think they might have a life view that tells them that the world is dangerous and something to be feared?

I think that, for the most part, most people are pretty balanced and stable. They have, let’s call it, a normal life view. :-)

Now, I’m going to ask you all, get up, move your chair, and get yourself a different point of view. It will be refreshing to gain a new perspective on your life, your problems, your successes, and every part of your life. Look at it without the same old familiar blinders. Don’t accept anything as gospel, yet. Challenge all the old beliefs and thoughts and feelings that come to you as you review yourself.

Why in the world would I want you to do this? Because I love to get people to do crazy things? HA…well, maybe. :-) But really, this is a good way to do a little bit of mental, emotional, and spiritual housecleaning. Sometimes, we gain blinders that are in NO way good for us or our lives. However, since we are already wearing them, it’s hard to realize that we need to, and can, take them off. The only thing we can do is to take some time and review and challenge every blinder we wear. And throw out the ones that don’t help us anymore.

Why do I want you to do this? Listen to this story that Stephen Covey shares at his seminars.

"Picture yourself on a quiet subway ride home. Everyone is quiet there are several people sleeping while others are reading. At the next stop a man gets on with some children. The children are very disruptive throwing things running into people, just kids behaving rottenly. You turn and say to the man 'your children are being disruptive maybe you could do something to control them.' Then the man turns and says 'we just came from the hospital their mother just died and I guess they don't know how to handle it, neither do I.'”

This is the essence of changing your life view. Suddenly, your world and life start to change and you begin to redefine certain things. Some things will take on new meanings and other things will be put into a more proper perspective.

I would say that it’s good to change up the life view regularly. I’m not saying to play musical chairs with it, but rather keep challenging the things you blindly accept. Challenge the things that you worked to understand and accept as well.

Stagnation kills most things in nature. We are no exception. A stagnated life view will lead you away from the life you were meant to live. It will cloud your judgment in situations where a better alternative may exist and may cause problems that didn’t have to be in the first place. It’s refreshing and renewing for your mind, heart, and soul.

So, let’s pull off all the blinders and check them out one at a time. Make them prove why you should put them back on. And MOST importantly, throw out the ones you don’t need any more or those that are simply no good for you.

Here, I’ll hold the trash for you. :-)