Freedom? Restrictions? 
Limitations? Guidelines?
Safety? Security? Sanctions? Sanctimonious?
The signs surrounding the playground that swam by me as I jogged my way around Washington Square in New York City got me thinking.
Do we need rules to set us free?
Is this a safe space within a jungle? Or is it a sterile void where creativity fled long ago?
Perspective. You be the judge.
How long have you been tying your shoes?
Me – I remember knocking on a neighbours door and then realizing my shoelace was untied. For the first time I tied my shoes all on my own. I was so excited I ran home to tell my home, forgetting about the door I’d just knocked on.
Opportunity knocks in strange places.
Here it’s in the form of a Ted video. A very simple, very easy change to how you tie your shoes results in shoelaces that don’t untie.
Doubt me? Take a look. In a mere 3 minutes or less you’ll be trying your shoes differently.
Why the shoe video? Because it’s a perspective changer. A new way to look at an old scenario.
That’s the gift of perspective – a new view.
Perspective. It’s possible to change it even in the wee hours of the morning.
Before a ridiculously self-imposed early morning flight from New York to Vancouver I recently found myself grabbing the above yogurt for the plane ride. When I pulled it out to eat I was greeted with a delightful surprise. (Note the early morning reference; it had to be good to have me delightfully surprised.)
Here’s what I saw when I opened the lid:
Firmly putting aside all dour thoughts of a seductively crafted, sneakily placed marketing message, I chose to be delighted.
Delighted at the surprise. Delighted at the unexpectedness of it. Delighted at the story.
See below for a closer look at the story. I just had to share it with you so I cleared away said yogurt as much as I could for this snap.
And it was. Ambrosia that is. It tasted TERRIFIC!
There I sat, winging my way home, entranced by a story, taste buds dancing.
The Carrot Life Lens™ in me loved the detail. The Journey Life Lens™ loved the process of discovery. The Heart Life Lens™ in me loved the way it made me feel. The Go Life Lens™ loved the spontaneity.
And you? What’s your story? What has changed your perspective lately?
I laughed myself silly when I saw the video below. Count the times the guy says ‘Miami’.
I’ll save you some time – it’s 6. It takes him 6 times to put himself in the little girl’s shoes or rather sandbox. Interestingly she gets it right off – she automatically puts herself in his place.
She looks at the situation from his perspective.
Perspective. It’ll get you every time. Life Lensesâ„¢ are a perspective enhancing tool. Got yours yet?