This is a short hit, high impact post.

Life can sometimes seem to close in on top of us.

Wherever we turn, wherever we look, there is some element of living pressing down right in front of our face and our mind. It’s like we can’t get away from everything piling up on us. We become heavy headed and overloaded.

This is the modern experience of the average person. Life has become highly stressful, costly, draining, hyper fast, and increasingly out of control.

And so we feel out of control too. Our mind begins living in a state of negative expectancy.

What used to be called not seeing the wood for the trees. We can’t see the obvious because all the small details are demanding our attention.

What we really need is perspective.

Step back, head away.

Perspective is something few ever practice, or even know how to do.

But it’s a powerful tool that when you get the hang of it turns into a mental art that creates a balanced life.

How often, when you are separated from a difficult situation for a short while, do you see it differently? Take a Christmas break. It reminds you of what counts and then suddenly all the hassles you think mean everything, count as nothing. You change how you view what’s going on as if the clouds have cleared from your mind.

But, you can’t wait for Christmas or a two week holiday in the sun to gain a true picture of your current life.

Waiting for one or two chances per year to escape what swamps you, won’t unswamp you for too long. You will soon be in the very same environment not long after and it will all start again.

You need to build in regular perspective into your schedule.

If you can commit to watching Netflix or hours on end on social media, you can’t argue that you haven’t got the time. If you truly want to get a grip on having a stronger mental state, you have to make room in your weekly timetable.

Here’s how to add it to your life.

Perspective in action.

Perspective WILL change your outlook on life.

But only if you commit to it. It’s like eating healthy for a month then giving up and wondering why you have put on so much weight and feel sluggish. Doing some or many of the following will keep perspective alive in your mind. And that will help you avoid being mentally anxious and in a fog all the time.

Some perspective gaining options –

1. Do more hours of nothing – just soak in the bath, a long walk 2 or 3 times a week, have lie downs and just reflect. No devices or anything to focus on.
2. Arrange short breaks – not to cities or fun places but to somewhere quiet where you can switch off and just take in the scene. Places to get away from it all even for a few days.
3. Have removal weekends – once a month remove one regular activity or chore from your to-do list. Block off pure chill time for mellow music or for chats with family and friends.
4. Stop hurting your mind – cut out watching news and gossip and social media with their negative horror stories of the world. And check out your TV viewing preferences for how often you watch dark thrillers, murder mysteries, and tense psychological dramas.
5. Get offline – put your phone down!! It’s got you addicted wasting your time and feeding it with drivel and nothing that adds to your life. You won’t die or miss anything if you hide it for a few hours per night.

There is a phrase that says, ‘the choice is yours’. And despite what people may say and think, most of our life is our choice. We choose to NOT do plenty of those listed above and complain how damaging life is today.

But if we chose instead to bring perspective back, we’d have a better relationship with that same life. And our future. Plus give us back the mental power we have given away.

Perspective shows you the life you are living, not the one you think you are.

Perspective is power. It’s art itself. It’s mental mastery.

Photo attribution – free to use under Pixabay Content License by ThoughtCatalog and pepehonguito and CHENA.