Perspective
Written by Sonia Bajaj, LPC
There can be times when you look in the mirror and feel that where you’re at is not where you want to be. Most of us have encountered the experience of struggling to attain a goal. The passion and energy behind our dreams can yield strong emotion when they do not come to fruition. For example, there can be moments of intense sadness and doubt in one’s capacity to manifest a desired outcome. Feeling stuck is a common experience, but it needn’t be a permanent state. It’s possible to begin shifting our perspectives in order to see our world in a different light.
To illustrate this concept, consider a mother of two, struggling to feel accomplished in her career after having children. This woman may not consider how she has developed strengths and skills as a result of caring for her family. With some cognitive reframing, she may remember that her patience and ability to multitask have increased substantially. Upon deciding to advance in her career in the future, she and her team may find this acquired skill-set highly valuable in a fast-paced work environment.
In the process of noticing the positive, we need not dismiss or deny the validity of our difficult emotions and moments. This approach is intended simply to provide us with additional information to broaden our awareness and balance our judgements. Frequently, an individual’s self-critical thoughts are not representative of them as a whole. By inviting others to contribute their views on our individual strengths, we can counter the unhelpful voices in our own minds. Trusted friends and family can be asked questions like, “what is a quality you like about me?” and “what positives do you see about my current situation?” For some, asking loved ones these types of questions may feel uncomfortable. In that case, therapy can be a great resource for enhancing our capacity to engage critically with our own thoughts.
If you feel you may benefit from this support, please reach out. We at Feeling and Healing Therapy would love to hear from you!