(Philip Taaffe)

I don’t know about you, but I’m not big on letting problems linger. Problems: the things that are hanging heavy in life and will not “work themselves out” without attention.  When problems are left to “resolve themselves” they get stuffed away like junk in drawers, ready to explode at any moment when you reach critical mass and the closet is full. I often wondered why certain problems would not resolve.  Then, I started to look at them from a new perspective.

Perspective is basically the vantage point that you view things from, and from whatever perspective you look at something, it will look like something else.  Check out the painting above.  It is Aaron Young’s “Focus On The Four Dots In The Middle Of The Painting For Thirty Seconds, Close Your Eyes And Tilt Your Head Back.”   Try it.

You will see an image of Jesus.

Its trippy when you get new perspective what can emerge!

It’s a wild thing to take perspective into account.  Some things can’t be solved unless you look at them in a different way, from a new point of view. That old definition of insanity attributed to Einstein applies here: ” Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”  Approaching problems from the same point of view can drive you into despair if you always reach the same conclusion.  A change of perspective can crack things wide open.

There are ways you can create a shift in perspective in your space that can open up the road to new solutions and new results.  Here are a few ideas to try that might just color your viewpoint in more affirmative color, especially where you feel stuck.  They have all helped me at one point or another.

1. Use a new door or take a new path.  If you have multiple doors, try a new door to your home for a few days. If you are always using multiple doors, pick one and get oriented from that direction.  In an apartment, what happens if you use the main entrance rather than the side, or if you walk a new way from your car to your home? If you always travel to work or to the store on one route, take alternate ways. Creatures of habit have strongly established patterns. Break the pattern and you will start expanding your sights.

2. Take a vacation.  Even if that means saying home for a whole day doing nothing, take a break from what you “usually” do. Vacations to new locations are one of the best ways people have found to break bad habits.  Our environments all have triggers that promote our bad as well as good habits.  In a new space you are free of triggers and have the ability to function more freely without that environmental stimulus.

3. Create a new view. Whether you sit in a new chair to read, put some big art on a wall or open up your windows to see nature outside, a new view creates fresh space.  When I work in different areas of my house I work differently.  Sometimes I need to go out to a cafe or to my yard to write.  My mind works freshly and my ideas come from a new place.

4. Look at the other side of things you usually see from just one side.  This may sound silly, but I roll my puppy on his back and rub his tummy and he looks like a different dog.  We look differently from behind than from the front that we usually see in a mirror.  Flip things over.  Open things up. What is the back of your computer like? What is behind the sofa? What has collected under your bed?

5. Go local and engage in community. Walk around your neighborhood.  Talk to people.  Connect locally to the shops, the mom & pop stores, the local paper if you have one.  When you broaden your sense of space, you can see things from a wider lens. Lots of problems that would not resolve in my own life stayed stuck because I was looking at them based on what I wanted and what I needed, rather than what was best overall for everyone.  If you can take a wider view, a more grounded vantage point, you’ll be surprised what you can solve.

6. Dump the trash.  I say this often, but I can’t stress it enough.  When you are surrounded by trash, clutter and junk, you are that much less present and clear headed.  Clean your house, dump the trash.  Show up for the day. Get rid of what you don’t want.  Dump crappy thoughts about how unlucky, cursed or “damaged” you are.  Its an imperfect world, we are all flawed, and you can’t lead with that stuff and get resolution.

7. Embrace more of what you do want.  Recently I kept coming up with an “its impossible” when I was asking experts for a solution to a big  problem.  I excavated very corner of my home. I filled it with bigger art. I spent more time doing what I love to do.  I created new space. I decided I could cast a wider net looking for anyone who could help me figure out my problem. I called the person that sounded most promising, someone I would have never found had I not decided I was going to bring more of what I wanted- including a “yes!” – into my life. The first thing I heard on the other end of the phone, “Oh, yeah, nothing is impossible.  We can do anything here. No problem”  Four months of “it’s impossible” later, problem solved.

Generally speaking, there’s never one right way to solve anything….but there are infinite options to explore. Widen the field of possibility and lots of answers will appear.

********************

And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101.  Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks.  It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do.  Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow.   Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE…   And, as always, please let me know what happens!  xoxo Dana