Being able to see new perspectives is an important part of how we learn and grow. It challenges our status quo and makes us question what we think and believe, and how we conduct ourselves. When we consider there might be other ways of looking at something than our current view, we are opening our minds. As we begin to look at life in this open-mind state, we start to question if things we think and believe are fact or simply one perspective. The more we question this, the more open we become to seeing things from different perspectives. As we learn to embrace these new perspectives, we give ourselves the opportunity to change what we think, what we do and and how we believe.
New perspectives are not necessarily better or worse than our own, just different. In opening our minds to the possibility that there is another way of looking at any given situation, we move to the gray area in between the black and white. We gain compassion, empathy and understanding for others because we no longer consider them right or wrong. We accept theirs as equal perspectives, both being valid. In opening ourselves to these new perspectives, we also begin to question why we believe what we believe, think what we think or act as we act. This analysis is what either gives us validation for continuing what we’ve been doing or making changes to be or do something different.
Seeing new perspectives isn’t just about helping us to evaluate our own perspectives though. It’s about learning to see differing viewpoints from our own. It’s about embracing not only our own independent thinking but also that of those around us. It’s a way of finding respect and acceptance of our collective individuality, speaking our truth and allowing others to speak theirs. When we can accept differing perspectives, we no longer focus on who’s right or wrong. Instead, we feel more connected with others because we all feel heard and validated with no need to “win.”
See related posts: Perception is Everything, Speaking Your Truth, Appreciating Our Differences, Perception is Everything
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