Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you want to give your life a shake-up, a fresh perspective can help. We find out why – and how – you can get one.
Same job, same friends, same TV shows, same websites… As creatures of habit, human beings aren’t necessarily predisposed to gaining new perspectives. At least, not when we keep on looking at the world through the same narrow window. One of the drawbacks of a limited perspective is that you start to see everything as being permanent – unchanging and unchangeable. And if you believe the world around you can’t change, you’ll soon start thinking the same about yourself. That’s why it’s so valuable to seek out fresh perspectives.
So, the “Why” makes sense… but what about the “How”? It can be challenging to find new perspectives on life, because doing so often forces you to jump out of your proverbial comfort zone. In some cases, it involves putting yourself in other people’s shoes, seeing the world from a complete stranger’s point of view, or opening yourself up to opinions or viewpoints that are the complete opposite of what you hold to be true.
But as you expose yourself to new experiences and ideas, you’ll create a space for yourself to get in touch with your own inner voice, adding colour and nuance to your world. Here are some practical ways to get started:
1. Change your routine
It’s a simple trick with profound effects. Take a different route to work. Switch from a morning gym session to an evening one. Try a new place for your midday coffee run. As you change things up, you’ll escape the rut you didn’t realise you were in and – even if it’s just in the smallest way – you’ll see things from a different angle.
2. Travel
It’s a time-honoured way to broaden your horizons – especially if you go somewhere you haven’t been before. Try a new country where you’re forced to learn a few words in the local language. Try a new continent where nobody else looks like you. Speak to the people you meet, hear their stories and listen to them as they share their dreams and fears. It will help you to reassess what your own are really all about.
3. Spend time with younger people
In some ways, it’s as good as going on a holiday. Younger people have a radically different way of looking at the world, and if you give them enough space they will gladly share their views with you. Get to know the things that make them tick. Sure, it’ll be a lot of techie stuff (and you may have to endure the odd eye-roll), but when older people spend time with younger people, the benefits go both ways. A 2016 Stanford University paper noted that “meaningful, purposeful relationships between young and old result in a dual win: they help youth develop their own sense of self-worth and meaning while enriching the lives of older adults who contribute to the well-being of upcoming generations.” The researchers recommended volunteering and tutoring as two ways to make that intergenerational connection.
4. Talk to people with whom you disagree
You might not have to look too far to find one of these specimens. It’s the loudmouth at work, the racist uncle, the cousin with the weird political or religious beliefs… They’re the people you’ve never quite seen eye-to-eye with, and – to be honest – you’ll probably never come around to their side of the issue. But why not take a few minutes to listen to what they have to say, rather than simply waiting to tell them how wrong they are? Their opinions may force you to revise your own… or, at least, to be a bit more accepting of the many different approaches to life.
5. Expand your pop culture preferences
Hate modern art? Read a book about it. Can’t stand country music? Watch a documentary about it. Never had much of an interest in stand-up comedy? Download some shows and give the a try. You’ll find something – no matter how deeply hidden – that you’ll like, and this could open you up to a whole new world of culture and enjoyment.
6. Read
Cheaper than travelling and less confrontational than engaging in a heated debate, reading allows you to draw from other people’s experiences to add colour to your own. Again, though, the idea isn’t to read the same old, same old. Gaining a new perspective isn’t about backing up your own amazing world view; it’s about challenging and refining it, so try something different this time.
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