"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
This isn't a new notion for me, but the first person I heard say it in such a concise way was my guru, Wayne Dyer. And every time I have an experience that brings this to life, I pay homage to him.
Listen, this is what I teach on a daily basis. I help people wipe off their foggy lenses from childhood so they can shift their perception of the world around us. And I'm an expert, right?! So when I have an "a-ha" moment, it's always with a sense of wonderment.
Holiday time -- as far as I'm concerned -- is the best time to be a New Yorker. There's life, energy, and beauty all over Manhattan. Since I've lived in New York my whole life, it's what I'm used to, what's expected. I sincerely thought I was paying attention to the greatness of it all -- until this past Friday afternoon, that is.
I was meeting my mother at Saks Fifth Avenue to do a little shopping, and I arrived early. In the moment, all I noticed was how crowded it was, and thought that perhaps we should've gone somewhere else instead. While waiting, I became busy on my Blackberry, and was within earshot of two women who'd just arrived. I don't know where they were from, but they didn't live in the city. It was a special trip to come here. And I heard one say to the other, "My goodness, can you believe this? Look at how beautiful and special this is!"
I looked around to see what the heck they were talking about. And then it struck me. It was gorgeous inside. The holiday decorations were truly magnificent, and I hadn't even noticed.
Now you may say this is a simple example, and yes, on some level, it is. But it's a great metaphor for all things in life. If your perspective is that it's cold out and it's crowded, versus how special, beautiful, and magnificent -- it will affect how you feel and how you'll experience your time.
Even though I consider myself a glass-half-full person, I also need reminding of this. That day, I started to pay more attention to the beauty of my city. I reminded myself to stay alert, look around, and not miss the moments and the great things right in front of me. We are all -- at times -- too busy or caught up in ourselves to notice, and it's the noticing that's truly the game-changer when it comes to finding joy in your life.
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