A New Perspective
Cornfield in upstate NY
Last week I traveled from Cape Cod to Columbus, OH on a little road trip. Since my mid 20’s I’ve wanted to travel across the country, but until now I haven’t actually done anything about that dream. So when my daughter was invited to a dance program in Columbus, I thought it would be a great way for me to travel a bit and see a new part of the country. It didn’t hurt that a friend of mine, who is also a “mom of a dancer” was traveling out that way at the same time too.
So LUCKY ME, I got to have a 14 hour travel through some of our beautiful country and I didn’t have to drive. It was like having an Uber drive me to Columbus, and my Uber driver was one of my great friends, and also had a brother who lives at our halfway point who was gracious enough to let us stay with him. What this means is that I was able to ooh and ahh at the countryside, read all the signs, and take in the gorgeous views, while my friend Saramaria dealt with the traffic, the highway exits, and basically all the stuff I don’t love about driving. It was glorious!
The greatest thing about this trip is the gift of perspective.
When I travel, I notice that I focus on possibilities, instead of limitations.
Sometimes in my regular day to day I get wrapped up in my own little world and the challenges associated with it. Sometimes I even classify those challenges as “problems,” and sometimes I slide into a victim (“woe is me”) mindset. This happens to the best of us.
One thing I’ve learned over the past several years is that one way to snap out of this is to go somewhere new. Go somewhere you’ve never been before, and get curious. How do people live here? What’s it like? There are new restaurants to see, new coffee shops, and also new libraries (my favorite)! I enjoy exploring and figuring out the “lay of the land.” I like to see the city or town from my own view. I often walk or run solo, so that I can stop when I want without bugging others. I like to explore outdoor spaces: riverwalks, nature preserves, courtyards, bike and walking paths…you get the idea. Anywhere outside is where I want to be.
In visiting these new spaces, I notice what’s different here, and also what’s the same. I get a fresh perspective on my challenges (yep, pretty much everyone else has some of the same ones too.)
This reminds me that I’m not special (I know that sounds negative, but hear me out). Many pieces of my human experience are similar to others’ human experience. As humans living in our current society, there are common things we struggle with. I see them over and over again, no matter where I go –a parent struggling to wrangle a toddler in full meltdown mode, a busy person on the go frustrated because the line at the coffee shop is long, a beautiful soul living on the street seeking spare change and some hope, an eager twenty-something with enthusiasm and energy…and a belief they can change the world. I see sprawling landscaped green lawns, super small spaces with the perfect tiny garden, and unkept homes and yards interspersed throughout these.
As I have traveled through different seasons of my life, I have personally experienced many of these things. Traveling reminds that there is so much more than the current struggles and challenges. It reminds me that all things pass, and this life is a long journey. No matter what part of it I am in right now, I know that it will evolve and change. I’ll grow along with it and I’ll gain wisdom, experience and incredible memories.
I try to approach every day with curiosity. I focus on what I can do differently to create an even better experience of life. I push myself forward to end unhealthy patterns of behavior, and to redirect unhelpful thought patterns. I observe life and others with awe and wonder. I’m eager to learn and grow, and to experience this life in the way that works for me. These things are often not easy for me. What’s easy is staying the same, saying to myself “someday I’m going to…”
After this trip, I feel a renewed sense of possibilities and opportunities. I feel like the things that weigh me down aren’t really all that bad, and that I will get through them. I see a longer view. A bigger picture. I’m eager for action and movement. I feel like “someday” can begin today. What a gift this trip was. I’m eager to see what today brings. Are you?
Go and do, with grace,
xo
- Nancy
