It’s All About Perspective

For the last few years, I’ve been wondering about the idea and concept of: facts, objectivity, subjectivity and perspective. This is no surprise and I’m certainly not the only one. Here is a definition of perspective: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

In the USA, we were living with a political leader who chose not to deal in facts, unless they benefited him, of course. It left me feeling a bit shocked and often bewildered. How do the mostly kind and motivated American people, who sent men to the moon, who have maintained a very big economy and military, for decades; how can they let themselves get so steered away from the facts?

It's taken me a while----years, actually, to start working this out. But one of the ways to explain this phenomenon is the idea or concept of perspective. The question becomes how far are you willing to ‘stretch’ your perspective to change or deny facts?

Since I prefer not to broach the subjects of politics and religion here, let’s now discuss perspective in more artistic terms. As well as being a mindset life coach in NYC, I am also a painter, writer, former dentist and dental practice owner. Like many, I am a real mix of art and science, and a multi-passionate person and entrepreneur. No matter if you prefer dealing with science or with art or both, perspective is an important notion, whether you look at it as a painter, dentist (with a more physical orientation) or as a life coach or an individual with more of a science background (more mental and emotional orientation).

Here is the more art-minded definition of perspective: the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point.

So, perspective seems to depend both on your point of view and on your view point. Let’s say you’re taking a drawing class and there is a nude model posing. Depending where you’re sitting in relation to this model and from what angle you’re looking, your perspective of the model and her body will differ from that of the person sitting in a different part of the room. This is the more physical aspect of perspective.

Then, there’s the mental and emotional aspects. Let’s say you just had a fight at home with your partner or spouse, or someone close to you recently passed away or you’re really excited and happy that you may have found the right person for you. All these happenings and events make for a change in your mood and state of mind and body and this will certainly be reflected in your drawing. For example; if the model is female and you’ve just had a fight with your wife, you might exaggerate some of the model’s body parts to look more angular, less gentle and less attractive all around. And vice versa…..

All these attitudes, moods and differing perspectives influence how you’ll draw the figure posing in front of you or how you’ll see or listen to the politician who stretches or changes the facts to suit his own desire for power, acceptance and even, adoration.

YOUR POINT OF VIEW:

Our point of view or how we see and interpret the world is affected by several things:

-our childhood,

-the culture and society we grow up in

-and those around us

-our education (both in school and out of school)

-our early and later life experiences

and so much more.

To live in harmony with folks living in a place, country, or society, you must all agree on certain ‘facts’ or ‘rules’ or ‘laws.’ There are also the big laws: The 10 commandments and universal laws like gravity, attraction, and the energy of quantum physics.  If the group or society agree on these laws and facts, then the rest is all about your view or perspective and choice.  We can choose (and sometimes, this requires healing from trauma first) to see the world as a scary, fearful and dangerous place or to see the world with rose-colored glasses, as the late famous French singer, Edith Piaf does in one of her most famous and one of my favorite songs, La Vie en Rose. You may also see the world anywhere else on this spectrum. When I was a kid, I often heard Edith Piaf on my parents’ phonograph (by the way, this was the 1960’s and 1970’s). My folks were from Paris, France and, throughout their young lives, often heard the unique, deep-feeling and soul-shaking singing of Edith Piaf. Though trauma in my childhood and much in Edith Piaf’s life, may have caused my view of life to be less than rosy, I have always loved this song. Perhaps, it was a goal of mine; to see and experience the world in a more beautiful, loving and positive way---------to see the world through rose-colored glasses.

Here are some parts of the song, LA VIE EN ROSE, in French and English:

“Quand il me prend dans ses bras

Il me parle tout bas

Je vois la vie en rose

Il me dit des mots d’amor

Des mots de tous les jours

Et ca me fait quelque chose

Il est entre dans mon Coeur

Une part de bonheur

Dont je connais la cause

C’est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie

Il me l’a dit, l’a jure pour la vie…………………

Et des que je l’apercois

Alors je sens dans moi

Mon Coeur qui bat

La la, la la, la la………………..

Now, In English:

When he takes me in his arms

He whispers to me

I see life in pink (rose)

He tells me love words

Everyday words

And it does something to me

He has entered in my heart

A slice of happiness

That I know the reason

It’s him for me, me for him in life……………

And as soon as I see him

So I feel inside me

My heart beating

La la, la la, la la………………….

There are many versions of this stunning song, by: Edith Piaf, Madeleine Peyroux, Louis Armstrong and in English, Edith Piaf and Louis Armstrong singing it together.

However you happen to ‘see’ the world, know that you can change your view or your perspective, if you choose to understand that each one of us (humans, I mean) has a slightly or very different view, or ‘filter’ for life. You can agree on the facts, the laws of science and the universe, at least for the time being and still let the many and varied filters or perspectives unfold and blossom. You are a unique and beautiful flower and your blooming and blossoming will affect and be affected by the views and perspectives of others, too. Don’t forget that your own perspectives and views will change over time.

With smiles and love,

Dr Gigi

PS: Learn more about understanding and/or changing your perspective(s) @www.gigiarnaud.com

(Life coach NYC, hypnosis, mindset coach and speaker)