“One common mistake is to think that one reality is the reality. You must always be prepared to leave one reality for a greater one.” Mother Meera
Whenever I am grappling with any issue and I am stuck in guilt, anger, fear or any other unpleasant emotion, I try to remember that there must be another perspective. Many clients come to life coaching because they know intuitively that there is another perspective that will offer them solace, hope, and an opportunity to recreate the life they desire. A supportive coach might ask “Can I offer another perspective?” and assist their client in viewing their challenges from a healing and more helpful vantage point. Sometimes, my clients and I will go back and forth and brainstorm different reality perspectives, even outrageous perspectives, in order to break free from the shackles of limited thought.
Not surprisingly, our most painful perspectives which have led us to our deepest suffering are the ones that feel most intransigent. We sometimes feel bound to these perspectives; we even forget that there might be another reality to be perceived. However, inherent to every challenge is an opportunity to break free from that perceived reality. For example, a prison sentence may seem like a complete dead end. However, a prison sentence may be a chance to redefine oneself, to break free of drug addiction, to earn a degree, to mentor others, to go within spirituality, to appreciate relationships, freedom, and life in a way that never seemed possible or valuable before.
In a similar way, a diagnosis of terminal cancer often offers the challenge to the diagnosed and everyone around that person to live each moment to the fullest. Each affected person may appreciate every moment as a sacred opportunity to love more deeply. An AIDS diagnosis may be an opportunity to reprioritize one’s life in a powerful and meaningful way that one never seriously contemplated before the diagnosis
Sometimes when I am working with a client with a “dead end” reality, I may challenge them to shift their perspective ninety degrees. I might even ask them how they might use their perceived failings or perceived challenges and turn them into contributions of insight, healing, love, and compassion
