Look Closely – Things Aren’t Always What They Seem…

The reason perspective is so important in retirement…

I was on the phone to a friend the other night and in the middle of our conversation I spotted the moon, so perfectly round and bright, beaming down from the night sky. Now, I’m no astrologer, but it was spectacular.

“Have you seen the moon, tonight?” I asked.

“I can’t see the moon at all,” my friend replied, adding “I’ll go out and take a look.”

Now you may wonder why I’m telling you this (perhaps mundane) story. There is a reason, I promise…. and it’s this…

Perspective

We all know the moon was in the sky. It had to be. I could see it. My friend could not. And that is all about perspective – where we were when we were looking at the night sky. The way we saw things at that moment.

In a Newtonian world, our view or perspective is evidence based. It’s sterile, unnatural, and unreal. But in a quantum world, there are hundreds, if not thousands of possibilities. And, when it comes to our mindset, it’s useful to think of things in a quantum-world way.

You see, a person’s ability to change their perspective on things is one of the best measures of their ability to be successful, to grow and to live life to the full.

Friend or foe

We all have at least one person in our lives we dislike. Someone we feel has betrayed or disrespected us in some way. It could be a boss, a friend or even a relative. Often, we make up our minds about the character of this person – because of something they do or say. But what if we’re wrong?

The person we’ve deemed as selfish may spend the weekend volunteering at a food bank.

The boss who is short-tempered, may be so, because they’ve been up all night tending to a sick child.

If we look at this person from a different perspective, our attitude towards them may well change for the better. We may see them for who they really are.

We choose the world we want to inhabit

In the same way we can change the way we think about someone, we can also change the way we think about life.

We can choose to live in a world filled with fear and challenges. Or we can choose instead, to inhabit a world that’s pleasant, joyful and experiential. It all comes down to the way we look at things. It’s about moving the blocks that get in our way.

Live a better later life

There are two types of ‘retirees’, those who say yes to everything and live life without limits. And those, who tip toe quietly towards death. OK, so there’s a chasm between these two groups and lots of people fall in between, but I have a point to make, so bear with me.

The first group live with purpose, passion and prosperity because they can. They see themselves as able, the world, full of opportunities. They have a growth mindset.

The second group believe they can’t. They trust the people who tell them they’re ‘too old’ or ‘past it’. That belief becomes their reality. They become stuck and unable to move past the blocks they themselves have put in the way of their happiness and freedom.

It’s all about perspective

Now I’m very much in that first group. I live in a world full of possibilities and opportunities because I am open to them and because I believe I can. I have removed the blocks in my way, and I’m determined to live the life I was meant to live.

Now, I encourage all boomers to do the same – to shift their perspective so they can always see the light of the silvery moon.