1. To create a sense of perspective, picture yourself in the future
When we’re too close to a situation, it’s difficult to put things in perspective.
We cannot always wait for time to pass in order to gain a sense of perspective.
When we’re in crisis mode, it often feels like we need to respond immediately.
The good news is, sometimes we can create that sense of time passing with our own minds.
People often say, “Think about how you will feel about this next year. Will you still be so stressed?”
We can’t just wave a magic wand, picture ourselves in the future, and suddenly gain a sense of perspective, especially when we’re scared, angry, sad, or frustrated.
When you’re trying to gain a sense of perspective by imagining yourself in the future, make sure that you’re in the right headspace to do so. Try to let yourself calm down, get yourself in a safe or more comfortable situation, and be kind to yourself as emotions come up. We always want to validate our feelings now and then just explore.
Without any judgment, how do you think you’ll feel in a week, or a month, or a year about the situation you’re facing right now?
You might think in a day or a week that you’ll still be stressed, and that’s okay.
Maybe you’ll realize that a month from now, or three months from now, or six months from now, the sting of whatever is going on will have faded and you’ll be able to find some peace or closure.
Are there actions you can take now to get you closer to that state?
2. The next time you need to put something in perspective, actually give yourself some time to process
If the event is causing feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, or anything else that could be perceived as negative
Ask yourself can I wait before I need to take action or respond to whatever is going on?
Can you give yourself some space and time to cool down and process before making a decision?
When we’re in crisis mode, it often feels like we need to respond immediately.
Giving yourself some space and time to cool down can make a huge difference in terms of gaining perspective and a difficult situation.
3. If you struggle to put things in perspective, a therapist can help
One great way to put something in perspective is to talk about it, and who better to talk to about what’s going on with you than a therapist?
A therapist can help you explore solutions, develop ways to cope, consider other things that are going well in your life, work on existing skills or help you develop new skills to get you through tough times, and analyze what might be able to change in your life versus what might be more fixed.
None of these exercises are easy, but gaining perspective is like a muscle, and the more often you use it, the stronger it will grow.