Shifting the Lens: Reframing the perspectives we hold of our lives

Hindsight…

When we look back at circumstances and the experiences of our lives, sometimes we can be filled with a sense of regret or self-judgement about decisions we have made. We may perceive that the things we wished to unfold failed to do so, and so because we didn’t obtain the outcome we so desired we may view the decisions we have made and the paths we have taken as having been the wrong ones to embark upon. Yet this is subjective, and it can be helpful to ponder whether the outcome we were seeking was in fact the most important one at play.

My Medical Path

For instance my journey with medicine was a long and winding one. I went backwards and forth over many years - nearly two decades - of shifting between being within it and outside of it.

I devoted many years to the training, spent endless money on sitting for exams - never mind the infinite energy expenditure - in pushing myself down a track simply not suited to who I am. And it took me some time to realise that none of this was indeed wrong, wasted or not of value to my life path - due to ending up in the writing and counselling space. Ultimately the journey had always been one of alignment, and this is the journey for us all. Of learning to connect the threads between our soul and our human selves. And often of being taught through our experiences the invaluable lessons that come through contrast

and of what it feels like to be so off course from what is truly right for our soul.

For me, the stress and the suffering, the bullying and the disrespect - these were all part of the journey, in cultivating a higher part of myself.

Lessons We Can Learn

So if the outcome is rather the lessons learnt than where we ended up from a chosen path, this puts a very different spin on what was in fact a “wrong” or “right” decision or path to take.

On my journey, if my soul was always meant to learn courage, to learn to stand up for myself, to learn to cultivate an inner power, and a strength in who I am. If my soul was meant to learn intricately, the tricky line between discerning between intuition and fear, if my soul was meant to learn wisdom, through all the interactions along the way - then the outcome of this journey was indeed a successful one. When we reflect on all the parts of ourselves that are cultivated through the roads we take and the person our journey’s shape us to become and evolve into, then we can see the gifts that unfold in our true soul growth and evolution.

Shift in Perspective

So when something unfolds on your life path and you start to think “Why did I go down that track yet again?”, then perhaps it could be helpful to reconsider what the lessons were that you were called to learn along the way.

For if you learnt things like patience, boundaries and speaking your truth, if you learnt the lesson of discernment or of being true to yourself. If you learnt how to prioritise what really matters in your life, if you learnt to be more compassionate, more loving or kind. Then the path that you detoured along was in fact the “right” path all along, for it took you to places that your soul was always meant to go. So next time you find yourself in regret or sadness about the choices you have made and the roads you have taken, perhaps it could be helpful to shift the lens on how you view what has unfolded on your path.

To set different parameters for how you view the success of what has transpired, and instead of always looking to external outcomes as a measure of achievement, rather to focus the lens of your perception on the changes that have arisen in your being and the growth of your self from within.

Pearls of Wisdom:

• When we look back at the decisions we have made in our lives, we can be filled with a sense of regret when some things did not pan out as we have planned.

• However, often along the “detours” that we take, there are some invaluable lessons that we are called to meet along the way.

• When we learn things like patience, alignment, speaking our truth and becoming a more compassionate person - this is always of value to the growth of our soul.

• Instead of being filled with regret when things turn out differently, we can shift the lens to appreciate the lessons learnt and the gifts that were awakened within us through the pathways we have taken.

Wisdom Within:

1. How do I feel about the path I have taken in my life?

2. Do I look back with regret at any decisions made and if so how can I shift the lens?

3. Do I feel pressure in making decisions in my life on which path to take?

4. How can I drop this pressure and instead adopt the mindset that I will be propelled down the right path for me to learn the lessons that my soul is being called to learn?

5. When I tune into the wisdom in my heart, what are the whispers from within trying to tell me?

6. What is my next right move in creating a life in alignment with who I truly am?

Need Further Guidance/ Support?

➡️ If ruminating on past decisions is proving difficult to manage or if connecting with your inner guidance is something you’d like to strengthen, please reach out Dr Talia Steed to book a consult, contact recption or book online at www.infinitehealthstudio.com.au