The Power of Perspective

Dear One, 

I love the space we’re creating together. Thank you for joining me here. 

I can't help but smile as I sit down to write to you. 

How was your week? 

What was it like to be more mindful with yourself? 

What did you notice? 

How will you continue with your practice? 

I want to be honest with you, Dear One. 

I don’t feel I could continue with these letters unless I’m authentic in sharing my struggles as well. 

My life has been filled with physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual violence. 

It’s hardened my heart in some ways, and my work is to soften a little more every day and keep my heart open. 

Sometimes, I play catch and release with anger and despair. All. Damn. Day.

Without my strong connections with joy, faith, and trust, I could easily fall into depression. 

Those relationships have been steadily developed over time and are still being strengthened daily.

It helps to remember that you can cry and sing at the same time.

One more for the comedic drama:

As a kiddo and adolescent, I suffered with clinical depression and recurring suicidal ideation.

I’ve questioned why I even incarnated for a lot of my life.

It's been a long and painful journey to get here, and there is always more to discover and release. 

I strive to stay compassionate, humble, and grateful.

Dear One, the reason I started writing to you, it’s not because my life has been easy—quite the opposite. 

But what I’ve learned is that you’re never given more than you can handle, even if, in the moment, you perceive what’s happening as impossible or unbearable. 

What life hands you can sometimes feel like a slap in the face. 

While it is painful, everything eventually gets sorted out, the pain dulls, and we hopefully do the work to heal. 

Another lesson I've learned is that contrary to how it might feel at the time, our most painful experiences can be an enormous compliment from Spirit. 

It’s as if Spirit is saying, “I trust your strength and your ability to grow and evolve from this. You’ll figure it out, even if the plan isn’t clear yet.” 

Dear One, I want to remind you of your strength. 

Our society has conditioned us to feel incredibly disempowered and ashamed. 

When compounded with complex trauma from overwhelming lived experiences, we may operate in fear, convinced we are powerless against the devastation in the world. 

Dear One, I see you. I see your heart. You are not alone here. 

As I’ve mentioned before, the entry fee for growth is discomfort; sometimes, that fee can feel unbearably high. 

Dear One, have you ever watched a seedling hatch? It’s a powerful and explosive moment and suddenly transformation is occurring before your eyes!

No matter the change before you or the emotions you have yet to face, it is nothing you cannot handle. 

Your mind (that pesky ego) might perceive it as overwhelming, imagining that the change will be too painful, but I want to remind you that both your heart and Spirit know differently. 

This week, I encourage you to become more aware of your perspective on any given situation.

Perception is the process of interpreting sensory information from our environments in the moment. This is limited to what we are exposed to at the time and what we sense (see, smell, taste, touch/feel, hear).

Perspective is a cognitive process of how we interpret what is happening around us. Our perspectives can be limited at times and even deceptive.

The practice of perspective is a very powerful one.

It offers another opportunity to align the ego with the soul.

If we can become more mindful of our perspective, we will see the opportunity for choice in the viewpoints available to us. 

When we are hurried, we don’t tend to catch ourselves when we are wrapped up in a negative perspective. 

We simply operate from that place as though it were the truth. 

However, as we practice a more mindful and intentional approach to life, that process of slowing down will help us remain aware of how we are choosing to look at things. 

Dear One, we often observe and attach our thoughts. 

But what if we didn’t? 

What if we perceived and then paused?

Obviously, we can’t stop thinking altogether; otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to function in the world. 

However, what if we allowed our thoughts and our perspective to be more positive, hopeful, trusting, and loving—first toward ourselves and then toward others? 

Dear One, our outlook determines our reality.

As I’ve mentioned before, we have an active choice between fear and love. 

Choose a perspective based on love and see how that changes your reality over time. 

This work is not perfect, and it’s not easy. 

However, if you find yourself reading this letter, then you possess a silent knowing of your power. 

I’m here to encourage you to access it and step more deeply into it. 

Remember, there is nothing you cannot do. 

There is nothing you cannot overcome. 

The mind naturally tilts toward fear because it has been conditioned to do so. 

Honor yourself with compassion; there is great strength in the honesty of those moments when we acknowledge how scared we feel. 

Allow that feeling to exist—give it room to breathe. 

Over time, we can develop a more loving relationship with fear. 

We can use those moments as pathways back to peace, clarity, and love. 

Dear One, keep choosing love. 

Remember the power of your perspective. 

Remember to give yourself loving compassion every day.

You are your greatest witness. 

Until next week, 

xoxo 

Rachel