Perspective is Priceless

When I first saw this image online, I actually laughed out loud. This innocent little turtle, obviously upside down and starring at the blue sky above, immobile and seemingly unproductive, appears to be smiling in joy and commenting, "Oh my god! I'm flying." As humorous and lighthearted as it may be, there is immeasurable wisdom here. How many times in life have we all found ourselves in circumstances that seem impossible, daunting or maybe our plans just didn't go as expected. We didn't get the promotion, the person we loved left, or the car didn't start the morning of an important presentation. We've all had moments when things felt "upside down." The truth is, we can never have complete control over life events. Someone is quoted as saying, "Man plans and God laughs." These unexpected pitfalls at the least cause irritation and at its' height, can be debilitating disappointments. This image suggests to us however, that our vantage point can powerfully shift us from anger or sadness to peace and even joy. Some would argue that the turtle is simply delusional or in "delulu" land. Perhaps, that is true. If we consider the fact that our reality is shaped by our perceptions, then this tell us that we do have some authority over how we choose to see our circumstances. Even if life is upside down, two things can still be true: you can be in the midst of a crisis AND still capture the pearl hidden within the pain. Shifting your perspective costs you nothing, and yet offers the opportunity to choose how you experience the pitfalls. We have so little control over circumstances, but we have absolute control over how we respond. Therein lies your power. The power of our perspective is indeed priceless!