The Light Up Scrunchie Perspective

What is you outlook for 2025? Do you need to reconsider your perspective? Should you broaden your view or take a look at something from a new angle?

Perspective.

We have a perspective. Sometimes our perspective is narrow and ridged. According to Psychologytoday.com having a narrow or ridged perspective can lead to resentment, anger, and depression. A narrow or ridged perspective can also increase emotional reactivity.

Sometimes we need to put on a light-up scrunchie and expand our perspective.

The website mindful.org has shared the following quote that I feel is a great way for us to start considering perspective and connecting it to our mindfulness.

"One of the most powerful mindfulness practices we can do is intentionally and consciously expand our perspective, expand the size of our awareness."  

Research shows that we can work on expanding our perspective by adjusting our visual focus. We can do this by relaxing our gaze, taking in more, and widening our view. Some believe that this mindfulness practice is similar to taking deep breaths. We can gain the same calming benefits. 

Mindfullittles.org has some great suggestions for us to consider when we begin to work on expanding our perspective.

-We need to start by creating opportunities for a wider perspective. 

-Our brains are wired toward the negative and we have to intentionally cultivate a broader more positive outlook. 

-We need to notice our negative bias as they come up and take note to be able to work on a new perspective.

-Make a point to notice the good. Look for it. Take a challenging situation and actively take it a part to find the good.

-Distanced self-talk. Take time to ask yourself what you might say to a friend. The things we say to ourselves often are things we would never say to a friend. Being kinder to ourselves creates more space for creativity and reduces judgment. 

-Reframe with "Yes...and." This provides spaces for additional information to coexist.

-Focus on Awe... According to the Association of Psychological Science, experiencing Awe can change perception of time, causing us to feel that there is more time and thus more is possible. (I love this idea)

-Power of Yet. Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, the power of yet cultivates a growth mindset. This is the belief that with practice and effort we can develop and increase our abilities. (I love this one too. Over the summer Leila and I read a book called The Power of Yeti a cute book which helps kids understand this idea of Yet.)

A quick review from the beginning of this blog: Psychologytoday.com reports that having a narrow or ridged perspective can lead to resentment, anger, and depression. It can also cause an increase in emotional reactivity.

Psychology Today also suggests that widening our perspective could very well be the most important skill for our emotional well-being. 

What have you previously (or currently) had a narrow view regarding? Do you struggle to see a student in a different light? Is there a situation that you closed your mind, attitude, and beliefs toward? 

What might happen if you opened you field of vision?

What if you put on a light-up scrunchie and taught class for the day? Don't have a light-up crunchie, that's alright, what is your light-up scrunchie?