Gain insight
Switch on to a new view of the world and of yourself!
Don’t cling to old ideas of who you are and what you can do. Learn to see yourself in a new way.
Let go of outmoded beliefs about your flaws and faults. In addition, let go of your beliefs about others. Find out how the world looks from their point of view.
Then you may understand why you’ve been at loggerheads. Or why their behaviour seems so strange. From their point of view, it all makes perfect sense.
But seeing the world from another angle can take some getting used to. Be willing to let go of some assumptions you hold about the world and others in it.
And be willing to accept that sometimes, you may do things that aren’t in your best interests.
Gain insight into your beliefs
We all have beliefs that are unrealistic, or hold us back.
Here are some beliefs you’ll gain insight into:
It’s their problem, not mine.
I can do it all.
I have to do it all.
I can’t do any of it.
I’m hopeless.
It’s too scary to try new things.
It’s my way or the highway.
I want it now, and I can’t stand it if I can’t get it!
Everything’s fine, thanks. I don’t need help.
I can do whatever I like, and I don’t give a toss about anyone else.
I should look after everyone, even at my own expense.
Someone should come and make my life better.
Sometimes it takes a jolt in life to see things from a different point of view. You realise you don’t have a complete picture of what’s going on around you. Learning more about these topics will help you understand yourself better.
At times, your blind spots may stop you being effective, empathic or understanding.
Don’t worry – most people are the same. It’s very human to think your view is the only way to look at things.
As you gain insight, you’ll see multiple ways of looking at situations.
Gain insight into perceptions
You all have your own perceptions of experiences, and your own truths that come from them. So what’s true for one person isn’t always true for another. And how people act towards one person isn’t always how they act to others.
Gaining insight is about seeing different points of view. It’s about learning greater tolerance and understanding. Seeing there are many ways of doing the same thing. And many different ways of being in the world.
It’s also about shedding old, rigid ideas about who you or others are. And what you or they are capable of.
Finally, it’s about learning what you can change and what you can’t. Then you can focus on what you can change to make your own or others’ lives better.
Achieving greater self-mastery is always in the service of living with greater meaning and purpose. Gain insight into yourself and others, so you can start taking vital steps along the journey.
