Facing your Fear with Renewed Perspective

Just the other day I shared my passion to write and speak when someone challenged me, “You’re only thirty-two. You’re just a kid.”

He’s right. Those are valid concerns that I ponder often; real fears that I face everyday.

What fears are you facing?

If we don’t face our fears, they will derail our dreams.

As I thought more about my fears, I read the results from a recent survey of my readership. One word stood out: perspective.

I saw the two collide.

 Perspective

Turn your Weakness into Strength

To face down my fears, I took the obvious, you’re too young, and I analyzed it from a new point of view.

Born in 1981, I’m on the tail end of Generation X, but many of my peers are Millennials. However, most of the clients I’ve worked with over the past ten years are Baby Boomers, as are my parents and their friends. Additionally, I am fortunate to have had very close relationships with both grandfathers who represented the Greatest Generation.

So, maybe I am young, but here I am, wedged among all these generations, feeling like I don’t really belong to any of them, although I can relate to all of them; a generational anomaly.

Then, I looked for a problem. I see a chasm between these generations. Problems at home, in the workplace, and at church are all a direct result of this generational gap.

Through conversations and the experience of others, I see similar stories and dialogue that weave a common thread. Maybe my purpose is to bring perspective from both, to both–to bridge the gap between generations.

Here’s the thing, the same person above, the one who questioned my legitimacy, later in the conversation said, “I really wish you would talk to my kids about this.” He was saying, I don’t want you to be the answer guy, I’m not looking for answers from you, but I will listen to your perspective.

Here’s what it taught me:

Perspective has no generation. Wisdom is timeless.  click to tweet

So often we’re looking for answers to our questions–solutions to our problems–but maybe answers and solutions aren’t what we need. Maybe my readers were right, maybe the key to unlocking our fears and challenges is that word: perspective.

We All Need Perspective

Perspective is the catalyst to real life change. It brings freedom. It yields true life.

Paul penned divine words to the people of Rome when he said:

“Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Our transformation happens when we begin to renew our mind; a new perspective. This is where a rich life begins.

But we can’t do this alone. We need each other. Our stories, our involvement, our experience, our wisdom fuels perspective for everyone else. When we experience the stories of others, a dose of their perspective, we grow. The great C. S. Lewis said it best:

I become a thousand men and yet remain myself…I see with a myriad of eyes, but it is still I who see…I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do.

In a way, we are all anomalies, uniquely created for great and rich purposes. Don’t let someone else define who you are. God has defined you in His image. Ask Him to reveal who that is and don’t be afraid to follow.

But sometimes, your clear view becomes clouded; you see only in part.

Take heart, clarity is waiting.

It just takes perspective.

MH

Are you looking for a renewed perspective?

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