The Power of Perspective Skills in Building Understanding

@savanaah to address your second question, savanaah: there's someone whose work I find very inspiring - David Burns - and he demonstrates precisely how to do this within an emotionally-charged therapeutic setting, using the Externalisation of Voices technique. It's getting others to literally voice your point of view, so you can take a more rational, objective look at your own beliefs and learn to challenge them. 

@savanaah

One moment that stands out for me is a conversation I had with a family member about their views on mental health. We grew up in very different environments emotionally, and at first, I found it hard not to judge their opinions or feel defensive. But when I really listened, I started to see how their experiences shaped their worldview. It didn’t mean I agreed with everything, but it helped me let go of the need to "correct" them and instead focused on understanding why they saw things the way they did. That moment softened the way we communicated going forward and helped us build more mutual respect.

When I’m in emotionally intense situations, I try to slow down my reactions by breathing deeply and asking myself, “Is there something I haven’t considered yet?”

@savanaah
This is such an important skill. I remember a time I misunderstood someone’s behavior until I learned more about what they were going through it completely changed how I saw the situation. I try to broaden my perspective by pausing before reacting, especially in emotional moments, and reminding myself that there’s always more to the story.

@savanaah Thank you for sharing this! I’ve found that when I remind myself there’s always more to the story, it becomes easier to listen without judgment.

@savanaah

for me at my gmac meeting I would have  listen to other people ideas  on what  best for the community as  whole.

2 I think being open minded and stepping. Into the other person shoes would really help.

@savanaah

Thank you for this amazing post!💗

Can you think of a time when hearing another person’s perspective actually changed how you viewed something? 

I think hearing one of my family member's perspective on money, which was very different from mine, made me realize that not everyone grew up as privileged as me, and I should be aware of that privilege.   

How do you personally work at broadening your perspective - particularly in difficult, or emotionally-laden situations?

As I previously mentioned, I work on broadening my perspective by realizing my privilege, and I put myself in other people's situations and what emotions and/or experiences that would bring up.

@savanaah There was a time when I got into an argument with a friend about something I thought was basic common sense. I couldn’t understand how they saw it so differently. Later, they told me more about how they grew up and what their experiences were, and it actually made things click. They weren’t just being difficult. They had a different starting point. I didn’t change my values, but I understood where they were coming from, and it helped me stop seeing the situation as black and white.

When things get tense, I try to pause before reacting. I ask questions instead of assuming I already know what they mean. It’s not always easy, especially when emotions are high, but stepping back and listening properly usually helps. Even if I don’t agree, I at least understand better. That alone changes the tone of everything.

@savanaah

ive had many instances like that. I think it’s beautiful that we can learn so much from each other just from willing to listen