February 23, 2016

4 Examples of Broadening our Viewpoint


I have been active on social media for almost two years. I am constantly amazed by how much I learn from interacting with people from all parts of the world. There are two universal truths I’ve discovered since I began writing:

  • Everyone doesn’t think alike.
  • Most things have a positive as well as a negative side.

Almost everything in life is affected by our training and our unique viewpoint. For instance, it’s not likely for someone who was born and raised in Russia to have the exact same life experience and attitude as an American. The Russian may embody different values and standards.

We don’t all think alike.

My Book

I am currently in the final stages of putting together my second book: an anthology of 76 blog posts. Seven friends and colleagues were kind enough to beta read it. That means that they looked at my pre-published manuscript and gave me compliments and constructive criticism.

Obviously, all of my helpers weren’t in agreement on what worked and what didn’t. In addition, some of them enjoyed reading my manuscript more than others. For example, two of my close friends finished reading within a few days and gave me glowing praise as well as minor tips for improvement. Some readers took three weeks to finish. One reader couldn’t even finish in a month because he was disenchanted and confused by the layout. He had little positive feedback to give me.

Married by Mom and Dad

This is a TLC reality series whose first season just ended. Two young men and two young women, tired of the singles dating scene, entrusted their parents to find them a spouse. Only a few of the participants were unselfish and open to sharing their lives. Many were self-absorbed and not completely honest.

Only one of the couples ended up having the hoped-for “happily ever after”—at least in the short term.  That’s probably because that couple took the whole procedure seriously, and they cared about each other’s feelings. They had been trained to believe that other people should be treated right and marriage is a serious, honorable institution.

Positives and negatives go together.

My Health Condition

I am having unbelievable struggles with detoxifying my body right now. My lifestyle is extremely limited. However, there are two encouraging points:
  • I was led to the right Shaklee products to detoxify me, so I won’t have to resort to surgery.
  • I will soon enjoy an unprecedented level of competence and energy.

My Car

The transmission recently failed on my 14-year-old car. We have taken on a monthly car payment for the car we recently bought. Here are the positive points of the situation:
  • It didn’t stop working until my son, who was driving, was almost home. So, nobody was hurt.
  • The newer vehicle that we bought won’t break down as often as the old one. It will cause us less anxiety.

My Conclusion

There’s no getting around the fact that life isn’t simple, and people are complicated. Sorrows come with joys. In addition, some individuals won’t have the same viewpoint as us. It’s all a matter of perception. We can always call the glass half empty--or half full.

The Bible counsels us against making judgments based only on our limited way of thinking. Isaiah 11:3-4 says that we should not judge by what we see with our eyes or hear with our ears. Instead, we should judge with righteousness and give decisions through justice.

Do you concentrate on negativity or positivity?


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