Happy New View

Happy New View

“Happy New Year. Happy New You. May this be the year that your dreams come true.” I love this greeting – sharing it and receiving it. It’s uplifting, positive and empowering. You might be thinking about the “new you” leader, parent or spouse at this traditional time for goal-setting and resolution-making. And you wonder, as people share their New Year wishes, what’s going to be different this year?

This year I feel a twinge of hollowness when receiving this sentiment: didn’t I get this wish last year? Haven’t I been receiving and affirming this greeting for the past few years? And did my dreams come true? Did a “new me” really emerge in that particular year? Based on my past, why would I expect a massive change in my life just because it’s 2016 and not 2015? If my dreams haven’t yet come true then why will this be the year that they do come true?

A few days ago, I happened upon a video (click to view video) featuring 6 photographers who were each given an assignment to capture the essence of the same man. The “catch” was that each photographer was told a different story about him, but a simple story in one or two words only – he was a millionaire, fisherman, life-saver, psychic, former prison inmate, or recovering alcoholic. They each set to work to meet and photograph the man, who was dressed in the same clothes and greeted each photographer in the exact same way.

When the 6 photographs were displayed together, 6 different men were revealed. Each photo reflected not the man, but what the photographer thought about him based on the background information given. The photographs actually revealed more about the photographer and his/her view than about the subject.

I experienced a moment of clarity at the power of perception and the strength of our filters in influencing how we see things. And so, the next time I said to someone “Happy New Year, Happy New You”, I instinctively added “Happy New View.” For I realize that for this to be the year that our dreams come true, we need to have a different view. What are the eyes with which we view the world? What are our filters, assumptions, perceptions, judgments, and social construct with which and through which we look at and sum up people, places and situations? When a person walks into your office or place of business, who do you actually see? When someone comes to interview for a job, who do you see? Is it the person or is it your past experience and perceptions of someone who looked like this person? For this determines how you will interact with him/her and the type of relationship you will develop.

My New Year wish for you is: “Happy New Year. Happy New View.” May you view the world with fresh eyes; may you experience the fullness of life through all your senses; may you come to know the filters through which you now see; may you have the strength and resolve to clear them away; may you come to a place of openness of acceptance of new views. Then will you have a Happy New You – and a year that your dreams came true.

INTERESTING LINKS

Do you approach work, and life in general, from scarcity or abundance? That simple orientation makes a huge difference in your results. This article shares ways that you can put Abundance Theory to work for you and your team members, to the benefit of all.
– click to view article

As you plan for 2016 and beyond, think about what work might be like and the impact these trends could have on your business.
– click to view article

And also think even more deeply about some fundamental and exciting changes that will change the way we work and live, what and how we consume.
– click to view article