“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
—Henry Ford
Think of a glass that has 50% water, 50% available space in that glass. Would you describe it as half-full or half-empty?
The well-known example defining an optimist and a pessimist states that the former would describe the glass as half-full whereas the latter would say it’s half-empty. There is third perspective—the perspective of the observer.
The observer states the reality of the situation without judgment or bias and declares, “It’s a glass with water in it.” And it’s the perspective of the observer that can often help us when we’re in a tight spot.
When we are immersed in what we think of as a problem, it’s difficult to see the woods for the trees. The energy of a problem is heavy, dense and weighs us down. When we observe a problem, on the other hand, we look at it dispassionately and perhaps make notes. We don’t get caught up and tangled in the emotions or meanings of the thing.
According to www.etymonline.com, the word problem comes from a late 14th century French word for riddle.
Now, when we are presented with a riddle, we are much more open to the possibility of a solution existing. Immediately, the energy is lighter, less dense and heavy, and we can begin to play with the idea of finding a solution. Because there is always a solution to every problem (or riddle).
More often than not, a shift in perspective allows us to find a solution.
The Universal Law of Polarity states that everything has an opposite. If a problem (or riddle) exists, then the solution must also exist, even if it’s not immediately apparent. The problem (riddle!) cannot exist in the first place without the solution also being present.
One of the most famous thinkers of recent times, Albert Einstein, said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” He was aware of the importance of shifting perspective and seeing things from another point of view.
When we get out of our own way, shift gears, and untangle ourselves from the situation, everything becomes clearer. We are no longer clouding the situation with our own judgement, fears, and worries; we are in observer mode, approaching things with a cooler head and an enthusiasm for solving the riddle.
If we think of the word solve, www.etymonline.com reveals that it comes from the Latin solvere, meaning to loosen or release. When we can free ourselves from the entanglement of the problem, we can allow ourselves to dance with the possibilities that are waiting to be discovered.
