A Turning Point – Refocusing on a wider perspective

It took a funeral and a beautiful walk on bluebell carpeted cliffs to shift me out of a crash.

I’m calling it a crash because that’s exactly what it felt like… a sudden plummeting of all my energy and motivation…a state of inertia that had actual physical symptoms.

It has been a hugely valuable experience because it has taught me that a sudden shift in health and wellbeing can happen to anyone at anytime. It has also reinforced the idea that having the tools and skills at hand beforehand is so important for digging yourself out of that pit. It’s hugely reaffirming to know that you can shift back into health and wellness.

On the morning of the incident that triggered my crash I ran around my local park and felt great, healthy and fit. In fact, I can remember reflecting on how good life was. By the end of the day I felt inert and crushed, my mind was in shock and that was causing actual physical symptoms, even generalised aches and pains.

I felt the need to dwell in this pit for a week or so – it was as if my body was telling me I needed time to rest, recover, realign. It has made me aware of how easy it would be to stay there for longer. For those without the tools to get out it must be more difficult because the bottom line is it is only you who can climb back out of the pit.

Then my husband and I attended the funeral of a friend. As funerals go, it was beautiful – focusing on the precious nature of life and celebration of this. Having been ill for some time, our friend had planned it himself, so each reading and piece of music had poignancy and feeling. I began to reflect on the smallness of the sudden change that had been enforced on me in relation to the bigger picture of life. It was the start of my shift out of inertia.

Following the funeral we drove to West Wales where we walked on the cliff tops. To our surprise they were carpeted in bluebells. We were surrounded by blue flowers, sea and sky. The experience really refocused my awareness on the bigger picture, and the reality that what actually happened was pretty inconsequential in the wider state of the world. It was my turning point.

As can often happen when problems or challenges arise, our focus can narrow to the extent that it feels like they totally dominate our lives. It becomes easy to lose sight of the bigger picture – we lose our perspective. The challenges become our world, which then closes down and narrows further. Having awareness that this is what’s happening is a powerful aid to getting your perspective back.

If you’re feeling challenged and down in that pit of inertia, a mindful walk in nature can help to refocus your thoughts on the wonder of the world around you. As you walk, observe the plants and trees with the eyes of a child, become totally absorbed in the magic that is life. It will begin that shift to a wider perspective.