Changing lenses is a must

Sandrine Rattan writes a weekly column for Newsday called With Women In Mind

In my writing, I focus lenses. I’m almost always seeing when I am writing –Lois Lowry

Changing your physical lenses is as equally important as changing your emotional lenses. Traditionally, your spectacles are up for renewal either annually and/or bi-annually to ensure that your vision remains fresh and updated. However, some miss the mark as they continue to view and/or analyse issues using their emotional lenses acquired from as far back as the 1950s.

I see it daily in varied arenas including political, parenting, organisational structures and the list is endless. Avoidance in changing your lenses prevents one from being objective and dispassionate in how they engage and converse on critical issues; most times your thinking is for the most part subjective, disallowing the infusion of objectivity.

Conducting daily reviews of your life shows, that changing your lenses would result in richer and fruitful lives. For example, instead of seeing a situation through the lens of fear or even animosity, change to the lens of love and acceptance. What’s frightening, is that many women and even men, use the same negative lens to see the entire world which over time creates a mindset that is myopic and devoid of critical thinking skills.

There are many situations that can be referenced here…for instance, if you discipline your child, that does not mean that you hate or dislike the child; if you are affiliated with a political organisation, analysing and responding differently on particular views, does not mean that you now dislike the organisation..and this is the most common occurrence that I see today.

Your strength and ability to change your lens also demonstrates a level of maturity which many struggle to attain mainly because of the people-pleasing syndrome. Life is evolutionary and so your survival and resilience would be dependent on your will to change your perspective and the way you view things; using the same lens for centuries stymies you emotionally and continuously dwindles your view on major issues.

Thinking out of the box helps in contextualising why lens must be changed. By no means am I suggesting that traditions must be neglected, but analysing issues from a global and objective perspective is an ideal recipe for healthy and successful living.

Maintaining a fixed vision because of your affiliation towards something or someone is indicative of low self-esteem and your inability to stand alone even if your opinion is not accepted. Start the change by properly filtering information when it lands on your doorsteps so as to arrive at truthful assessments. Think and speak with gratitude in every situation whether positive or negative and welcome humility with open arms throughout your interactions, as arrogance and hostility contribute to blurred vision.

When you start viewing things for what they really are, then and only then, would you be able to see yourself through the mirror of objectivity.

Sandrine Rattan is a communications & branding consultant/author/empowerment builder and president of the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) Contact: thecorporatesuitett@gmail.com or intlwomensresourcenetwork@gmail.com or contact 283-0318.