Here in Vermont, I see mountains every day and they are a good reminder to keep a sense of perspective. When I work with people, I sometimes use this simple suggestion: “if you could see this situation from high on a mountaintop, what would it look like?” Immediately, your mind goes to a different place.
You may see how far back the issue goes
Sometimes the mountaintop view shows you the thread going all the way back in time. “I feel so diminished and shamed because my colleague got a raise and I didn’t… from the mountaintop, I see this same feeling going way back to childhood… the way my mother always bragged about my brother and never about me… no wonder I feel this ‘lesser-than pain’ …”
You may see the other person’s reality
Sometimes you get the greater perspective of understanding the other person’s point of view. “From the mountaintop… I see how much pressure my son is feeling about having to do these college applications… I’d forgotten how vulnerable you feel at that age, how scary this all is… no wonder he is procrastinating…”
You may see the context and social setting
Sometimes the bigger picture brings awareness of the context, which can lead to understanding and compassion. “From the mountaintop… I can see that in my father’s generation, providing for the family was how men showed love… being emotionally available just wasn’t something men were expected to do back then… I wish he could have made an emotional connection with me, but I guess he loved me the best he knew how…”
There might have been a silver lining
Perhaps best of all, if you look at your life from the mountaintop, your own mistakes don’t look the same. Often a mistake was just what was needed to teach you something or take you in a better direction — from the mountaintop, can you see how some mistakes or failures were even blessings in disguise?
“Going to the mountaintop”
Imagery speaks to the subconscious, so anytime you bring in imagery, you access the subconscious. So think of an issue you’re working with and imagine going to the mountaintop to view it from that perspective. Try it with tapping:
Even though _____(the issue that is bothering you), I love and accept myself, and what if I could see this from the mountaintop? (etc.)
(tap the points) This ____… I want to see it from the mountaintop… this ___ … what does it look like from up here?… (etc.)”
After tapping, just close your eyes and breathe deeply… what is coming to mind? How do things look from the mountaintop?
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