I recently spent a weekend at the beach for the first time this summer. As I sat on the beach, I reexperienced how calming it is to watch the waves break on the sand and listen to the sound of the surf. Anxieties seem to drop away with each crashing wave. Later I was thinking that one of the benefits of being at the seashore is that it gives you perspective. Being so close to the enormity of the ocean can make individual problems seem smaller, while the rhythm of the waves relaxes one’s breathing for further physical relaxation.
Perspective is a crucial element to a sense of well-being.
I recently spent a weekend at the beach for the first time this summer. As I sat on the beach, I reexperienced how calming it is to watch the waves break on the sand and listen to the sound of the surf. Anxieties seem to drop away with each crashing wave. Later I was thinking that one of the benefits of being at the seashore is that it gives you perspective. Being so close to the enormity of the ocean can make individual problems seem smaller, while the rhythm of the waves relaxes one’s breathing for further physical relaxation. Perspective is a crucial element to a sense of well-being. It allows us to discern between big problems that require attention and smaller issues that don’t deserve the angst they sometimes initiate. Growing up, it’s almost impossible not to internalize distorted perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. In psychotherapy, part of the work is to recognize these distortions and put them in perspective. The greater self-knowledge that results allows for greater happiness and less stress.
I have also found, in working with couples, that the ability to look at things from the other’s perspective is one of the keys to better communication. It’s the underpinning of empathy. Without perspective, we often make the wrong assumptions about another’s intentions, and this can lead to confusion and conflict.
So spend some time at the beach this summer if you get the chance. It’s a good place to start.
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