Several mornings this week, my daughter and I have had a moment of waiting for our ride. During these, I dance around my kitchen to entertain the sleepy one-year-old as we wait. I have been able to see the sunrise a few of these mornings from my dancing spot through my kitchen window. This window sits directly over my sink full of dirty dishes from the night before. As I stepped closer to the window to capture the beautiful colors, I was met with dirt and marks on it. This small moment got me thinking about how I, and many others, tend to look at life. Let me share some thoughts with you.
1. Can’t see past the dirt
Sometimes in our lives and in our businesses, we get so caught up in the weeds of doing things that we forget to stop and smell the roses (or to see and appreciate the sunrise). We get caught up that the window is dirty and that ruins the view. We forget to pause and appreciate that the window is dirty but you can still see the beautiful sun rising in the east and displaying an array of colors to greet the new day. But the window is dirty.
Additionally, we can get so caught up on the fact that the window is dirty that we don’t even consider what we can do about it. Yes, the window is dirty, but you, or someone you manage, can clean it and resolve the problem. But you let the facts affect you so much that you cannot even recognize that you can fix the issue.
2. Only seeing the colors
On the other hand, sometimes while we realize that the window is dirty, we focus so much on the beautiful sky that we don’t recognize that the dirty window is a problem. Is it life or death? Realistically, no. But it does affect the picture. It is not ideal. But we focus so much beyond the dirt and grime that we just sit and admire the sunrise, without the pause of making the situation even better or smoother or cleaner than it currently is.
Sometimes, we even go as far as to never even pause long enough to notice that the dirty window is affecting our view. We don’t register that the window is dirty. We are so focused on the good at all times that we cannot reflect on the okay or even the bad to work on making in better in all areas.
Stepping back from the window, looking at the big picture, you may not notice the dirty window. I sure didn’t, it wasn’t until I stepped closer and examined the window while trying to get a better look of the sunrise that I realized just how dirty the window was. Having a big picture view of things, can be wonderful. But, just like cameras and telescopes having zooming features, we have to look at things that way too.
If we are also in the weeds of things, then how can we have the ideas and big picture moments? On the flip side, if we also look at the big picture, how can we identify the dirty spots in our lives and processes?
It takes pausing to refocus our eyes and practicing this skill. It takes time to make it a habit. But it changes your perspective and opens your eyes to others’ perspectives. It builds you as a leader in your home, work, and for yourself. I encourage you to pause and adjust your focus, zooming in or out (depending on your default). Enjoy the sunrise, and maybe clean your window. But appreciate the lesson in both the dirt and the sunrise.
– Dacey
