A change of scenery can lead to a change of heart
By Susan McQuillan
We all slip into ruts, and sometimes it. feels as though we'll never climb out of one. That could be because we live in a rut, says Warren Berland, Ph.D., a psychotherapist in New York City and author of Out of the Box for Life (Harper Perennial, 2000). We exist in our own inner space, he says, in which our attitudes and responses to life events are formed. In order to change the way you perceive your life, you must move to a place of more expansive thought and vision. That means finding or creating somewhere you can go to get a new perspective on life.
Your sanctuary may be the view from a hill or a room in a museum-anywhere you feel a sense of renewed wonder. "Find a quiet place that's available whenever you need it," says Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big Life (Random House, 2007).
Once you're in this special place, think about what you see and how you feel while you're there. "Write down why the place is special, what it looks and sounds like, plus any insights you may experience," Susanka advises, adding that you should visit your sanctuary regularly. "Even if you have to delegate a weekly chore to someone else or skip a favorite TV show," she says.
When it's impossible to return to your sanctuary, Berland suggests reading your journal and mentally visiting your place of refuge. "Use what you jotted down to help re-create the feelings of freedom and inspiration you get from actually being there." Do this at least once or twice a day. As you experience a sense of renewal, Berland says, you'll also discover that this is, in fact, your natural state. You just have to take a few minutes to get back there.
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