Reposition your Vision ~ By Anny

Photography by Michelle

This time of year always reminds me of the first time I swapped family drama for Christmas on the beach with friends. 

When your friend calls you at work and asks if you want to spend Christmas in Barbados for an unbelievably low price, there’s no other sensible answer than “yes please.” 

That’s exactly what I did in 2009 as I sat at my desk dreading another year of overindulging and family friction. 

After saying yes and ending the call, I suddenly thought about my mom and how was I going to tell her that I’d be abandoning the family and heading to the sun, sand and sea of the Caribbean instead. 

Fortunately, my mom being a ‘take opportunities when they arise’ kind of person meant that although she spent the two weeks leading up to my departure throwing my absence in to conversation, she didn’t get too upset.

Unfortunately, 2009 was also the year when heavy snow decided to bring a white Christmas to London. 

As I watched the skies, mentally negotiating with the snowflakes to stay where they were for at least another 24 hours, I felt my heart sink as flurries fell to the ground the evening before I was due to leave. “If it snows, then I’m not driving you to the airport in the morning,” my mom said to me as I slumped in the sofa, not even wanting to look at the rebellious snow that had ignored my request. 

My phone beeped. It was my friend informing me that West London was covered in snow. I turned and looked back out the window; it was glowing in South East London, snow everywhere. Cars had disappeared, roads were no longer visible and only deep footprints provided signs of human life. 

I sighed.

I couldn’t believe I was going to be stuck in London. I refused to believe it. Springing out of my seat, I grabbed my laptop and searched for airport parking; if mom wasn’t going to take me to the airport then I’d drive myself. That’s exactly what I did. 

Barely able to see the road ahead of me and driving at a snail’s pace in the early morning darkness, I crunched snow and splashed slush under my tires as I made the 40 minute journey to Gatwick airport. I made it, but still had to find out if our flight was going to be one of the many cancelled flights or whether it was still taking off as scheduled.

It was delayed by half an hour but still bound for Barbados – Yes! It was a relief to finally be sitting in upper class, looking through the window of the aircraft, heading towards the runway. As we took off and ascended in to the sky, I looked through the window. “Wow, it’s beautiful” I said to myself. 

The snow had taken on a totally different appearance; it was no longer slushy, cold and unpleasant and no longer had the power to ruin my holiday. Instead, it made the land look beautiful; it was white and picture perfect. I smiled to myself as I thought about how differently I felt towards the snow in that moment.

Sometimes it’s not our situations, environment or circumstances that need to change, but our perspective. Sometimes we need to change our position and look at our challenging situations differently. 

Had the snow changed? No. 

The snow I was scowling at through my window at home was the same snow I was admiring through the aircraft window. All that had changed was my perspective and my position; I was on my way to Barbados and the snow was no longer able to affect that. 

We choose how we react to situations and we choose how much power we give to external circumstances. We can choose to be defeated and slump in our sofas angry at what’s happening to us, or we can get up, push through and see the beauty in the challenge.

At this time of year when many of us make plans for the year ahead, the question I ask is not so much what do I want to achieve, but what needs to shift in me, what new perspective or position do I need to adopt in order to fly above challenges that come my way and focus on where I’m headed to and the destination that holds a reservation for me.

Anny uses personal experience to write content that inspires and encourages others. She is the Author of The Worst Book I'll Ever Write and has her online home at www.annyonline.com