“Perspectives” is offered as a collection of short pieces of advice, thoughtfully and generously provided to us by a diverse set of contributors, who were asked “what advice would you give your younger self?”
Watch for updates as we continue to compile!
Just for a Short Time
We are only here for a short time –
Some for long, some for a day.
We must do everything in our own way
But whatever we do it must be for all, not just for one.
(Jon Vickers Jones, with the poet’s permission)
The mistakes you make appear much larger to you than they do to others and cause you more distress than is felt by others. The well-studied phenomenon of the spotlight effect is the tendency for people to overestimate the degree to which others pay attention to them (for example, people feel self-conscious when dining alone in a restaurant, when in fact research shows that other diners don’t even notice them). The spotlight effect applies to our mistakes as well. We all make mistakes, which can be opportunities for learning and personal growth. When encountering our inevitable missteps, it’s best to avoid dwelling on them and move on! Albert Einstein reminds us that “No one does anything right in life, until they realize that they are making a mistake”
I wish someone had told me…that the map of a person’s future passions, interests, and capabilities includes considerable uncharted territory. People often “someday” find themselves involved in careers, hobbies, social circles, reading interests, etc. that their earlier self would not have imagined. People can “someday” find themselves demonstrating considerable competency in roles or pursuits they either thought they would never be interested in, or assumed they had no aptitude for. Only through exploration do we get closer to understanding what eventually may truly fascinate us or provide us with satisfaction. Only through trial and discovery (and occasionally failing) do we find out what we are genuinely capable of.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
We’re guessing that USAF Lt Col Christine Mau probably doesn’t sweat the small stuff (photo by Staff Sgt. P. Thompson)
Be kind to everyone, always.
Photo by Roger Rössing