Flip your perspective!

Do You Ever Flip Your Perspective/s?

‍The Unexpected Benefits of Turning Problems Upside Down.

If you are stuck on a problem, and unable to see a way forward, try changing your perspective.

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Yesterday, while stretching on lush grass in Bali, I found myself doing a (semi) shoulder stand. I am not very good at this, but the attempt stretched my lower back, which was fabulous... AND to my surprise, I noticed the most stunning flowers that I hadn't seen from that perspective before.

This simple act of inverting my view opened my eyes to a beauty I'd overlooked, and it got me thinking about how we approach challenges in business and life.

The Power of Physical Inversion
Turning yourself upside down isn't just a fun yoga pose; it can have profound effects on your mind and body:
Increased blood flow to the brain, potentially boosting cognitive function. It also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reducing stress.

Applying this to Problem-Solving...is what popped to mind for me.
Just as physical inversion can change our view, mental inversion can transform how we approach problems.

• Reverse the Problem: Instead of asking "How can we increase sales?", try "What if we wanted to decrease sales?" This counterintuitive approach can reveal hidden obstacles and opportunities.
• Change the Constraints: If you're struggling with limited resources, ask "What would we do if we had unlimited resources?" Then scale those ideas back to fit your reality.
• Shift Your Role: Imagine you're advising a friend facing your problem. What would you tell them? This distance can provide clarity and new insights.
• Breaking Away from Your Desk
  While we can't always do a headstand in the office, we can still benefit from changing our physical environment to stimulate creative thinking:
  eg. I love having a 'walking meeting'; I ask people to always stand and draw on a whiteboard when we are 'brainstorming ideas'.

My Bali Insight
By changing our physical state, we can unlock new mental states and perspectives. Next time you're facing a challenging problem, try turning it (or yourself) upside down. You might be surprised at the fresh insights and opportunities that come into view when you flip your perspective.

#FlipIt #PlayWithTheOpposite #LateralThinking #BouceForward

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