"Zoom Out" For a Better View of Your Life

You know those photos that grab your attention as you mindlessly scroll through your Facebook feed?  The ones that make you stop and scroll back up ... and click ... and save ... and change your cover photo?  I came across one of those the other day and reposted it with the comment: "This is where I LIVE!"

Here is the photo ....

Stunning isn't it?

Looking at this bird's eye view of my beloved Adirondack mountains filled me briefly with joy and a sense of wonder ... and then ... I came back to earth and saw this ...

Stunning isn't it? (actually, it's been worse)

My next thought was ... no, THIS is where I really live!  Here with the bin of tax receipts, the  unsorted mail, the school papers, the lists .. here in the "real" world.

But you know what? 

The truth is that I live in both places.  I live in the middle of the often-crazy mess and stress of raising a family and running multiple businesses AND I live in the middle of breath-taking, far-as-the-eye-can-see beauty and silence and splendor. 

So do you!

Sometimes we just have to take a few steps back in order to see the bigger picture.  If all you can see is the struggle right in front of you, life can feel small and cluttered and frantic with things that must be done.  But backing up even just a little changes the view.

Here is the view of my house if I go outside.

See ... my cluttered dining room table doesn't look so bad from this distance!

And if I were a bird and looked down on my house ... this is what I would see (thank you Google maps)

Not bad, eh ... I definitely can't see my taxes-that-need-filed from here

Fly a little higher  ...

From here, I can't see any of the things-that-keep-me-awake-at-night.  Instead, I see that my town, my county, my state are all part of a big beautiful country - filled with struggle, yes, but also amazing places to explore and infinite possibilities.

Now if I were this guy ...

This is what I would see ...

From here, I see even more beauty and hope.  I belong to an entire planet of beautiful people and places. When I see the world as my home, the problems and struggles of my own country seem smaller and my heart feel bigger as I send love to brothers and sisters around the globe.


And what if there's an even BIGGER PICTURE?

I think you get my point.

In the middle of a crazy day when your "close" life feels overwhelming, ZOOM OUT!  Just taking a few steps (or a few hundred steps) back can readjust your perspective.  Every one of the places you live is real.  Some may take your breath away with their beauty and others may make you want to crawl under the covers and hide.  But you exist in EACH PLACE at the same time, every single moment.  So you get to choose what you look at.

If you're not "feeling it" when you look at the dining room table, go outside!  Go higher.  Go farther.  Embrace more of the amazing place(s) you call home.  Allow the stunning beauty of it all to fill you with courage and purpose.


Yes, I still have to do my taxes, but I feel better now.  I live HERE! And THERE!  And I know that there is a bigger world and a bigger purpose calling to me!

YOUR TURN!  What "close-up" views feel overwhelming right now?  What bigger picture gives you courage and hope?  What purpose is calling your name?  Share below!

Here's to a beautiful view ...

Amy Jae