When my clients are feeling stuck with a challenge, and feel like they have exhausted all options and possibilities, often they are only seeing the issue through their own perspective and habitual thinking mode which for anyone can have its limitations. I have found that enabling them to shift their thinking frame to a different perceptual orientation is significantly effective in facilitating access to instant answers, deeper insights, hidden options, creative solutions and more resourceful ways of viewing the situation. If you or someone you are working with is struggling with a problem, challenge or conundrum, try one of the following ways of viewing it from a different perspective and see if it helps!
1. Pretend you have access to a time machine that could fast forward you to a time where the issue or problem was fully resolved. Ask yourself , looking back, what you did, leading up to that point to have solved the problem.
2. If the situation involves another person, put yourself "in their shoes", becoming them for a moment or become a "fly on the wall" looking down on the problem and ask yourself how the situation is different from this vantage point.
3. Ask yourself, what movie is your problem or situation reminding you of right now? How do you want the movie to end? What would need to happen to make it end that way? What character are you playing? Is there another character that you could be instead who would be more helpful in this situation?
4. Imagine that an "expert" in the kind of situation is there with you, and that you can ask them for their advice, ask your question and see what the expert has to say.
5. Imagine you are holding a "How-To Manual" in the subject field of your question or problem. Tell yourself that this book contains the answers to your problem and that when you open it, the answers will be right there. See yourself open the book and notice what it says - you may see a picture, words or you may even hear sounds. If the answer you receive requires clarification check the next page or imagine that there is another chapter that will have those answers or steps.
