Hard To Find

You can’t buy it, many people don’t have it, and it can be difficult to find, specially when we get older. But it’s imperative that we get it to make life more meaningful.

Perspective. 

That’s what the book When Breath Becomes Air gave me. A Better Perspective.

10/10. I highly recommend When Breath Becomes Air. Full disclosure, I cried like a little baby while listening to this. You’ve been warned, it gets sad but oddly enough in a good way.

When Breath Becomes Air Teaches Us About Growth

There’s a moment in When Breath Becomes Air when Paul Kalanithi, as a child, first sees how the underprivileged live. It stays with him. It changes him. That experience, that shift in perspective, becomes a foundation for how he sees the world—how he approaches his work, his relationships, and ultimately, his own mortality.

We all need those moments. Heart-wrenching moments.

The thing we should be looking for—more than success, more than certainty—is a better perspective. A better perspective on life, on people, on our work, on our families. But how do we get there?

Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes

A better perspective doesn’t come from staying comfortable. It comes from stepping outside of what we know, outside of what feels easy or safe. It comes from seeing the world through another’s eyes—feeling what they feel, living what they live, even if just for a moment.

It’s easy to go through life on autopilot. To do the same routine, talk to the same people, think the same thoughts. But we grow in the unfamiliar. We grow when we’re faced with something we’ve never done, never seen, never even considered. And the more diverse the experience, the more memorable the moment. This is why purposely driving a different way home from work is good for you! (Thank you Chip for that insight!)

Over time, these moments shape us. They make us who we are.

Finding Perspective in Everyday Life

You don’t have to travel across the world to gain perspective. You just have to be willing to look beyond your own experience.

• Read books that challenge you. Stories like When Breath Becomes Air force us to think beyond our own lives and our own problems. They remind us what it means to be human.
• Talk to people outside your bubble. Different backgrounds, different beliefs, different experiences—every conversation holds the potential to change how you see the world.
• Put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Try something new. Volunteer in a place you’ve never been. Listen instead of speaking.
• Let yourself feel. Watching a movie that makes you cry is good for the soul. It means you’re connected to something bigger than yourself.

Why Perspective Matters

The more we seek out new perspectives, the more we grow—not just in knowledge but in empathy. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about understanding.

Paul Kalanithi’s life was cut short, but his perspective lives on. His words remind us that life is fragile, that time is precious, and that what we choose to see—who we choose to become—matters.

So go. Read the books. Have the conversations. Watch the movies that make you cry. And most importantly, step outside of yourself. Because that’s where growth begins.

Won’t you come find some perspective with me?