Perspective

Two weeks ago, Andrew Jacobs posted a question on LinkedIn about 'catchphrases' and what we thought our catchphrases would be... (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrewjacobslnd_catchphrases-i-was-thinking-about-the-activity-7224380929857748992-SBde?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop ).

My answer was immediate and probably came as no surprise to him or some of his other readers.

It was this.

#LookUp (but you knew that already!)

And only a few days later, facebook reminded me of a post I did some 8 years ago, wherein I ‘cartooned’ the same catchphrase

So, if that’s my catchphrase, what does it mean?

Quite frankly, it’s in the eye of the beholder. If it resonates for anyone else, it’s probably related to their own personal or professional situation and experience.

For me, it means lifting my eyes up from what’s immediately in front of me, looking for other, wider perspectives.

My Instagram account’s full of photos looking up. I’m an armchair astronomer and satellite watcher. I’m nosy. If I’m out walking, be it in town, country or seaside, I’m always checking out the upper levels of buildings, the cloud patterns in the sky. If I’m visiting a National Trust or other heritage building, I look at the turrets and roofs from the outside and the ceilings and stairwells from the inside.

And I learn new things.

As a physical act, looking up requires me to shift my focus, from what’s directly in front of me, transitioning through to the distance ahead and onward up to the roof, the treetops and/or ‘the heavens’.

Spending much of my time, as I still do, in front of the laptop, taking a break from the close-up view (which is physically tiring on the eye muscles) relaxing them and looking into the distance and up is important. That very act invites reflection, a pause, an adjustment of perspective – and often presents some new insights.

You might also have noticed that sometimes ‘Look Up’ becomes ‘#LookUp’. It’s been one of my social media hashtags for years now. And it seems I’m not the only one – many people have posted on different social media channels using #LookUp as their hashtag.

Try searching for the #LookUp hashtag on your SoMe channels of choice and be inspired by others’ different perspectives. And maybe share a few of your own.