And your experiences and exposure to other views has a way of influencing yours — not always for the better. From our own experience, we know how it can help to read through life perspective quotes written by those who’ve learned to hit “refresh” on their outlook. With that in mind, we’ve curated this collection of quotes about perspective to help you heal and refine yours. Because cynicism shouldn’t be anyone’s go-to mentality, but neither should blind optimism.
How Using Quotes on Perspective Can Improve Your Life
You’ve undoubtedly heard the old aphorism about seeing the glass half full. Though simple, it’s a powerful touchstone when contemplating perspective. Because we are what we think. We’re not suggesting you adopt a toxically positive mindset; that’s just as damaging as living in a suspended state of cynicism. Acknowledging and accepting the full emotional range is vital for maintaining good mental health. But it never hurts to shift your perspective when navigating rough seas. The trick is being able to slide into a more advantageous lane quickly. And that’s where change-of-perspective quotes come in handy. Reading, sharing, and contemplating words of wisdom helps us:
Stay focused on the goal at hand (changing perspective)Expand our philosophical palateFeel better about the world around usEffectively communicate complicated sentiments conciselySee our problems in a more realistic light
They’re also highly motivating, making them great temporary mantras and affirmations.
31 Powerful Perspective Quotes to Shift Your Mindset
- “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” ― C.G. Jung
- “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” ― Aldous Huxley
- “No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.” ― Ansel Adams
- “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.” ― Martha Graham
- “Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.” ― Irving Berlin
- “Dream delivers us to dream, and there is no end to illusion. Life is like a train of moods like a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many-colored lenses which paint the world their own hue. . . . ” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” – William Blake
- “If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you will see obstacles.” – Wayne Dyer
- “What is behind your eyes holds more power than what is in front of them.” – Gary Zukav 11. “It is entirely possible that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we are unaware.” – Albert Einstein
- “We must look at the lens through which we see the world, as well as the world we see, and that the lens itself shapes how we interpret the world.” – Stephen R. Covey
- “Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world.” – Hans Margolius
- “The optimist sees the donut, the pessimist sees the hole.” ― Oscar Wilde
- “I am still determined to be cheerful and to be happy in whatever situation. I may be, for I have also learnt from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions and not upon our circumstances.” – Martha Washington
- “And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy, by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche 31 Good Mottos to Live By for a Stellar Life 100 Of The Best Inspirational Quotes And Sayings Of All Time 99 Of The Best Motivational Quotes For Students
- “Look at everything as though you are seeing it either for the first or last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” ― Betty Smith
- “The moment you change your perception, is the moment you rewrite the chemistry of your body.” – Dr. Bruce H. Lipton
- “One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” ― Tim Burton
- “Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be.” ― George Carlin
- “Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” ― J.M. Barrie
- “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ― John Lubbock
- “The trick to forgetting the big picture is to look at everything close up.” ― Chuck Palahniuk
- “If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and adore.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Child, you have to learn to see things in the right proportions. Learn to see great things great and small things small.” ― Corrie Ten Boom
- “Once you put everything in the right perspective, even bad times can be an opportunity to refresh your appetite, your desire.” — Alex Zanardi
- “It’s not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities.” — Kristin Armstrong
- “A little perspective, like a little humor, goes a long way.” — Allen Klein
How Will You Use These Perspective Quotes?
Now that you’ve looked through these quotes about seeing things differently, which ones will you keep handy to refresh your mind when you’re feeling down? Which ones do you find most motivating, reassuring, or insightful? Thanks to sites like Cafe Press, you can turn a favorite perspective quote into a mug, a t-shirt, or something else you’ll use regularly. You can also use a whiteboard or sticky notes. And don’t overlook their value as potential journal prompts. Find those that speak to you, and make them your own.
