5 . Reflect on what people would say about you. Are you happy
with what they might say? What might you need to change now
to change what will be said then?
6 . Conclude with the resolve “I shall always live my life with
purpose. Time never remains still, and it’s up to me to use my
time in the most meaningful way. I shall live in harmony with
my deeper aspirations so that when my final day arrives I will
be able to leave with ease and without remorse.”CULTIVATING THE EIGHT PILLARS OF JOY
Perspective—A Self-Distancing Practice
Many of the practices already offered are useful for cultivating
perspective. Meditative practices work to shift our perspective from our
reactive emotional brain to our more reflective, more evolved higher-
brain centers. Getting a “wider perspective,” as the Dalai Lama calls it, is
possible by stepping back from our situation to see the bigger picture.
Scientists have called this practice “self-distancing,” and it allows us to
think more clearly about our problems, as well as to reduce our stress
response and our negative emotions. This broader perspective also allows
us to get beyond our own limited and immediate self-interest and into a
perspective that takes into account the interests of others. As the
Archbishop says, it allows us to see what serves all of God’s children
when we are taking this “God’s-eye” perspective. This ability to go
beyond our own self-interest is essential for any good leader, whether of a
nation, an organization, or a family.
1 . Think about a problem or situation that you are facing.
2 . Describe your problem as if it were happening to someone
else—using your name rather than the words I, me, or mine.
3 . Imagine this problem from the perspective of a week, a