The Art of Seeing Things Differently and The Power of Vujà dé

Many moons ago, I was in a relationship with someone who in hindsight, clearly wasn’t right in the head, but I couldn’t see why I was unhappy. I later realized there were two important reasons for this. One reason is that nobody is ever 100% bad. The other reason is that when you are too close to a problem, you can’t clearly identify it.

The process of trying to reflect on the root of my misery, taught me how to “vujà dé” (step back and see things differently). Graham Edwards touched on this in a recent beBee post and I would like to take this a little further with some practical advice (based on my experience) about how to look at things differently.

Vujà dé is not a real word but is used to describe the opposite of déjà vu. Vujà dé comes to you like an epiphany and you wonder why you never realized something before when it was in front of you all along. If you can master the art of vujà dé, then you can solve any problem (business or personal), move yourself toward positive change, break through boundaries and even change the world.

“I’ve got to change the air in my head.”
Me

This is something I find myself saying whenever I am frustrated. I discovered that moving out of the place I am in allows me to change my perspective. There are many ways to change the air in your head, but these are my go to activities:

Read: I find that reading non-fiction books about business, psychology, sociology or even self-help books can help me change my perspective. Opening your mind to new ideas and new ways of thinking will help you change your perspective and basically air out your head.

Focus on positive thoughts: Possibility excites me so I try to look at my life in terms of finding new opportunities. By shifting my focus from the negative things in my life and allowing myself to think about what is right and good in my life, I experience an energy shift which ultimately allows me to change my perspective which is of course, essential to facilitate those vujà dé moments.

Get exercise: Run, walk, swim, lift weights, etc. Do whatever you can to get your blood pumping, change your focus and clear your mind. Regular physical activity done in solitude works best for me.

PowerPoint affirmations: Some may find this quirky, but I have a PowerPoint presentation that I put together which contains, among other things, affirmations and goals which I use as a way to direct my focus to productive activities. When I do this daily, I find my life and business go more smoothly than when I neglect it. It is like a filter that catches life’s bullshit and changes my perspective instantly.

Focus on solutions:

“There are no problems; only solutions.”
My former boss

I had a boss who used to say this all the time. It makes perfect sense. Why focus on problems when you can focus on solutions? Dr. Wayne Dyer was known for saying, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” This is very true. Things are only ever as bad as we think they are. It’s all about perspective. Tell yourself a different story, do something new and make a decision to behave differently so that your new perspective presents new solutions and opportunities.

“Mastering vujà dé means making a concerted effort to open up your thinking so that you can flip your standard perspective and force a new point of view.”
Me again

Open your thinking: Opening your thinking also means having to consider that someone else may have a solution or perspective that you never thought of. Your ego is your enemy. Allow yourself to be wrong. Accept that you may not have all the answers and that your own solutions may be imperfect. There is tremendous value in bouncing ideas off of people who are positive and helpful by nature. Look for a happy contrarian. If you have no one to talk to, then allow yourself to ask and answer a lot of unusual questions. Don't ask your normal questions. Think differently.

Dare to be different: If you want to go in a new direction and see different results, then you must embrace a willingness to not be like everyone else and do what all others are doing. Be brave in the face of criticism and complaint. Have the courage to forge onward. In doing so you will find that vujà dé is a transforming force.

Do you want to change your life or your business results? Learn to vujà dé.

About me:

I am a former public relations professional, adult educator and published author. My life experiences have been rich and have led me to the work I am doing to bring success and fulfillment to people all over the world. 

I believe that nothing works well in life if we are not in vibrational harmony with our inner being. Self-destructive behaviours, self-sabotaging behaviours, anger, and control issues indicate that there is a disconnect between the outer self and the divine inner self. Once you heal that relationship, you will discover your career, your business, external relationships, your health, and overall wellness will improve dramatically. Please visit my website at www.reneecorimer.com for information about what I do and to reach me for support with your goals.