5 Meditations for Fresh Perspective

Gaining a new, fresh perspective is often labeled as something that’s done solely to solve a problem. Think taking a break from work or studying, or immersing yourself in a movie, book, or travel to expand your mind.

But when you consistently practice meditation to shift your perspective — in other words, consciously disrupt your habitual way of seeing things — you create a new state of being that’s open-minded and present to all possibilities. In doing so, you brighten your inner vision to choices and decisions that may be better aligned with your values. Not only can you clear confusion and get unstuck, but you can also develop greater resilience, improve relationships, and enhance self-trust.

Guided meditation offers many ways to gain a fresh perspective, no matter what challenges you’re facing. Join a practice (previously streamed live) with one of our teachers to experience the benefits of having a fresh perspective.

1. Transform Obstacles Into Opportunities

What if the challenges you face could be explored as opportunities to develop your innate wisdom and insight? Meditation Teacher Santy Wang offers this guidance in a visualization meditation called GOALS, which has its origins in a Tibetan Buddhist practice called Future Refuge.

In this meditation, you’ll invite your future self — the one who has attained all your dreams — to sit with you right now and help you gain clarity on a current obstacle. “Whatever arises in your mind, trust that instinct,” says Wang. “We’re here to play and explore and develop our wisdom.” In doing so, you can unearth hidden teachings and new perspectives in order to approach the situation in a different manner.

2. Embody Your Full Potential

For a boost in energy and feeling uplifted despite your circumstances, turn to your most essential companion — your body. The time we spend at computers or slumped in seats can take a toll on our spines. The good news is that by shifting your posture you can directly influence your mood.

“We can feel most dignified, aligned, and present when we sit up and stand up straight,” says Meditation Teacher Tatum Barnes. Unfurl yourself and experience the power of your posture through this guided meditation with Barnes. You’ll settle in and be guided through the energetic, subtle-body chakra system. 

3. A New Approach to Life’s Challenges

“We all have things in our life that feel like they’re blocking us from our deepest happiness,” says Meditation Teacher Sarah Blackburn. This could be an old, ingrained habit like procrastination or a problem at work, even though our working environment has changed.

Join Blackburn for a four-part guided meditation from Tibetan Buddhism to find a new approach to the blockers in your life. You’ll start by naming the issue, and then set a motivation for tackling the challenge — not just for you but for the benefit of others. Next, you’ll discover what you can own and take responsibility for so you can create a different result.

4. Taking in the Good to Know Natural Joy

If you feel like you’re wired to worry, you’re not alone. Meditation Teacher Lisa Kring assures you that this is part of the natural experience of being human, and a result of the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN).

In this meditation, you’ll learn more about the DMN and how to tame it by receiving the goodness in each moment and allowing the activity of the mind to recede into the background. By tapping into your senses, you can “feel into the warm and good heart that right now wants the very best for you,” says Kring, and emerge with sensations of natural joy.

5. Improve Focus with Positive Reinforcement

All of us feel scattered at times or unable to fully concentrate and focus on a task at hand. But over time, when we fail to keep our promises to ourselves, it can lead to shame, self-doubt, and self-loathing. But there’s good news. “It is possible to train your focus at your will, and to tame racing thoughts, get done what you intended to do for the day, and do it with some joy,” says Sarah Blackburn. “But it does require a little bit of training.”

Learn how to get in the zone by doing something radical — turning toward yourself with positivity whenever you catch your mind wandering in meditation. This leads to a fresh perspective that can help your subconscious mind feel good about yourself, sort of like training a puppy dog, says Blackburn. “You have to do it with treats. You have to do it sweetly.”