I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and have been so lucky to see many new places. I typically plan out destinations and have a clear idea of what I will be seeing on my travels – I find comfort in having knowledge of a particular region before I arrive. I am starting to realize sometimes I set expectations for the places I go that affect the experience I have within them – I know I can’t be the only one who does this from time to time.

I flew over the Grand Canyon reflecting on how different it looked when I was on the ground. I knew it was on the path during my flight but wasn’t sure if we would fly directly over it. It just popped out of the blue, demanding attention and could not be missed.  A few months ago I was standing on the ground, looking over the canyon on a muggy and foggy day. I could not see much. I was on a road trip across the west exploring different areas, and I was slightly disappointed that the canyon was not as “grand” as I expected. While I was able to see it’s beauty, the open landscapes and vast views I was expecting were clouded over by a thick layer of smog. I had researched so many photos and had such high expectations, and felt pretty let down when I arrived. It was pretty, but I did not understand the vastness. My perspective was skewed – I took a cynical approach leaving the park and told myself that I would see better things along the rest of my journey.

But let me tell you – seeing the same landmark from a few miles up made all the difference. I’m currently writing on the plane and was almost moved to tears seeing the canyon come up in the view out my window. I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed such a contrast in my own perspective – the vastness and depth of the canyon was more than evident. How on earth did I miss this before?! I feel so foolish for overlooking this the first time I arrived. I was so quick to leave and move on.

Do you ever miss something and realize later it was right in front of your face the entire time? Travel has a funny way of reminding me that sometimes I overlook things in pursuit of what’s next. There is an unspoken virtue of missing some of the earth’s splendors through a different lens as you remember you are still set out to seek other views. Take a deep breath, look around you, and understand my current perspective. What are you not seeing? Has your mind clouded the way you are interpreting the world?

I’m learning it’s not that our expectations are unreasonable or let-downs in our lives, it’s the perspective we take into situations, places, or relationships that lead us to believe things are not as they should be. Every viewpoint we have prevents us from seeing in a different way. Can you take a different viewpoint outside of your expectations for different areas of your life? It is easier said than done to step outside of your perspective and find a way to alter it, but I believe we can learn so much more about ourselves and the world by doing so.