20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.

We’re about 8% into the year 2020. As the new year approached, I couldn’t help but think about 20/20 vision. And although I may not be a soothsayer, I’ve had a hunch for quite a while that this year would be transformational.

Between work, school, domestic duties, taking care of ourselves and social media it’s easy to get caught up in our individual lives. While we’re able to talk to more people than ever before, instead of being open minded and understanding, we tend to want to force our beliefs on others. I suppose our cognitive biases are mostly to blame. But its time to step back and see the whole picture. As a wise man once said, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.”

Have you ever been in a situation so overwhelming you not only couldn’t see a way out of it, but you also couldn’t even figure out what was going on? Perhaps you’re a business owner unable to pay your employees or the rent. Maybe you started a new job and found out it was a terrible fit. Or after a well-visit, you found yourself amid a health crisis. In each of those moments, its hard to see past the every-day battles (the trees) and understand the grand scheme of things (the forest).

Perspective

While we may not be able to see the forest from the angle of a drone, we can stand 20 feet back. Sure, there may be one tree defoliated by gypsy moths. But if we stand 20 feet back, we’ll be able to tell if they’re all affected. A shift in our perspective is our ticket out of any situation.

I need to wear corrective lenses to have 20/20 vision. But by taking a step back and changing my perspective, this year I’ll remind myself to have 2020 vision.