From Military Mindset to Emotional Growth: PTSD, Perspective, and Responsibility

Seeing Problems Differently: Perspective, Responsibility, and PTSD

When I see something broken, I try to fix it. When I see a problem, I try to solve it. The one thing I always do is approach it from a different angle.

It’s always good to gain a fresh perspective. That can come from physically changing how you look at a problem or by discussing it with others. And when I say “others,” I don’t just mean professionals. Sometimes the most valuable insights come from people who have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

When I was in the military, I taught my guys to get as many perspectives as possible when searching for explosive devices. Whether lying down, standing up, kneeling, viewing from the side, or observing from a distance, changing your perspective could help identify a threat and find a solution faster. Different angles don’t just reveal the problem — they help solve it.

Take Responsibility in Your Relationship

Taking responsibility is not the same as taking the blame. I want to be very clear about that.

Taking responsibility simply means you understand why the other person is reacting the way they are. You start to understand their emotions, their values, and their way of doing things. Sometimes, it just means recognizing that your way of doing things conflicts with how they would prefer things to be done.

This doesn’t mean you’re wrong, and it doesn’t mean they’re right — and vice versa. In relationships, most of the time, no one is completely right or wrong. It takes work. It takes understanding. And it takes compromise.

It takes two to tango, right? Or… am I right?

PTSD and How We See the World

I find it very easy to see the world from other people’s perspectives.

PTSD often strips away many of our emotions and replaces them with — or leaves us operating from — a narrow range: guilt, sadness, and self-blame. I believe that with this loss comes an increase in empathy.

I still struggle to understand how I can feel so angry all the time — pushing people out of my way — and yet, when someone is down, feel an overwhelming need to help them back up.