Ever notice that virtually anything looks more interesting in slow motion?

Making that slight alteration to a video often makes what you see look and feel poetic. Sometimes, it’s just giving you a view of something that moves too fast to really process. Other times, it’s just a slice of life.

The same thing can be said for speeding things up (wait till about 30 seconds in). Look at a birds eye view of the streets of New York and you’re most likely bored. Speed it up to the point where people, cars and lights whiz by at a frenetic pace, and it’s suddenly poignant—I see cityscape scenes like that to be a symbol of the rat race. A race I don’t want to join but feel compelled to participate in.

Yet, I still find it beautiful.

The simple art of changing our pace—or our perception of pace—takes us out of the present and into a different psychological space. It jolts us out of our complacent state of normalcy. These slight changes of perspective are important—not just as an act as visual entertainment. They convey lessons for how we should live our lives. Because, for a brief moment, they wake us up.

Do you need to wake up? Make a change. Change your viewpoint. Change your pace. Change the way you normally interact with those around you. Change the way you use your body. Change the music you listen to. It can even be something minor. It doesn’t have to be seismic.

If you feel like you’re in a rut. If you need to change your perspective. The solution is simple.

Slow down. Speed up. Pivot.