--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I needed to change the lens through which…" description: "\"I needed to change the lens through which I viewed everything familiar.\" — Gretchen Rubin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png" --- # I needed to change the lens through which I viewed… ![“I needed to change the lens through which I viewed everything familiar.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png) > “I needed to change the lens through which I viewed everything familiar.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing one's perspective can transform how familiar situations are perceived, leading to new insights. **In simple terms:** A new lens changes how you see the familiar. Key Takeaway Shift perspective to gain insight. Themes perspective change growth Mood inspirational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career challenges - personal habits - conflict resolution - creative work Key Concepts cognitive reframing mindset Questions to Reflect On - What lens are you viewing your life through? - How could a new perspective help you now? A Different Perspective Changing perspective alone may not solve underlying problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Lens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-lens-1261547/) [Familiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/familiar/) [Lens Viewed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lens-viewed-1743202/) [Lenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lenses/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-change/) [Viewed Familiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viewed-familiar-1743201/) ## Related quotes > [My mission is to change the way people see the world. Everybody has a perspective or a lens they see things through, and hopefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/my-mission-is-to-change-the-way-people-see-the-world-everybody-has-a/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The answers to our questions are everywhere; we just need to change the lens with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/the-answers-to-our-questions-are-everywhere-we-just-need-to-change/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [ \[It's\] the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality. And if we can change the lens, not only can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/it-s-the-lens-through-which-your-brain-views-the-world-that-shapes/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [“You couldn't argue the facts; you could only change the lens through which you looked at them".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-couldn-t-argue-the-facts-you-could-only-change-the-lens-through/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But Id missed the boat in rugby, I was stuck in a rut and I needed a change. I was lucky to have darts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerwyn-price/but-id-missed-the-boat-in-rugby-i-was-stuck-in-a-rut-and-i-needed-a/) [Gerwyn Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerwyn-price/) > [“Finding other methods to deal with what I feared in life, and how I perceivedmy own story, was now my new mission. First, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fearne-cotton/finding-other-methods-to-deal-with-what-i-feared-in-life-and-how-i/) [Fearne Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fearne-cotton/) > [Do I regret leaving Milan? I decided I needed a change. I needed to find new ideas, and that was the best thing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/do-i-regret-leaving-milan-i-decided-i-needed-a-change-i-needed-to/) [Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/) > [What is needed is not a change of circumstance, but a change of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/what-is-needed-is-not-a-change-of-circumstance-but-a-change-of/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [To all of the people along the way who hurt me, lied to me, betrayed me and broke my heart... You forced me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-smarty/to-all-of-the-people-along-the-way-who-hurt-me-lied-to-me-betrayed-me/) [Hemant Smarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-smarty/) > [“The implication was that either the people in the room needed to change their areas of knowledge and expertise or people themselves needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-s-grove/the-implication-was-that-either-the-people-in-the-room-needed-to/) [Andrew S. Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-s-grove/) > [I needed to change my name just to liberate myself and find out I could do it without walking into a Hollywood casting office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-needed-to-change-my-name-just-to-liberate-myself-and-find-out-i/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [We'd been on Geffen for a long time, and I think we felt that we needed a change. I just don't think we felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-d-been-on-geffen-for-a-long-time-and-i-think-we-felt-that-we/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Physically, I definitely needed to change some things, get fit and get in position where I could be consistent without injury, and I've put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-fish/physically-i-definitely-needed-to-change-some-things-get-fit-and-get/) [Mardy Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-fish/) > [When I found out that I had a baby on the way it changed my mind and my whole way of thinking. I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nle-choppa/when-i-found-out-that-i-had-a-baby-on-the-way-it-changed-my-mind-and/) [NLE Choppa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nle-choppa/) > [I've never felt like I needed to change...I've always thought, 'if you want someone different, pick somebody else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-never-felt-like-i-needed-to-change-i-ve-always-thought-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I needed to change the lens through which I viewed everything familiar.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-which-i-viewed-everything-familiar/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-which-i-viewed-everything-familiar/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93c/gretchen-rubin-867_change_i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-whic_1767002.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I needed to change the lens through which I viewed everything familiar.” — Gretchen Rubin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gretchen Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I needed to change the lens...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-which-i-viewed-everything-familiar/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-needed-to-change-the-lens-through-which-i-viewed-everything-familiar/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```