Why 'Zooming Out'?

This is how I try to see the world

The name “Zooming Out” comes from the fact that, in my work, I try to look at the bigger picture and consider a wide variety of perspectives before I figure out where I land on any subject.

It also comes from all the times I ask my kids to zoom out and try to see what may be motivating somebody’s decisions or the way they behave, how different influences are woven together to create the way we think and feel, and to examine the potential consequences of what we do. In essence, I’m asking my kids to take a beat and try to see the bigger picture.

When I zoom out, I can see that most people I know — no matter how different they may seem on the outside — want the same general things for their kids: to feel loved, to feel secure, and to have a bright future full of choices. We just disagree about how to get there.

Zooming out gives us perspective and the chance to re-orient ourselves based upon our own moral compasses. It asks us to breathe deeply and to resist getting pulled into traps and echo chambers. It teaches us to see one another with empathy.

That’s why I chose this title. Because here I hope to offer zoomed-out perspectives on parenting, relationships & family equity and to hear yours in the comments, too.