It’s a philosophical question we’ve all heard.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

In fact, I’ll bet you have not only heard it…  you probably long ago labeled yourself as someone who sees things one way or the other, haven’t you? I know I did at one time.

One night as I was kayaking on the ocean, though, I decided my answer had changed. And it was entirely different than what you might expect.

The moon was visible that night, and for some reason, I looked at it in more detail than I usually do.  People would have called it a half moon, but I saw the outline of the other half as well. And it hit me:

It wasn’t a half moon. It was a full moon, half lit up.

Clearly, this is something I knew intellectually. But its metaphorical significance hadn’t dawned on me until that moment.

Boom. Just like that, my perspective changed.

The glass is always full.

The problem is: We don’t always appreciate how powerful this realization can be.

Spiritual leaders have often told us that the universe is perfect. It’s complete and whole in itself. It doesn’t need to change. Instead, we need to change; we need to raise our awareness so that we can better understand and appreciate the true wonder of the world.

In fact, it’s not just that the glass is full; it’s that it can be much bigger than we realize. We’re not constrained by any “glass” that we’re presented with – we get to choose how we view, measure, and interpret every aspect of our lives. Why would we cede that decision to anyone else?

We get to make these decisions. Our choices are infinite, and our potential is almost always much greater than we realize.

The hitch, of course, is that we’re problem-solving creatures. We would be in big trouble – and truthfully, would probably not still exist as a species – if we did not instinctively identify threats and issues. If we see the glass as always full, though, then we can see the problems themselves as opportunities to grow.

Think of it from a business perspective: When entrepreneurs find a problem in the marketplace, they know they’ve also discovered an opportunity, because that problem means there is a potential solution that people will clamor for. The bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity. So why limit our appreciation to life’s joys, satisfactions, and gifts? Why not also appreciate our frustrations, losses, sorrows, and mistakes, since that is where the biggest advances may be found?

I’m not saying it’s easy. This approach requires a fundamental reframing – essentially, recognizing and discarding perspectives that don’t serve us well and choosing to create new ones that promote a healthier view of life.

The point is not to look at everything with rose-colored glasses — it’s to realize that even our perceived problems are part of a perfect whole. After all, we can learn and grow from every experience. Therefore, every experience is an opportunity to see the glass of life as full to the brim.

We can choose the most elevating perspective at every moment, as if our happiness depended on it—because it does.