We moved to Dubai, where rental rates are quite high. We live in a good locality, but in a compact single-bedroom apartment with our two daughters. Space is always a concern—but what bothers me most is that we don’t have a balcony. Drying clothes has been a constant challenge.

With air-conditioning inside and scorching heat outside, opening the windows isn’t an option. Clothes take three to four days to dry, and by then, another load is waiting. I end up overloading the washing machine. Not surprisingly, we’ve had to get it serviced multiple times. The repair guys always say, “Don’t overload the machine.” And that’s where the blame game begins.

My husband blames me for damaging the machine. I blame him for the space constraints and not choosing a place with a balcony. We go house-hunting, looking for a better apartment in a good locality that we can afford—but nothing seems to work out. Some days pass with patience. Some with frustration. Some with heated arguments. This has been our reality for over two years.

Today, once again, the washing machine stopped mid-cycle. Clothes were left soaked. The repair guy quoted a high fee and said parts needed replacing. Another round of blaming seemed inevitable—but this time, something shifted. We paused. We sat down. We talked. And we truly listened. And in that moment, the solution became clear. We’ve now booked a washer with a dryer. Just like that, my biggest concern found a simple answer.

So many times in life, we keep chasing complex solutions to our everyday problems. We look for change in all the wrong places—when the answer might just be a shift in perspective or a small adjustment. I have realized now that for an apartment without a balcony, a balcony is not the only solution.

Is there a challenge in your life that simply needs a shift in perspective?