29 March 2021 – Perception is Reality

Weekly Yes Quote

“Accept then act. Whatever the present moment contains accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against… This will miraculously transform your whole life.”

Eckhart Tolle

Weekly Reflection

Perception is a funny thing.

Perception, by Google definition, is the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through the senses.

I’ve been told by many sources conflicting information regarding your perception.

I’ve been told perception is reality – what people see and perceive about you is the reality. I’ve also been told the perception you hold of yourself is higher than how others may perceive you.

So, which is it? Which is true?

To a degree I believe both views are true, but more often than not I believe we need to consider why others may perceive us differently than we perceive ourselves.

We need to not get defensive, hurt, flustered, or combative when others tell us things they perceive about us. We need to step back, breathe, listen, and try to understand why we’re not being perceived as we perceive ourselves.

Recently I’ve had a falling out with a good friend of mine.

Over the course of the last six months or so I’ve reached out to him to no avail.

At first I thought maybe there was a communication error – like, maybe he got a new cell phone number, and he simply forgot to tell me.

Come to find out this was not the case.

Finally he felt comfortable enough to break his silence to tell me how he feels about me as a friend.

While this whole time I thought we had a carefree, fun relationship, I learned that his perception of me had become that of a moocher, taker, and non-contributor.

Wow…

I had to pause when I read the text message – that was definitely not what I was expecting.

At first I wanted to draft up a defensive message stating all of the things I’d done that negate his feelings and perception of me.

Re-read that sentence again… I wanted to negate his feelings and perception of me with information from my own perception of me.

My immediate gut reaction was to fix the problem by telling him he was wrong… think about that for a minute.

I am not him.

I cannot see myself as he can see me.

I am only me.

I can only see me through me.

Rather than jump to the defensive, I took a deep breath and put myself in his shoes. I considered what he’s been through recently and where there may be some validity to his words.

And, truth be told, there was some validity to his words.

We’re not perfect humans – I’ll readily admit this fact any day of the week.

But, while I didn’t feel my actions warranted this labeling, I can see how some of my actions may have been perceived by him to justify the labeling.

I’ve since worked to make amends for how my actions have made him feel and to change the course of his perception of me.

My perception of me is that I am a provider, giver, and contributor.

However, perception can be reality – and in this instance the perception my friend developed of me put a rift in our relationship.

We’re such busy creatures that sometimes we forget to be appreciative of and devote time to those that matter dearly to us.

Life was never meant to be easy – if it were Adam and Eve would still be frolicking naked in the garden (totally joking, but you religious folks know what I’m talking about).

I want you to know that it’s okay if someone doesn’t perceive you in the same light that you perceive yourself.

But I also want you to know that you can modify the way others perceive you if it means enough to you.

No one is perfect.

No one is you.

No one knows how you feel even if you tell them how you feel.

The same is true with those you surround yourself with – you can’t truly feel how they feel even if they tell you how they’re feeling.

Weekly Challenge

How do you think others perceive you?

How do you perceive yourself?

Do you think others think highly of you, or do you think they cringe whenever you walk in the room or invite yourself to events?

Do you think highly of yourself, or do you dislike being in the same room as yourself or have a hard time being you?

If you have any negative thoughts whatsoever of yourself I want you to take a pause. I want you to take a deep breath in, hold it for a couple of seconds, and then let it out – all the way out. Expel all the negative energy you’ve just filled your being with.

Again, we’re not perfect.

I cannot say it enough.

WE – ARE – NOT – PERFECT.

But, we can adapt and become a better version of ourselves.

If you’re not satisfied with how you’re being perceived, then change the perception

You have the power to improve your life for the betterment of yourselves and others.

Challenge yourself this week to look at the way others may perceive you. If you like what you see, then great! Kudos! If you don’t like what you see, then devise a plan to change it.

Reality is constantly changing. Reality is not conrete.

We grow, we adapt, and we maneuver through life.

In this way you can make your perception of yourself a reality to yourself and others around you.

Care enough to take a crack at it?

Reminder to Just Say Yes!

As always, say yes to experiences that present themselves to you, which will enrich and further your life! Life is full of fun and wonder – don’t be stuck at home wondering what life could be like, should be like, would be like… drop that nonsense! Get out there, say yes, and never look back!

Click on the links below to follow me on my social media accounts, and definitely subscribe to the blog for more Weekly Yes Quotes to help set your intention to kick start your week.

I’d love it if you shared some of the ways this week’s quote has made you feel, and how you’re going to reflect inward and make the reality you perceive a reality others perceive!

We each have a unique journey, and I would love to share in yours.