Perception is Reality

How people see you, how they perceive you, is in fact what you are . . . to them. Okay, this part I could care less about, after all, let’s face it, I live in an RV.

To most people, at first glance, I am destitute, or one step above being destitute, but still a pathetic person who just can’t seem to get my act together. 

Yet, it is also how you see yourself, and the world which is your reality as well. How you see things, how you perceive them is in fact what they are . . . to you.

Your Perception is influenced by your Outlook.

Your Outlook is influenced by your Experiences.

Your Experiences are influenced by your Perception.

As you can see, this is a self-feeding cycle, which can either take you up into positivity, or drag you down into negativity. 

It really is your choice. Let me explain. 

What has happened to you and how they have affected you, influences or colours the lens through which you see the world. 

That “Lens” is your Outlook.

What you see through that lens is your “Perception.”

What you file away as what “actually happened” is your “Experiences.” 

Let’s say that you were bullied as a kid, or some large traumatic event happened to you. As a result of this you start to see the bad in the world, the bad in people.

You start to notice how people are being mean to you (even, and especially, in small ways). Even if that is not what is actually (as in, in reality) happening.

This perception of everyone is out to get you, to cheat you, affects how you continue to see the world and how you interact with people. 

This can then lead you to behave in an overly sceptical or suspicious manner, which causes people to pull away from you. 

This only serves to further entrench your belief that people are jerks who are out to get you. 

This then causes you to start to try to cheat others (Before they cheat you, of course). This cycle will continue ever further into the deepest depths of darkness.

The same cycle can happen in reverse and lift you up. You can start to see things better. 

You just have to decide to change what you are looking for, what you choose to see, as you go through the world.

How do you do that? You decide to look for the good things around you. You make a conscious effort to ignore the negative things that you reacted to before.

Furthermore, you stop yourself from getting angry over things that have no impact on your life. Why get angry over what is happening half a world away?

This is a cycle and an aspect that I struggle with daily, yet it is a struggle worth fighting. 

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!