Perception is Reality - And Our Reality Can Change

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” - Wayne Dyer.

We all have our perceptions about the world around us; some are positive, some are negative. Those perceptions that are negative can come into conflict with our enjoyment of life. For example, if my perception at my job is that I am stuck there and at a dead end in my career path, then I probably will not have a positive outlook on going to work everyday. If I do not enjoy going to work everyday, that negative energy may carry over into other aspects of life. If other aspects of my life are affected as well, then I may find myself falling into a rut, which can lead to symptoms of depression. All of this because of a negative perception of my job.

Unfortunately, we do not necessarily know we have a negative perception because they feel as though it is our reality. After all, our perception is in fact our reality. However, it is difficult to alter our perceptions if we are unaware they are in fact perceptions. How could we possibly change our perception if we do not know that is even an option?

In order to change that, we must begin to believe we control ourselves. The world is not in control of how you feel or act; you are in control. Once we are in control of ourselves, then we can begin to see what our perceptions really are. Instead of assuming we have one view of the world, we can therefore change our worldview according to our own specifications. Much like ordering off a menu at a restaurant, we have multiple choices of how to view the world around us.

In the previous job example, my vision of my career path is narrow because I am not aware I have other options on how to view it. I probably have a lot of pent up frustration and victim energy from my perception about my job. This leaves me feeling stuck and hopeless - no good! If however, I am able to believe I have control over how my world looks, I may be able to see this situation as an opportunity versus a problem. That opportunity may be taking on more responsibilities, finding a new position within the company, or finding a new job all-together. In this perception of the situation, I am presented with choices. Those choices are ones of positive energy, and lead to opportunities for growth that are new and exciting. All of this because of a positive perception change.

When we begin to have control over our vision of our world, we can start to recognize our reality is made up of many perceptions. We can therefore change the perceptions that no longer serve us. That is how we avoid allowing negative perceptions to wreak havoc on our lives. After all, what we can change for the better - will become better.