As a creative..especially a creative writer, perception vs. reality is always at the forefront of my mind.
It’s the active agent that fuels me as a writer.
My innate ability to empathize, seek to understand, approach with compassion, and place myself in other people’s shoes, serves me, and it serves me well.
I’m realizing that it’s an unfortunate dying art, to detach from internal ideas and perceptions about people or things, once you believe whatever it is that you believe.
Yet, having the tools to detach is crucial to unlocking deep connectivity within yourself, and in turn humanity.
Reality becomes what you continuously follow through with.
Perception is how you present it to other people, commonly to get the other party to see your point of view.
I’m sorry, but I have to state the obvious here, and loudly for the people in the back..
Perception is not reality.
And though this can be a hard truth to face more often than we admit, it’s so true.
Just because you think that something is the case, you think you know how someone operates, you think you know why someone does certain things..doesn’t make it true, valid, or factual… it only makes it your opinion, it only makes it your perception.
It’s all assumption-based or historical.
Historic because people should be growing daily. Change, shifts, and transitions are inevitable in life, so nothing is as it was before even if you think it is (perceive it to be.)
Assumption-based because if you haven’t done your research or blatantly asked, you don’t know.
It’s imperative to be honest with yourself, state the facts, speak from places of full context, consistently self-reflect, take accountability, and most importantly be still and listen.
Why?
Because those simple things will take you a long way.
I think people forget that the energy you put off is what will circle back around. And not being vulgar doesn’t mean you aren’t being rude, demeaning, or disrespectful. The art of the written and spoken word is lethal; it’s meant to cut and mend respectively, when and where it needs to.
If you are in a situation and you are battling with what you should or shouldn’t do, here are some things to keep in your back pocket :)
Don’t be the person to blame.
Don’t be the one to gaslight or subtly belittle because your perception of reality doesn’t align with theirs.
Don’t be the person to point fingers.
Don’t be the person to contradict.
Life is multidimensional.
It’s happening to us fast and all at once.
New epiphanies, discoveries, growing pains, new mercies, disasters, and experiences are forming by the millisecond.
Extend grace, protect your peace, and know the value you have.
I encourage you to expand your mind and realm of possibilities for everything happening and the manner they’re happening in your life right now.
Sit with it, get comfortably, uncomfortable with it, and then use it as ammunition to continuously grow.
Don’t be off-putting, arrogant, or selfish to think or assume that the world could, does, or ever will revolve around you, your feelings, and your problems.
It’s an art to learn yourself.
It’s an underrated art to unlearn yourself just to piece together fresh concepts, mindsets, and ideas that keep you from being stagnant.
Do us all a favor, but most importantly yourself, and keep an open and expansive mind.