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Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

09/10/2017
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“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” Aldous Huxley

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Studies have shown that 90% of error in thinking is due to error in perception. If you can change your perception, you can change your emotion and this can lead to new ideas. Edward de Bono
People spend time worrying about things they think they have to have and lose perception of what they do have. You can have all the money and material things you want. If you aren’t here to enjoy them, what good do they do? Eric Davis

Is Perception, Reality? Some would argue that it is… others would say it is only part of the full story NOT the story. When we talk about our point of view about a situation, we often tell it through our own lens; our truth, our perception and our reality. We defend our position with all our might and try very hard to make the other person wrong. While our point of view might have some gravitas, it is just that… our perspective about a larger truth. Even if we believe that our perception is the universal reality, it is not. Why not? Because we experience events somewhat differently, even so slightly. This is why we see a wide range of eye witness reports after an incident. Six people could watch a thief flee a robbery scene and will remember different details and give different interpretations of what happened. That is why such scenes are not always reliable and law enforcement seek additional methods for fact-finding.

How does Self-inquiry impact Perception? Self-inquiry is an important habit to develop because it forces us to look at ourselves and own our stuff. With self-inquiry, we begin to ask ourselves the tough questions about our perceived hurts and denials; if we are motivated to do the inner work in a sincere way, we begin to take into account our limitations in thinking, and we can reshape our goals and desires and become motivated to do /achieve a higher purpose. As we work through our understanding of how we view the world, we begin to accept that other opinions have weight and that we are NOT always right. Actually, we might even learn that there are 3 sides to every story; ours, yours and the “truth.”  Gradually, we  come to accept that  our beliefs, our biases and our training contribute to our final response to a situation, and, if we are parents, that it is important, from an early age, to expose our children to good habits, ethical standards and a sense of purpose. Since all we do is shaped by our experiences and perception, we can achieve more by learning to harness our best side and impulses. Below is a popular story I enjoyed reading as a kid. Even though the men are blind, they represent the myopia we all have when we are stuck in a rut with our opinions. All we see is our side of the conversation; to grow, we need to stay open-minded, fluid and flexible.

A STORY: The Parable of the Blind men and an Elephant
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: “We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable”. So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said “This being is like a thick snake”. For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, “elephant is a wall”. Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.
When the blind men had each felt a part of the elephant, the elephant’s guard went to each of them and said to each: ‘Well, blind man, have you seen the elephant? Tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?
MORAL: Our perception rings true to us but, it is subjective and not the totality of truth. Story version via Wikipedia

 

“It is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception and compassion and hope.” Ursula K. Le Guin

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Perception is created and twisted so quickly. Louis C. K.
When we shift our perception, our experience changes. Lindsay Wagner
If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

If perception is/is not reality, how does it impact what we believe? Since our perspective about life events are informed by our experiences and exposure, it is inevitable that our perception/beliefs are impacted by same. That is why we must be vigilant about our use of imagery and language to negate others.  For instance, the recent controversy over Dove’s use of a black woman in an ad showing her become white as she washed herself with their new Deep Moisture body wash was considered very offensive by many because it gave the unintended perception that if you wanted to look fresh, clean and beautiful, you needed to wash your dark skin color off. Sadly, the ad didn’t help with the photos Dove chose that showed the black model as the BEFORE and the white model as the AFTER the body wash effect photo. Such portrayals create a perception vs reality clash because they bring to the fore our sensitivities, painful history and unresolved issues around racial discrimination, marginalization and  group devaluation. Such portrayals encourage negative stereotypes to proliferate and remind us that stereotypical perceptions are problematic and fraught with negativity.  The impact of such a negative perception is powerful because it sends the wrong message to both the black community and children within that community.

On the other hand,  perception can have a positive impact when used to elevate us and our choices. When I was a kid, we moved quite a bit and traveled for my Dad’s job. As his career trajectory expanded, we moved to meet the demands of his success which came with perks and benefits. I loved some of it but not all, however, it was part of my reality and contributed greatly to my love of travel and need for change. As I grew older, I decided that while travel is a great way to expand our minds and connect with other cultures, I still wanted to have a home that didn’t change hands often for my own kids. I believed that having such stability would help build their sense of family and sharpen their confidence levels. We have lived in the same home for 25 years and my children grew up loving their home and finding the security that stability in that particular area can bring.  Even though my childhood housing experience took us from one grand home to the next (some with 9-10 bedrooms), there was always an unsettling feeling that we might have to move again so don’t get too comfy in this space. We did have a country home that we went to every Christmas holidays and I must say that the time I spent at our country home felt the most settled and secure. Kids need that continuity and sameness while growing up so, it is important for parents to try and perceive what their kids need from the kids not the parents eyes.

Has being motivated to make certain choices helped perception to meet reality? It has in so many ways and answers the question: Why do we believe what we believe? We do because our beliefs are informed by our personal history/experiences, they have worked for us and our choices, and they help us strengthen our resolve to keep it up. As we get older, we might veer from the path of our normative exposure but, most of us tend to stay true to our beliefs and resolve to act on them.  As a side note, today is Columbus Day and as many of you know, the jury is still out on whether Columbus discovered the Americas or if that was a reconstructed history that created a narrative that some now say isn’t entirely true.  When we want to discredit a group of people, we can reinvent stories that diminish their contributions while elevating the stories of the power brokers. We see this phenomenon at play everyday. So, who discovered the Americas? Does your perception stand the harsh light of reality?

Whether we like it or not, we are confronted daily to make educated choices about things that matter to us. It is our resolve to do A over B that shapes our character. It is the same resolve that gave the monk, in the story below, the insight about the ephemeral nature of material things and the greater value that comes from experiences we can enjoy again and again. Because of his steady practice of Zen, the Monk had released his desire for material things. The thief, on the other hand, had retained his perception that stuff = happiness. It’s all about our perception.

A ZEN STORY: The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. “You have come a long way to visit me,” he told the prowler, “and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.” The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow,” he mused, ” I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”

 

The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for SEPT/OCT 2017 are:

SEPTEMBER 

09/04 –   03 National Boyfriend Day, Labor Day, 05 International Day of Charity,
09/10 –   Grandparents Day, 11 Patriot Day/Sept 11, 15 National POW/MIA Recognition Day,
09/17 –   Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, 20 Navaratri, 21 Rosh Hashana, 22 September equinox
07/24 –   Gold Star Mother’s Day
09/30 –  Yom Kippur

OCTOBER 

10/01 – World Communion Sunday, Int’l. Coffee Day, Nigeria Indep. Day, World Vegetarian Day, 02 Child Health Day,
04 Feast of St Francis of Assisi, World Animal Day,  05 First Day of Sukkot, 06 World Smile Day
10/08 – 09 Leif Erikson Day, Columbus Day,  Indigenous People’s Day/Native Americans’ Day, 10 World Mental Health,
11 Int’l. Day of the Girl, Come Out Day, Sukkot ends, 12 World Sight Day, 13 Friday the 13th
10/15 – 16 Bosses Day, World Food Day, 19 Diwali, Spirit Day
10/22 – World Mission Sunday, 23 Mole Day, 24 United Nations Day, 28 St Simon/St Jude, Nat’l Chocolate day
10/29 – Nat’l. Cat Day, 31 Halloween

 

Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2017?

post-a-week-2017-md
– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.

BHWritingLab_052016_post_PROMPT1A

— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab

 

 

More Below!

“Every person has a different view of another person’s image. That’s all perception. The character of a man, the integrity, that’s who you are.” Steve Alford

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

Motivation Mondays: PERCEPTION

The problem is that perception is reality. John Rowland
There is no truth. There is only perception. Gustave Flaubert
The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure. John C. Maxwell

Is Life fair or is it about Perception? Two standard cliches come to mind: we have the belief that the grass is always greener on the other side because we can’t see the weeds and bugs, and, until we walk in another man’s shoes, we would never fully live or understand his life experiences. Both statements hold enormous truth but that is not the whole story either. Sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side and we have to fight for our equality or make peace with the difference. There are times when we don’t need to live another person’s experience to connect with their pain and suffering; our common decency, empathy and humanity connect us in ways that our lived experiences could never do. We just get it.

Where does Perception meet Reality? In an abundant world where Mother Nature has given us the ways and means  to feed and nourish each other, the inequities that continue globally are due to human greed and selfishness and that is not right. Warring factions and discriminatory practices send the message that some people are valued less than others. Not matter what our belief system is on the issue of poverty,  there is no justification to deprive people of the basics of daily living. No child should go hungry or be deprived of medical care in any country and specifically in a rich country.  If we all reach a place in our lives where our perception of our fellow man is one of equanimity, we have truly lived an abundant life.  What are your thoughts on the subject?

 

The Blind Man And The Elephant – Poem by John Godfrey Saxe via poemhunter.com
It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined,
who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),
that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,
against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
‘God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!’

The second feeling of the tusk, cried: ‘Ho! what have we here,
so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,
this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!’

The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,
the squirming trunk within his hands, ‘I see,’ quoth he,
the elephant is very like a snake!’

The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:
‘What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain,’ quoth he;
‘Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree.’

The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; ‘E’en the blindest man
can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!’

The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,
than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,
‘I see,’ quothe he, ‘the elephant is very like a rope!’

And so these men of Indostan, disputed loud and long,
each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,
tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,
and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!
John Godfrey Saxe

 

 

Have a Happy, Healthy 2017!

 

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Positive Motivation Tip: Our perception shapes everything we do, think bold, positive thoughts.

Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page:MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.

Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM

 

Related Posts

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos  PERCEPTION  via Pixabay, AND/OR via Wikipedia…

 

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

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from → Global Events, Motivation Mondays, Positive Advice, Posts & Photos 2017
117 Comments leave one →
  1. lavandamichelle permalink
    09/10/2017 5:17 pm

    No truer words, “Our perception rings true to us but, it is subjective and not the totality of truth”. My hubby and I are marriage mentors. We each sat with a partner of a couple. They told the exact same story, however, their perception was extremely different. I couldn’t fathom how one word turned into a full blown argument because of the way it was perceived. I am sharing this at church on Thursday night. I truly think this post will save a lot of marriages..

    Reply
    • lavandamichelle permalink
      16/10/2017 6:12 pm

      I was able to share this at my women’s Group and it was truly at ice breaker. We spend an additional hour talking about perception after we all read your post. They want to continue the discuss and have s series on it. Thanks again for a wonderful thought provoking post.

      Reply
  2. stylevicksen permalink
    09/10/2017 5:41 pm

    These are great photos! They fit the theme well. I think for many people, perception IS reality. There are many ways to see one thing, but I wholeheartedly believe we have to honor people’s perception, even if it’s different from our own.

    Nicole Vick

    Reply
  3. classyontherocks permalink
    09/10/2017 6:09 pm

    Perception is the key to everything. Whether you’re an optimist, pessimist, or realist how you perceive a specific situation or the entire world makes you who you are and impacts every decision you make and every interaction you have.

    Reply
  4. Ruth permalink
    09/10/2017 6:34 pm

    A Great start to my week. Thanks Elizabeth.

    Reply
  5. Saint Facetious permalink
    10/10/2017 12:46 am

    Working in a children’s company, we find it’s especially important to keep reminding the parents that everything children do do because they are in some manner imitating their parents. Such a hugely important lesson that I don’t think many parents today fully grasp.

    Love the Zen story, too. Very poignant message and kind of reminds me of all the people who get annoyed about beggars and how they would never give to a beggar for one reason or another.

    Reply
  6. Aine Mulloy permalink
    10/10/2017 1:22 am

    Interesting theories, definitely agree that self inquiry is important a little bit of elf discovery is always good

    Reply
  7. acraftymix permalink
    10/10/2017 2:23 am

    Fascinating Elizabeth. My son just introduced me to the philosophy of Parmenides and while I probably only understood a 10th of what he wrote his theory that the things we experience in the phenomenal world are all just the illusory perceptions of us mortals really got me thinking. Do our perceptions really alter reality or do they only alter “our own” reality, while the world around us remains the same no matter what?

    Reply
  8. Ana Ro permalink
    10/10/2017 4:42 am

    I like your point on not having to fully live the experience of another person to understand that we need to help them with having the same rights as we do. And thanks for the elephant story! I think I heard it long long time ago, it certainly rings a bell, and I was really happy to remember it.

    Reply
  9. Nyxloves permalink
    10/10/2017 4:43 am

    “The Parable of the Blind men and an Elephant”, I have never heard of this story before but it is so inspirational. I completely agree that perception plays a key role in every action or step we take. It is so important that our perception doesn’t come in between humanity and righteousness.

    Reply
  10. 조이 Czjai (@RebelSweetHrt) permalink
    10/10/2017 5:31 am

    Reading this post reminds me of one of my favorite lines from Macchiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ – “Everybody sees what you appear to be, but only a few experience what you really are”.

    Reply
  11. Sangeetha permalink
    10/10/2017 6:06 am

    I must be honest, lengthy posts scare me but yours was so motivating and inspiring. I definitely needed this. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  12. Tanvi Rastogi (@Tanviidotcom) permalink
    10/10/2017 6:10 am

    Perception and interpretation seems to be two sides of the same coin, by that logic I would think their concepts are true but probably not always factual. (Makes sense?!) What a great quote though – “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” Aldous Huxley

    Reply
  13. Better Way of Thinking permalink
    10/10/2017 6:20 am

    How we perceive things play a major roll in life. Just because we see something one way doesnt make it truth. Many people have their own views of other people, religion, society etc.

    Reply
  14. bethanyymac permalink
    10/10/2017 6:53 am

    Wow such a detailed and insightful post! Great work!

    Reply
  15. Stephanie Jeannot permalink
    10/10/2017 7:02 am

    You are so right. The things that we experience and how we proceed from them are all based on our perception. Is your cup half empty or half full. I like this.

    Reply
  16. Joanna permalink
    10/10/2017 7:29 am

    I like the story of the blind men and the elephant. And it is true, we only see what we perceive and if we don’t open our minds and don’t try to find answers to our questions, then we will only feel a leg, or the trunk of an elephant instead of the entire body.

    Reply
  17. Cia Black permalink
    10/10/2017 8:14 am

    I think it’s funny that you choose to write about perception, when if you asked 2 different readers what their perceptions of this post was you’d end up with two very different views. Your post always cause me to think and I think that’s why always find myself reading them more than once sometimes. And analyze the photos that you choose to use to go along with them. The Zen story is one I heard before or a a variations of it and to this day I still find it to be beautiful.

    Reply
  18. Kristine Nicole Alessandra permalink
    10/10/2017 8:41 am

    I love this post. When I was still working a corporate job, my strong personality was always put in a negative light. I am very vocal with my opinions and I am sure you know management disapproves of that. I was once labeled as having an attitude problem. Well, I sure said my piece. I responded with, “I do not have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.” 🙂

    Reply
  19. stephaniesherlock permalink
    10/10/2017 9:27 am

    What a resourceful page. I had a boss who would always tell me that perceptions were just as important as reality. We would have to look at how our actions were being perceive by the employees and we based our decision on these perceptions. We always wanted to be fair and impartial and ensure that our perceptions matched our intentions.

    Reply
  20. Ithfifi permalink
    10/10/2017 10:02 am

    Once again you’ve got my brain ticking away 🙂 Especially the thought of life being fair compared to persception. I suppose when you think about it persception is much like opinion’s which can never be clearly ruled wrong or right as it belongs to each person. I think a lot of the time it comes to weighing up the pro’s and con’s in life, like how you enjoyed the perks of your father’s travelling but from your experience you have given your children more stability. Its funny how we are shaped by experiences.

    Reply
  21. Tiffany Yong permalink
    10/10/2017 10:22 am

    I always like to use the story of the blind man and the elephant to that of religion too~ On how God show himself to people in different ways, ways that man can accept it~ And it applies in your case of perspective too!

    Reply
  22. Mike permalink
    10/10/2017 10:51 am

    Understanding how you are perceived is important, many times people can infer the wrong meaning behind your actions. Great post.

    Reply
  23. lexieanimetravel permalink
    10/10/2017 11:02 am

    What a great topic about perception, knowing the reality and our own reality perception indeed it’s a different dimension. We have our own lens, our way, our manner on looking the varios side of a story, situation, even images, or other things. Love reading your post!

    Reply
  24. Vanessa Delia permalink
    10/10/2017 11:22 am

    Perception is definitely based on the angle you’re looking at it from. I try my best to look at something from all angles before perceiving it in any certain way.

    Reply
  25. Kids on Tour - Autism without limits permalink
    10/10/2017 11:25 am

    I really liked the story about the blind men and the elephant. It explains so well about perception. I love that people have different perspectives on life and often try to work people out by learning about there perception of situations.

    Reply
  26. Courtney Blacher permalink
    10/10/2017 12:20 pm

    “When we shift our perception, our experience changes.” I totally agree with that, we are all responsible for our perception.

    Reply
  27. Ana De-Jesus permalink
    10/10/2017 1:16 pm

    I agree that self-inquiry is an important habit to develop, especially since it makes us aware of how others might perceive us or how we would like to be perceived. As you said it can be negative but perception can also be positive as well!

    Reply
  28. queerlittlefamily permalink
    10/10/2017 1:21 pm

    Perception is the reason I never answer those what if questions. I could never have the same perception of a situation asI would if I was in that situation.

    Reply
  29. chausadventure permalink
    10/10/2017 2:17 pm

    Hmmm this is giving me food for thoughts. I’m the kind of person who always think she is right…!

    Reply
  30. GiGi Eats Celebrities permalink
    10/10/2017 2:50 pm

    My husband sees the world far differently than me, but I love it because his perspective is so insightful and he feels the same when I give my perspective.

    Reply
  31. acheerymind permalink
    10/10/2017 3:04 pm

    How perception is based on who we are and what we have experience in life. I think it is great to all have different perception at least it is moments where we share knowledge and thougths with people. We don’t always need to be right or wrong!

    Reply
  32. Rebecca Swenor permalink
    10/10/2017 3:49 pm

    Perception is indeed reality to me. Our reality to me is what we make it. Thanks for sharing the great post and poem.

    Reply
  33. ashunexpected permalink
    10/10/2017 3:58 pm

    As someone who went to school to become an MFT perception is something we discussed at great length. It is definitely a challenging topic, with no cut an dry answer or explanation. The saying I like, that is along the same vein is, “They will not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.” this helps me quite a bit

    Reply
  34. Charlene Bullard - FaithtoRaiseNate.com permalink
    10/10/2017 4:15 pm

    It’s interesting because I had a discussion about perception with my students. One student had a perception of something that is not true or most likely didn’t happen. It’s hard to explain this to kids and sometimes adults.

    Reply
  35. Queens of Virtue permalink
    10/10/2017 4:49 pm

    Perception can be a good thing and a bad thing. Once we realize perception, isn’t reality, but how we perceive it…communicating can flow smoother!

    Reply
  36. Gladys S Parker (@momtograndma) permalink
    10/10/2017 4:58 pm

    Just today my daughter and I seen the same Fb picture of my grandson, her nephew eating at a spear of mango. I saw disaster, choking, maybe death. She seen a baby eating tiny sucked off pieces of healthy food.

    Reply
  37. melisasource permalink
    10/10/2017 5:20 pm

    Perception can surely be a powerful thing. I love all of the information and perspectives that you give here — very enlightening!

    Reply
  38. Aziel Morte permalink
    10/10/2017 5:36 pm

    Oh wow, This is really an awesome story and I enjoy to read this article. This is the first time that I heard about the Perception and this is really the informative post also.

    Reply
  39. Shubhada Bhide permalink
    10/10/2017 7:43 pm

    I love reading your article, a lot of beautiful quotes .Like this “Every person has a different view of another person’s image” some people judge others by their outfit or appearance,which is really wrong.Don’t judge others because we don’t know what’s behind them!

    Reply
  40. Melanie Poulos Walsh permalink
    10/10/2017 7:45 pm

    I had yet to hear the story of the blind man and the elephant, but it is a great model for teaching perception. With my children, I try to impress upon them to consider other perspectives. When you see things from another’s point of view, it’s amazing what new realities you will find.

    Reply
  41. Acupofassamtea permalink
    10/10/2017 8:08 pm

    Agree with what you have said perceptions play such a vital role in our lives. Have you thought about the experience of children who have grown up in one place through their childhood? They might lack the cultural and geographic exposure that you were able to gain. It is difficult to experience all in one single life, and so the difference in perceptions will sadly perhaps always remain.

    Reply
  42. Words of a Texas Nerd permalink
    10/10/2017 8:42 pm

    I’ve been of the belief that perception is called reality, as it is how others judge things. But most often, it is not the full story. They are judging based on what they see in their minds eye. And as the word assume is interpreted, “it makes an a$$ of u and me”

    Reply
  43. Adaleta Avdić permalink
    10/10/2017 9:59 pm

    I think your posts are incredible, so much detail and really allows you to think about perception, what it means to me and how it impacts my life!

    Reply
  44. Lucid Gypsy permalink
    10/10/2017 10:03 pm

    I’m struggling with a colleague right now and this is a very timely read, thanks so much.

    Reply
  45. Samantha permalink
    10/10/2017 10:31 pm

    The opening quote made me think of the saying “truth has three sides: yours, theirs, & the actual truth”. I think self-inquiry is very important. I put allows you to understand why you may feel a certain way, but also to be more empathetic to other views/preceptions.

    Reply
  46. Sian Lifts Weights permalink
    10/10/2017 11:20 pm

    I love that you consistently post deep and engaging articles that make you really think and contemplate how we view the world. Great post!

    Reply
  47. Erica Ardali permalink
    11/10/2017 12:35 am

    I had never heard the blinds nen oarable before, but I believe that it explains a lot. You see people often get in these huge arguments online with ppl they don’t know and will never meet based on their current beliefs system and the way they perceive an event. It is not always popular or even true but it is they way they perceive it to be. Mind blown. Never thought of it that way before.

    Reply
  48. Pooja Kawatra permalink
    11/10/2017 1:29 am

    Sometimes I feel the perception is an effect of people around us to make us think that way. Like that Dove ad with black women and showing her as white really gives a wrong message overall.

    Reply
  49. Thehyppomyselfthecat permalink
    11/10/2017 1:40 am

    This is a great suggestion. We should all ask ourselves constantly if our perception of things is real and how effects the others. Thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
  50. Ave Hla permalink
    11/10/2017 4:17 am

    What Eric Davis says is so true! We lose perception of important things in life by worrying about the things we don’t have. That’s why instead of buying things I prefer to travel and be thankful for the things I already have.

    Reply
  51. Jess permalink
    11/10/2017 5:39 am

    Being a Libra I always think I’m generally better at most than this, but you’re right we should take control over our own narrative. Weirdly I’ve been thinking a lot about this after watching the new Blade Runner haha!

    Reply
  52. London Mumma permalink
    11/10/2017 7:37 am

    Everyone’s perception and view of reality is different as you have stated in the first paragraph. Are perception are our own realities and emotions of life.

    Reply
  53. karlyn cruz permalink
    11/10/2017 8:20 am

    I think perception is what we want to see and what we choose to believe. You can look straight at something and look at it many different ways than another person simply because of the unique ways our minds all work. Life can be fair because it seems as if we are all trying to get to a specific point, but it can also be unfair because part of what makes us all human is that we like to argue about all the unnecessary jargon in life.

    This is so thought provoking! I could truly go on!

    Reply
  54. Amanda Krill permalink
    11/10/2017 8:22 am

    Such an accurate look at perception. As someone who always jumps to conclusions, I’m working on separating reality from my perceptions. It’s a work in progress for sure.

    Reply
  55. tararaquelfuller permalink
    11/10/2017 8:24 am

    this is a very intriguing and thought provoking post! i completely agree, everything is about perception. interesting fact on the percentage of errors based upon one’s perception!!

    Reply
  56. Sreekar Harinatha permalink
    11/10/2017 8:52 am

    Had read a similar post on waitbutwhy. As you rightly say perception cant be same for any two in the world. As you say warring factions and discriminatory practices send the message that some people are valued less than others and instill disharmony!

    Reply
  57. Keeping Up With Candy permalink
    11/10/2017 9:30 am

    Perception drives people’s behaviors everyday. What people perceive is usually what they believe, and this is based on what they hear, see and think.

    Reply
  58. Jack Jaleby permalink
    11/10/2017 10:13 am

    Yes !! true, perception is different when you the same thing from different angle some times mindset also matters (my view) , Good read

    Reply
  59. caroyanto permalink
    11/10/2017 10:40 am

    i think the most important thing in the life is our mind, we need prepare this powerful element for our body to do everything we need to do or we can to do, if you think positive you do everything you want

    Reply
  60. art4ever82 permalink
    11/10/2017 10:53 am

    Your posts are always so motivational and right on time for me. thank you so much!

    Reply
  61. Bhushavali permalink
    11/10/2017 10:55 am

    I’ve heard of the blind men and elephant story. Its indeed the very right example to explain the concept of perception. I like your way of dealing with perception in both positive & negative sides.

    Reply
  62. Alicia Taylor at Taylorlife.com permalink
    11/10/2017 11:07 am

    It is interesting how perception really changes from one person to another. Even morality is tinged with perception. Wars are fought over perception – and peace is made with it.

    Reply
  63. Hey Sharonoox permalink
    11/10/2017 11:16 am

    Beautifully written! This word perception is very deep indeed. I sit and ponder what it truly means. I would like to think of it as our ability to see and touch through our senses and beyond. Our brain is smart to draw us to play guess words.

    Reply
  64. Joline permalink
    11/10/2017 11:48 am

    I haven’t thought about that story of the blind men and the elephant in years. We studied that in school. And it still rings true today.

    Reply
  65. Liza Perry permalink
    11/10/2017 12:33 pm

    That was truly interesting. It makes us think of all the ways in which we experience the world around us. Thank you!

    Reply
  66. RonRon permalink
    11/10/2017 12:33 pm

    Love the poem you posted. Truly meaningful and deep. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  67. Zarina permalink
    11/10/2017 1:43 pm

    This is such a fascinating read, thanks for sharing! Definitely gave me food for thought on perception 🙂

    Reply
  68. Blair Villanueva permalink
    11/10/2017 2:39 pm

    We have different perceptions on things, which affects how we see life. The more we are openminded, the more we understand things clearly.

    Reply
  69. alisonrost permalink
    11/10/2017 3:53 pm

    I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic as of late. Recently I visited my daughter, who is now a grown woman with children of her own. As we talked and reminisced, it struck me how much each of our filters for seeing the world had changed. She now sees things from the past as an adult, and I now see them differently too. We still don’t always agree, but that’s ok. One day, I tell her, she’ll finally admit I was right! x

    Reply
  70. Jessica Hughes permalink
    11/10/2017 5:52 pm

    i’ve had times in my life where I realized that my perception and perspective on events were causing me to see an event or situation as more negative or upsetting than it really was. Once I was able to change my perception of that event, I could be more calm about it.

    Reply
  71. jhilmil permalink
    11/10/2017 6:34 pm

    It is really important to self inquire sometimes, earlier I used to give myself close to 15minutes a day to ask myself about many things I wish to, and I wanna start that again for a healthy and happy soul.

    Reply
  72. Courtney Andrews permalink
    11/10/2017 6:35 pm

    I love this post because Huxley is one of my favorite authors and your quote at the beginning is from one of my favorite books 🙂

    Reply
  73. Aditya permalink
    11/10/2017 6:49 pm

    Perception is something which defines every human.But if mixed with opinion, I feel perception sometimes ruin it. But it all depends on person to person

    Reply
  74. Ellie permalink
    11/10/2017 6:57 pm

    I love that quote that “life is fair it’s all a matter of perception”. There’s another quote I like that is relevant to this too: “the problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude towards the problem”… I think that was Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean but it works. 🙂

    Reply
  75. GingerGoose Boutique permalink
    11/10/2017 7:04 pm

    I just had a conversation about perception with someone today! It amazes me how what we think we see may not actually be what was seen, it’s all in how our minds translate it!

    Reply
  76. kalliamanika permalink
    11/10/2017 7:30 pm

    on the grass is greener on the other side, I believe that it is our perception. Many times we make things bigger than they are or believe if we were in a different position it would be better, but we need to be mindful and maybe even thankful for what we have.

    Reply
  77. Eileen permalink
    11/10/2017 10:18 pm

    For me perception does not speak of someone or somethings’ true self. It depends on how it affects us in a unique way. Just as I perceive iguanas as the yuckiest creature, others perceive it as the cutest pet.

    Reply
  78. rochkirstin permalink
    11/10/2017 11:53 pm

    I heard about the parable of the blind men and an elephant. It was actually my dad who told us about the story when we were little. He said that the moral is that we all have different perspectives of the same thing. This made me think about other things in reality.

    Reply
  79. Rhian Westbury permalink
    12/10/2017 1:35 am

    Perception is so self-reliant, and it’s amazing how different peoples perceptions of one thing change x

    Reply
  80. shubhadabhide permalink
    12/10/2017 6:05 am

    Our perceptions can be very different from the actual truth but most of the times, we tend to go with perceptions rather than seeking actual truth.

    Reply
  81. Sin Yee permalink
    12/10/2017 6:30 am

    Thanks for sharing the topic of perception. I learned about it during my uni. As a human, we sometimes will judge someone based on our perception. This topic remind us shouldn’t do that

    Reply
  82. Eileen permalink
    12/10/2017 6:38 am

    It’s so true that perception is everything. The story about the blind men really applies to all of us because we see only through our own eyes and may not have the whole picture.

    Reply
  83. beyoubestrong24 permalink
    12/10/2017 8:40 am

    This is a great discussion! It is very true that we shape our own perception with the thinking we attach to. And often its difficult to step back and realize that other peoples minds had a totally different perception, that they are not wrong or missed something. They just never saw it the same way you did.

    Reply
  84. chewoutloud permalink
    12/10/2017 12:10 pm

    I’ve always loved that elephant and blind man story. It shows so much how our perception forms the entire worldview and picture that we have of our life, the world around us, and everything in it. Though sometimes I have to remember that people’s perception IS their reality, in order for me to empathetically relate to them.

    Reply
  85. helerinablogs permalink
    12/10/2017 2:45 pm

    I haven’t heard the Blind Men and the Elephant story before, but I really love it! I definitely agree that perception is each persons version and view of the full story. It’s interesting how different perceptions can alter peoples lives.

    Reply
  86. Oyinkan permalink
    12/10/2017 5:58 pm

    Thanks for mentioning Nigerian Independence Day in the october events lol love it.

    Reply
  87. jajwalyark permalink
    12/10/2017 7:12 pm

    I think my favourite part was the Zen Master story. Don’t get me wrong but I adore stories and they are such a good way to get engaged in whatever the post is about. One request though, could you make the paragraph size smaller or give breaks between each of them? It would make it a whole lot more easier to read!

    Reply
  88. Aditi permalink
    12/10/2017 7:23 pm

    Very true! We all perceive the world through our own lens! I feel that developing empathy is also a great solution!

    Reply
  89. cvnxena permalink
    12/10/2017 11:06 pm

    This is an interesting post and really makes you think! I’ve never heard the parable before but I do agree with you on perception and perspective being shaped by our own experiences.

    Reply
  90. Ingrid Rizzolo permalink
    13/10/2017 5:02 am

    This is a very lengthy post. One take way seems to be we should be open to other points of view. I however think this should be fine in moderation. I believe one should approach life from s certain platform outside of which one’s life would be in a perpetual state of flux.

    Reply
  91. toastycritic permalink
    13/10/2017 10:30 am

    I heard about that crazy Dove ad that was put out there. I can definitely understand why that would be offensive. It would be weird that no one would have vetted that beforehand. As for the perception being reality thing, I think that this comes out of the notion that there is not universal “truth” out there. The is only your truth and my truth. If it’s my truth then it’s all about how I perceive the world. And then no one can tell me I am right or wrong.

    Reply
  92. Erica (@Erica's Recipes) permalink
    13/10/2017 5:34 pm

    So is perception real or is everything really just our perception. I attended a seminar once that described the way our brains work and that our memories are formed through a combination of 1) what we thing we remember and 2) what actually happened. This is why my husband and I can remember things completely differently. We have a saying in the military – perception is reality, because for someone …it always is.

    Reply
  93. Hunter S. Jones permalink
    14/10/2017 5:20 am

    The Scottish have a saying..there’s three sides to every story–yours, mine and the cold hard truth. That reminds me of the perception theory you share. As for perception being reality, I’ve been in sales my entire life. Once you ‘see’ the other persons reality, how they perceive the situation, it changes everything & opens communication. The elephant parable is spot-on, too! Thanks for sharing this! It makes me think, as do all your posts.

    Reply
  94. Kristi McAllister permalink
    14/10/2017 5:26 am

    Perception truly is everything and not just on a personal level for ourselves. We can also change the perception of others if we change our behavior. For instance, there’s a doctor in my home town who is a fantastic healer but a selfish person. He was super bad about hitting the bars at night, having one night stands, staying drunk all the time—you name it. It was only after he began to look hard at himself that he was able to change how he lived. He no longer goes to bars, or used women, and keeps himself at a two drink minimum. And by doing all that? The public has started to respect him rather than loathe him. Perception is a super big deal and we all perceive things differently.

    Reply
  95. Coralie permalink
    14/10/2017 8:30 am

    Perception is so important. Taking a step back and seeing things from different points of view is beneficial to everyone and everything.

    Reply
  96. Pammy permalink
    14/10/2017 1:26 pm

    Beautiful motivation and story! I always love your writing as I learn a lot and make me think better as a person.

    Reply
  97. Shridevi permalink
    15/10/2017 8:14 am

    Like they say ‘The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend’. Perception can be so different from reality sometimes.

    Reply
  98. Christopher Mitchell permalink
    15/10/2017 12:26 pm

    Hm, you offer some pretty insightful comments and information here, but I’d say the strength of the article is actually what you force the reader to question in the process of understanding. Thanks for putting this together, my friend!

    Reply
  99. Abbigayle @ Her Luxe Travels permalink
    16/10/2017 2:16 am

    Life is not fair, and its also about perception too. We look at other people and envy what they have but we really don’t know what their struggles are , we only see what they want us to see. They may have the one thing that will slot into out life to make it perfect but they may be missing pieces to make their life better that i may have or someone else may have. so its never 100% perfect for anyone

    Reply
  100. Margarette Puno permalink
    16/10/2017 6:06 am

    Life is always fair. We just have to accept the reality of the truth we have in life.

    Reply
  101. theshugrheds permalink
    16/10/2017 7:40 am

    Yes, you’re absolutely right. Perception is very important. You can use it to help you throughout your life journey. For instance, in the gym If I thought I had to lift the weight 20 times, I would really struggle to do it. But I don’t. I only have to lift the weight 10 times. Then I do that exercise a second time 🙂

    Reply
  102. Agnes permalink
    16/10/2017 9:12 pm

    Really like that quote from Aldous Huxley at the beginning of the post. So true that in between are doors of perception, never looked at it that way.

    Reply
  103. thenafranssen permalink
    16/10/2017 10:21 pm

    Another great motivation Monday. Keep em coming bc I love reading them.

    Reply
  104. ludbritt1591 permalink
    02/11/2017 12:25 pm

    Wow, this is a very interesting read. I will have to come back to this because I am going through a tough time right now. And I am having a hard time processing some of this because it’s very positive and that’s good for me. I just have a hard time trusting in the motivation at the moment. But I will definitely read this again.

    Reply
  105. Corinne and Kirsty permalink
    03/11/2017 5:01 am

    I don’t know if perception ever meets reality. People get an idea of others in a few second and then it is really hard to change that perception. That perception will have an impact on everything afterwards. But then again first attribution bias so it is important that you have empathy and can step into other shoes so that you don’t draw conclusions too fast

    Reply
  106. Calvin permalink
    10/08/2018 11:02 am

    Ones perception does hold weight, all depends on how they observe

    Reply

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