In every moment of our lives we are choosing where we focus our perceptions. An analogy I like is that of looking through a ‘paper towel roll’. Picture yourself with the empty cardboard tube, with one eye closed. Your open eye is looking down the tube. Now, in order to see something you have to point yourself in that direction…and even then you only get a limited view of that which you are trying to perceive.
This is how our senses work. We choose what we perceive by ‘pointing’ our minds at certain things. In a very real way we ‘see what we want to see’. The stories we tell ourselves about the world cause us to perceive only the things that confirm those stories. So….
If you believe the world is harsh and mean, your ‘paper towel roll’ will point at all the things in the world that are negative and hurtful.
If you believe that the world is hopeful and beautiful, you will ‘point’ to that as well.
As we notice all the things we already believe, we convince ourselves we are ‘right’ and then tell everyone ‘see, the world really IS the way I have labelled it!’. Even more, as we see what we choose to see, we create more if it in our lives. Our perception begins to craft our reality, further confirming what we think we are seeing.
So now that you know this, what do you choose? What type of world do you want to notice/create/experience? There is a mix of everything in the world…and due to our limited senses we can’t see it all. We MUST choose!
Again, where do you want to point your paper towel roll? Do you choose see angry, fearful or negative things? Or would you rather experience beauty, hope, love and perfection?
You have this choice in every moment!
-KC Hildreth
www.kchildreth.com