We perceive our experiences through our senses (touch, sight, sound, smell and taste) and our interpretation of these experiences determine our response. It is our interpretation that ultimately influences our response to events, circumstances, and people.
Every moment we are inundated with a variety of sensory impulses but we only react to the ones that come into our awareness. Those things that we are “tuned into” are most easily filtered into our awareness. For instance, if we are running late for an appointment, we would probably only notice the 3 of the 8 traffic lights on our route that were red and become increasingly frustrated, whereas the 5 traffic lights that are green fly right by us without triggering a response. Our interpretation of circumstances, events, and experiences is highly influenced by the filter that we see the world through.
There are times when it feels like bad things are always happening TO us despite our efforts to make things better. The reality is that everyone looks at the world through different filters at different points in their lives. Every day presents itself with events that can be interpreted as opportunities or challenges, but you have the power to decide how you’re going to view the world. Everything you respond to is first filtered by you.
Our thoughts influence our emotions and our emotions direct our reaction. Often, we react or overreact before we are even fully aware of what is actually going on. If you are concerned that you overreact (emotionally or physically) to circumstances, it can be beneficial to examine what you are paying attention to.
There are two ways to view the world, through a lens of empowerment or through one of disempowerment. You can see that everything is happening TO you or you can see that everything is happening FOR you. Believing that things are happening TO you is disempowering and can leave you feeling like a victim. You may look to blame someone or something for all your problems and react from a place or anger, resentment or grief. The belief that things are happening FOR you is empowering and sets you up to see the gifts and opportunities in situations. When you are acting from a place of empowerment your actions or reactions are more likely to be proportional to the stimulus.
If you want to change the way you experience life, you need to adjust the filter. That filter is within you. Everything that you see, hear, touch or feel gets filtered internally and interpreted by you. It’s only the aspects of what you’ve noticed or brought into your consciousness that influence your experience.
Think back to the experience of frustration in the example at the beginning of this article. The experience of frustration could have been replaced with relief if we were aware that 5 of the 8 traffic lights were working in our favour.
So, the question is how do we change our awareness to alter what we are conscious of? In my experience, the two most influential forces have been a regular meditation practice and receiving Network Chiropractic care.
“Within every experience, YOU hold the power to create an opportunity or an obstacle.” Dr Julie
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2023