DW's Blog

You See Things As You Are

by DW Green — May 23, 2018

We live in our description of reality.

We live in our description of reality. Sometimes when I’m watching network news, I think “what the heck is really going on?” It’s like they’re reporting on two different realities. Which version is true?

I read this article, What Makes You Think You’re Right, by Tris Thorp. It’s interesting. Seems there are many different realities!

“Have you ever wondered why other people don’t see things the same way you do? Isn’t it baffling that you don’t necessarily share the same viewpoints or beliefs even when you come from the same family? You absorb and filter information through your own experiences, which affects your viewpoints.

From a psychological perspective, you have your own internal set of core values, beliefs, memories, and quality of emotion. With every external event you experience, the information comes in and is filtered through your emotions, memories, beliefs, and values. How you “see” yourself, others, and the world you live in will be flavored by what you’ve experienced or believe to be true. What you don’t realize is that it’s only true for you. There will be an entirely different reality for another person, and another, and so on. In other words, you don’t see things as they are—you see things as you are.

For everything that exists, its opposite must also exist. You’ve been taught to see contrast as conflict and therefore to rally against it, even when it’s in your own mind. There will always be dichotomies—day and night, hot and cold, black and white. Where you get into trouble is when there is a conflict between opposing sides. When you can be in a place of harmony there is no longer a conflict between two sides or two parts and each can rest in equilibrium.

Your friends want to go to the beach and you want to go to the mall. Your peers voted Republican and you’re a Democrat. You’re in support of the LGBTQ community and your family is radically opposed to same sex marriage. You believe in God and your friends are atheists. There are so many examples of how everyone differs from one another and yet, finding a common ground to stand upon where everyone feels heard, each individual’s beliefs are valid, and all viewpoints are recognized is what brings individuals together. It’s what strengthens your bonds, creates deeper connections, and makes you feel seen, heard, valued, and understood.”