How is your perception?

What we may believe to be initially true may not be what we think it

is at all. It is very interesting how many varied perspectives individuals may have on the exact identical object. If you look at the image to the left, what do you see? Some of you may see a young woman, some of you may quickly identify the elderly lady. Some of you may see both at the same time. Often times, things are not always as apparent at first glance. That is why it is important to raise your awareness to your own perception and how it affects your critical thinking.

Many times, individuals will embark on something new and exciting (or so it may seem) only to discover that the object of their desire is not what they wanted at all. That is how life sometimes plays out - we start on one journey, only to end up taking different paths to discover what we truly enjoy and want. The same holds true when you think about simple, everyday tasks in life. You see a challenge, and suddenly it becomes an obstacle to you. You cannot see past the challenge and start seeing it as a hindrance. The hard truth is that sometimes you need to look more deeply at what is directly in front of you to understand what it really means. The only way you do that is by opening your eyes to the different possibilities that may exist. In fact, if you stop focusing so much on just the one thing, you may actually be able to accomplish a whole lot more than you first realized.

One of the biggest assumptions people make is that challenges are obstructions. That belief cannot be further from the truth. The goal or situation in your life is totally reliant on how you perceive it to be. Challenges do not have to be a constant battle, nor do they pose to be obstacles in your way. Every "challenge" that comes your way is not intended to be an ongoing battle. The more you understand that your perception plays a pivotal role in embracing the challenge and learning from it, the better chances are you will succeed at whatever it is you are pursuing in life. Do not allow first impressions to intimidate you into believing that you cannot move past first appearances.

Your perception becomes your reality

Did you know that your perception defines and shapes your lifestyle? Understand that how you perceive people, events, places and things can define who you are without ever knowing it. You become so hooked into one way of thinking that your mind is clouded from the reality that exists around you. The representation in this article serves to remind us that there is always a bigger picture, a bigger purpose and another opportunity to see something differently. If you are only seeing one picture in front of your eyes, it is time to fine-tune your perception and start thinking outside of the box.

Once you see past your initial view, you can zoom in on the bigger picture. This gives you a more well-rounded perception. Being aware that there is more than one way to look at a situation, you will start seeing how sometimes "impossible" things are not nearly as impossible as you believed. How is your perception now?

Joan Marie Ambrose -- Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker

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