The meaning that you attach to things in life influences your actions and emotions. Say for example, your co-worker who is usually chipper when you greet her every morning doesn’t even respond to you when you greet her. She doesn’t answer you or even look at you. On one hand, you can make a judgment about her and her intentions. You might even wonder what her problem is. Or, you might think to yourself that how she responded really isn’t how she usually is with you and you wonder if she is okay.
Many times, we will jump to conclusions, based on a slight we perceived. And what we think we know about the situation couldn’t be more off the mark. Maybe in the example above with the co-worker, she didn’t see or hear you say good morning because she was focused on news she received from her doctor that morning on her way to work. Or maybe her kid is sick at home, and she was thinking about how he is doing and if she should bring him to the doctor later.
How we choose to perceive things sets the tone for our emotions and how we choose to respond. What we believe to be true, both consciously and subconsciously, deeply influences the filter in which we see the world. It also has the potential to create confirmation bias. I talk about this extensively in a post about how this applies to the law of attraction.
The great news here is that because we have 100% control over the meaning we apply to things that happen, we have 100% control over how we perceive, feel, and respond to it.
Ask yourself if you feel better assuming the worst in someone or a situation, or giving everyone and everything involved the benefit of the doubt? Even if you end up feeling disappointed or hurt in the end, you still have complete control over how you respond and what you focus on going forward. Remember, your focus determines your reality.
