Shift your perspective – only YOU get to choose what’s real!

Introduction

Absolutely nothing is real.

Well, except you (the actual you) is of course.
Yeah, I know that may sound extremely odd and maybe even a bit scary if you’ve never come across this before, but hear me out. This is actually really good news!

Understanding Reality Perception

So, have you heard of a compass before? You know, the instrument with the magnet inside it that points upwards towards the direction of north? In the modern age, we have this idea that north = up. Every map on your phone, computer, and the elusive real-life paper map is set to where north is at the top of the page. This is so normal to us that we rarely give it a second thought. However, it wasn’t until the European exploration age when the north facing map became widespread!

In the past, many people would have maps that face all sorts of orientations, with the eastern-facing map being the most common. Can you guess why? (Spoiler alert: it’s because of the sun, which honestly makes a lot of sense when you think about it. In my opinion, what better marker to use than the huge ball of plasma in the sky?) To these people, when they thought of themselves in space, the picture they paint in their head, although “skewed eastwards” to us, was their reality. This was what was “correct” to them. This was their reality. The east was considered “up”. You can orient a map in any direction, and they would all be considered valid and true perspectives. This same concept can also be applied to the mind, consciousness, and how it views reality.

The Power of Shifting Perspectives

The universe is not universally fixed. You have to remember that we are just on an insignificant blue ball in the middle of the vast nothingness that is space. The only thing that is true and real is your consciousness and the perspective it has chosen. This perspective creates what’s real to you. In other words, your perspective creates reality for you. Considering that we live in our heads 24/7, let’s use this truth for our own benefit.

Say you just got dumped, and are driving home. Your chest is tight and full of emotion. Suddenly, you feel that familiar warm dampness running down your face. You’re crying, and I mean, really crying. You stop at red light and notice that your windshield also begins to fill with tears. It’s raining. You notice this and say to yourself that the universe hates you. This is now the worst day of your life. You begin to spiral, wishing you were never born, and telling yourself all sorts of terrible negative thoughts that put you into suffering. You don’t have to do this.

Instead, imagine yourself in the same situation, just dumped, tears falling and all of that. The rain still begins to fall, but this time you view it as a blessing. It feels like the universe is setting you free from the rejection and the hurt. The rain, instead, represents a cleansing, and hope for the future. You still cry, and it might still hurt, but now your mind’s eye sees visions of hope. You remember that after the storm, the sun will shine again, bringing new life and opportunity.

In these examples above, the rain fell, but you can choose what meaning you want to assign it. Nothing has to work against you. As soon as you decided that the rain was unfavorable to you, your mind began the downward spiral. Pay careful attention to these moments and only focus on the facts. All is neutral, but you can decide to give situations a more favorable outlook so your mind can start a more enjoyable train of thought. This will then lead to your reality becoming a more vibrant and lovely place to be.

Practical Steps

I already know what you’re thinking: shifting to positive perspectives consciously is not that easy! Yes, I understand the struggle. Getting better at noticing when you’ve assigned meaning to symbols or situations is going to take some practice.

It first begins with you becoming more aware that your consciousness is the only thing that is real, and that you can take anything in the environment around you and tell yourself any story. This is key. You exist beyond the illusion. That’s why you’re so powerful, even when reality feels more tangible and real. A way you can begin to become more in tune with this true self or higher power is through practice of mindfulness. My favorite way to connect to the true me is through meditation, or journaling. This is topic I will write more in detail in the future, so remember to follow and subscribe to my Pinterest or YouTube for more insight!

Once you begin to identify yourself as the powerful higher consciousness that you are, you can begin to recognize when you need to shift to a more positive mindset. You will remember that all things that you tell yourself will become your reality. All is neutral and only your internal monologue will determine what is “real”.

Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Now, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying don’t feel your emotions. Feel them. But remember that these are not “you”. You are much greater than your emotions. Don’t let those feelings control you. Try choosing a more optimistic view, and you’ll begin to notice more joy in your version of reality. Both the sad version of the break up story and the optimistic/hopeful story are valid and true to the consciousness that views it. Is your map northern or southern facing? What perspective will you, the real you, choose to hold as real?

Truth is in the eye of the beholder.

For any questions, or if you just want to chat and explore this idea further with me, feel free to contact me.