Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Changing Minds, Perceptions, Facts, Feelings and Attitudes

Today's Blogs...

Blog City – Day 607

Prompt “I feel I change my mind all the time. And I sort of feel that’s your responsibility as a person, as a human being — to constantly be updating your positions on as many things as possible. And if you don’t contradict yourself on a regular basis, then you’re not thinking.” -- Malcolm Gladwell
In reference to the above quote, do you think changing one’s mind regularly is a good thing?

I think it is good to renew your mind. To stagnate on old thoughts makes you old before your time. I am not saying that you change your beliefs like you change your underwear, what I am saying is that you revisit your thoughts and ideas and make sure they fit with the current day in the sense that you are aware of the changes around you and have made a conscious decision to hold with your views or modify them.

If I go back to when people thought the earth was flat... one would hope people would have rethought that after it was determined the earth is actually round. To hold with the the old views was not a good plan in that case.

Today, with internet and the information highway being so fast it is a good idea to keep aware of new trends and updates. You don't have to flip flop at every new addition, but you need to consider it.

A lot of people do not care for the Doctor Oz show because they say things contradict what has been said in earlier shows... but the thing is, new information is brought to light on a regular basis. The show tries to educate people... give them things to think about and consider so we don't go through this world like blind sheep, never questioning what lays before us.

We would not be where we are today if it was not for people changing their minds. Thoughts of the Woman's Movement comes to mind... thoughts of Malasha's bravery to stand up and support education for all girls in her country... we have that here in our own country, but she was shot for her beliefs. Thankfully she survived and continues to speak out.

For change to happen and take hold, minds need to be changed. Sometimes change can be scary, but I think not changing and remaining fixated on past views can also be scary.

Feel the fear, be brave and consider your options. I try to make decisions based on love and humanity. I want for others the freedom I have, but I also know that some changes in that area will take time... a long time to become a reality.

Welcome To My Reality - November Prompts

1. How do you feel about the premise that everything that happens, just is. It has no meaning until we assign it one.

Things are not good or bad until we assign the label and let it permeate our souls. I sometimes find with babies, if they fall they will look to others to see our reactions. If we look like they hurt, then they will cry; if you don't, they get up and try again with no fuss. This does not happen all the time but it interesting to see... the child does not label the action until he or she receives feedback from others.

Also how we approach a situation depends on our attitude. Staying positive even in the midst of 'bad' things keeps you more buoyant to the circumstances and the impact is not as devastating. Each experience of life is a learning experience. Each situation teaches you something about yourself - your attitude determines if the learning you take away is helpful or not.

2.We have little control over the things that happen in life. What we do have control over is our attitude. Tell us about a time when you were able to change your attitude about something and the impact that it had.

Losing my Dad to cancer was an awful thing. At the time I was twelve and I took it as God being cruel and stealing my father away. I thought I hated God for that and I pulled away from any religious aspects in my life.

As I have gotten older my attitude changed. I began to see that losing my father was not such a 'bad' thing. Yes, he died. Yes, he was only 44. Yes, he would miss the milestones in my life, but he was in heaven... he was watching out for me. Through my teen years I would tell myself "If my dad could live through this teenage angst, so could I." It gave me strength to push through some of my more difficult situations.

I began to see God differently as well. He was not cruel. This world was... at times. Things happened, but those things made me who I was as a person. God had a plan for me and his plan did not include my father here on earth. It did not have me returning to my hometown... a small Northern Ontario community. It had me living out my life here in southern Ontario where there were much more opportunities. My mother was able to get help for her depression and things for us improved.

When 'bad' things happen now I turn to God for comfort, instead of turning away. Turning away is cold and empty. Turning to God allows me to find strength and solace... I am able to believe things happen for a reason... I may not know the why... but I am more accepting. I know 'this too shall pass'. I am also more empathetic to others who have experienced what I have and I think it has made me a better, more loving person.

3. Fact vs. Perception vs. Feelings: How does this combination play out in your day to day life? Discuss how these three perspectives alter your decisions based on which one is dominant in any given situation.

Oh these three could also be viewed as Mind, Body and Soul... where body is the physical Facts, mind is the embodiment of perception, and soul is the essence of Feelings.

We live in a physical world. Life comes at us in all things. Our preceptions are coloured by what we physically see and what we feel. Our perceptions are the attitudes we hold and how we interpret the world around us... our feelings pull at those perceptions colouring them negative or positive depending on how they are percieved. All are linked and cannot be isolated off from one another.

Fear and Love are probably the two biggest emotions we face on a regular basis. If we look at the world through a lens of Fear, we will see a dark forbidding world. If we look at the world through a lens of Love we are more open to the possibility of connection with others and the world does not seem so hostile. The Facts are the same, but our perception interprets and moves us forward.
Each of us makes a choice. Our attitude is our perception. How do you want to see the world? I make a conscious choice to be positive. To try to chose Love and am grateful for all I have.

4. They say (ya, I know I would love to know who “they” are too ... lol) that what you focus on you see the most of. So if your focus is on the good/positive in life you are likely to see more of the good than the bad. The opposite of course holds true as well. Do you agree with this statement? Give examples of your own experience with this.

I so agree with this. What you focus on brings more of it into your life. It also colours your perception of what you see.

My husband leans toward the more negative. He perceives things through that light - so when I go downstairs to collect up his plates and bowls that he has left lying about he'll claim I am snooping. My response... he can bring his own stuff back up. He looses my help. My perception of that same situation is that I am only trying to be helpful and tidy his space of the cluttering dishes. I touch nothing else because I know he will claim I moved something or lost something of his.

When I am out and about in public I try to smile and be friendly to everyone I meet. I hope to bring a little cheer into other people's lives and in doing so I feel better about myself.