Changing Perceptions
Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you knew someone and that dictated how you treated the individual?
Often times we think we know someone because of perceptions we have and we unwittingly make judgments about their character.
The best way to test our perception is to get to know the person. In extending our hand, we increase our own perceptions about ourselves.
While Jonathan Swift was writing the book, Gulliver’s Travel, he invented the word “Yahoo.”
He and his friends used the word Yahoo among themselves and included in their correspondence.
When Gulliver is in Houyhnhnm Land, he initially mistakes the Yahoos for beasts, or cattle because they are so repulsive in appearance and action.
Eventually his initial perception changes and he concludes that the Yahoos are human and possible descendants of someone who had been shipwrecked.
Once Gulliver determines humans and Yahoos are the same, he begins to call all people "Yahoos."
The name Yahoo purportedly stands for "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle," but Jerry Yang and David Filo insist they selected the name because they considered themselves like Swift’s first impression of Yahoos.
It’s all in perception. We can choose to see beauty or repulsion. Whatever we see, we are reflecting how we feel about ourselves.
How do you alter someone’s perception of you?
14 comments:
Another juicy, beautiful post my sister,
I like the idea that everyone we know exists to us as a thought... we interpret information about them from the environment and process it within our brains...and they exist as thoughts...
The thing is that we exist as 'a thought' in the minds of everyone else we know as well...
This is not a statement about who we are...for surely there is more to us than what we are perceived as or how we perceive...
But its just interesting to note that all the perceived dragons in our lives are simply thoughts...and that by changing the way we process them.... we change how they exist within our reality...
You shine like a star in my mind my sister,
Much love, Maithri
Maithri,
What a truly and poetically profound comment. Isn't it interestng how we really control those dragons in our mind? Once we confront them, they don't exist. How cool is that? There is so much power in a thought. Imagine if we used all of our thoughts for love instead of fear?
Thank you for the sparkle you put in the world my dear.
Keep shining your love.
Maithri has a wonderful perception. I think we can change our perceptions of others, just by adjusting our view's, maybe opening our minds a little.
But to change another persons perception of you/me, I don't know. There are people not willing to open their minds. At that point you can simply offer your understanding, and kind thoughts.
Good Thursday morning to you Alexys.
Perception is everything. It's how we make our choices, and how we influence/affect our own moods.
I think you can alter someone's perspective of you through consistent action over time...
Did you see the free chocolate offer over on my blog today ?
Maybe that will sweeten even more your perspective of me (lol)
Hugs and smiles,
Loving Annie
Whenever the impulse areises, people have choices to seek beauty, to observe beauty, to find beauty, to experience beauty, to avoid or deny their own inner beauty and to create beauty. I am also learning to sense beauty in what I presumed were unlikely places, like in the midst of confusion and sorrow and other intense feelings that emerge in response to events beyond my control. Beauty is intangible yet profound. Even life-threatening situations in our midst are beautiful. They teach us what it means to live in the time we have and to value people for who they are, with all imperfections as well as to love and accept ourselves as we are. Many people find that hard to do.
Hi Eric,
Yes, Maithri's perspective on perception is brilliant. I am fortunate that I have brilliant readers. :D
I guess many of us are preoccupied with getting people to like us when all we have to do is be decent people and people will gravitate to us and offer love and kindness like you mention. Thanks for piggybacking Maithri's comment with your own brilliance. :D
Hi Annie,
Happy Thursday!
Perception is 9/10ths of the law. Just kidding, I know it possession. Maybe they are not mutually exclusive because possession IS perception isn't it? How and what we think not only influences others but it creates our consciousness.
Did you say free chocolate? Love and chocolate go hand in hand.
You are already sweet Annie. If you were any sweeter I would have to go to the dentist? LOL.
Liara,
One thing I know for certain is that beauty is present every second, from nature to people and the way we interact. We have the power to create beauty this moment if people would observe their power. My favorite aspect of beauty is the realization that it exists as we speak - in noise - in silence - in light - in darkness - in all. Thanks for your beautiful comments. You are a beautiful expression.
Alexys, I find it endlessly fascinating how much of reality is truly in our hands to mold and shape. It is one of those lessosn that I feel like I am learning again and again, every time the moon rises. The most effective way that I've found to alter another's perception of me is to change the inner-workings of my heart, to re-align my breath, to change my own perception of self. We radiate outward that which we choose to see. Blessings to you~
Another excellent article. I recently wrote one Learning Through The Eyes of Another where I talked about how we can learn about another person better, and understand them better, when we try to see them from different perceptual positions.
Once again, great post.
~Best Wishes~
Hi Alexys - My initial perceptions of Messers Yang and Filo is to wonder whether those are their real surnames!
A friend of mine always tries to treat everyone as though she is meeting them for the first time, without any preconceptions. I think that is a wonderful way to be. If we could all do it, the world would be at peace.
I've spent my life trying to influence other people's perceptions of me. I shall have finally have achieved freedom - *real* freedom - when I stop doing it!
Thanks for your comment on my blog, which crystallized some thoughts which had been forming in my head. I'd be interested to know what you think of my response if you have the time to see it.
Hi Mockingbird,
That is a beautiful explanation. Thank you for giving us the lovely inner-workings of your mind and heart. As long as we keep learning, I think we are doing well.
Blessings to you to my friend.
Hi Searching,
Thank you for your kind words. Seeing through others eyes is the least we can do to see how they see. It is certainly an eye-opening experience. ;D
Thanks for letting me know about your post, looking forward to reading it.
Hi Simon,
LOL. Those names are colorful aren't they? So your friend clears her "cookies" and when she meets people it is like the first time? That's marvelous to look at life with fresh eyes.
I guess the only way to influence people is to be a loving human being. I think the rest will fall into place.
I will stop by and read your response. Thanks.
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