Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins
Introduction: More Than Meets the Eye
What you believe is what you see.
I repeat.
What you believe is what you see.
Isn’t it interesting that what someone finds beautiful, another may find unpleasant, yet both have one thing in common — individual perception.
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So what does the way in which we view things have to do with how we live life?
Well, everything.
It took a long time for me to realise that my experience of life was subconsciously dominated by my interpretation of the events that took place.
Whether I enjoyed life or despised it all came down to the beliefs I held about my experiences.
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Life Happening To Us Vs. For Us
If the mind is not purposefully directed, it falls into the habit of being led — mostly by our emotions.
This often leads to reacting rather than responding.
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When we move through life in that reactive state, it can progressively diminish our enthusiasm for life.
We then become more vulnerable to episodes of sadness, uncertainty, and doubt about the future.
And when that happens, our confidence may begin to decline.
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If you’ve had to face tough obstacles in life, it’s possible you may also have subconsciously adopted the victim mentality in the way I did.
Feeling suffocated by a string of back-to-back painful experiences led me to an unfortunate conclusion.
“Good things didn’t happen for people like me.”
What followed, was exactly what I believed at the time, and so, further life disappointments continued.
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How Emotions Echo
Naturally, many of us fall subject to our emotions more often than not.
Especially when it comes to the negative kind.
Our mind’s view of life becomes controlled by how we feel.
In turn, these perceptions dictate what we believe, influencing the actions we choose to take or avoid.
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Reflecting on my former victim mentality, my bad experiences triggered painful emotions.
These emotions led to unproductive actions, eventually reinforcing a belief system rooted in despair.
As a result, my outlook on life was dimmed by the pessimistic approach that had become my norm.
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Certain situations were difficult, but what I didn’t realise mattered more than my surrounding conditions is how I perceived them.
After years of building up my faith through prayer, Bible study, and a life of practiced disciplines, the beliefs I previously held were disbanded.
I still face life’s opposing factors, but the perception I choose to apply is what determines whether I stay sunken or move forward.
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So no, it’s not about ignoring what we feel when bad things happen.
Rather, it’s about adopting an optimistic outlook backed by faith and proactive action.
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This ensures we’re responding to life rather than reacting, which puts us in better control of how life feels.
Similarly, it keeps us consistent amidst the inconsistencies of life.
That steadiness helps develop and create a cycle of peace, optimism, and healthy wellbeing.
And it begins with choosing a new perspective.
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The Belief Value System
The way we feel can be so influential that acting in ways that conflict with those emotions can be difficult to do.
Though challenging, it’s not impossible.
We all take actions based on principles or expectations every day, but we don’t always stop to recognise them.
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For example, consistently turning up to a job we dislike.
Irrespective of how we feel about the job, we’ll show up because of the value we place on the outcome — getting paid.
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In instances like this, we move past our feelings because our perspective assigns a value to the action that is stronger than how we feel.
Achieving an improved quality of life requires the same approach.
The perspective we apply should place greater value on the productive actions we choose to take, driven by optimistic beliefs about their impact on our future.
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Summary
We’ve all heard the saying ‘seeing is believing’.
To live a life based on this concept is to create beliefs, feelings, and behaviours influenced by unpredictable instances.
This can lead to emotional and mental strain.
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Rather, we must build a strong system of beliefs, grounded in proactive actions.
These are then sustained by the consistent focus of our chosen perspective — optimism.
That way ‘believing is seeing’.
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This then empowers us to determine our own outcomes whilst better navigating life’s future disruptions.
This is the difference between those who believe their past experiences broke them and those who believe their experiences built them.
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So, from today, I encourage you to develop and rebuild your system of faith by renewing your mind.
Study the Word of our Manufacturer, feed your spirit, and take actions that will benefit your life.
When you reclaim the power within your perspective, it will change your life as you know it.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end — Jeremiah 29:11
