Sometimes even when the reality isn’t really all that rosy we continue, out of pure subconscious comfortability to only see things through our trusty rose-colored glasses.
The truth is, most of us were given those glasses at a really young age and they’ve become something we’ve carried in our pockets ever since. We put them on every time our experience was the only one that was comfortable to see and over the years they’ve become something that we depend on, unbeknownst to us.
Recently I’ve had to explain the concept of looking outside of our own scope, outside of our own view, or lens so we can see that there really is a great big world out there filled with things that we might realize actually exist, simply because we haven’t personally experienced them.
I get it… looking at truths isn’t always pretty. Most people choose to not see that prejudice exists because it’s ugly. Or, you change the channel when a commercial about starving children comes on because to accept that this is in fact the truth, the real reality for some people in this world hurts. It’s a hard pill to swallow so many choose to ignore it altogether and live in, and ONLY within, their own 10-mile radius of existence.
The sheltering piece of that, I get it. It’s comfortable and how nice it would be if that’s all life was but the facts are, we can’t keep living that way.
We have to look outside of our own little lens and see the other experiences, other truths, other realities outside of our own in order to really be able to speak, interact or help each other or this planet in the ways that we all so desperately need it right now.
In my latest podcast episode, The Lens I talked about learning a new level of empathy by leaning in and understanding others more. I talked about how we can help the most by looking at the foundations of our own beliefs and making sure we really understand what we’re standing for in the first place before we plant our flags even deeper.
There’s a level of empowerment that comes from pure knowledge, not arrogance and it’s something I hope I can inspire in each of you. Please take a few minutes to listen with us here.
I appreciate you.
Other resources I offered in this episode are:
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone