Our preconceptions can dramatically alter the way we perceive the world. Each of us filters the world through our own beliefs, biases, interpretations and attitudes making objectivity a challenge.
This idea is underscored in a thought provoking film which came out years ago entitled What the Bleep Do We Know!? starring actress Marlee Matlin.
The information contained within the documentary, provides some interesting discussion about how we’re conditioned to see ourselves in a certain way, and believe the world is as we see it.
However, the movie offers the idea that perhaps there are many different ways to view our life, and that there are many possibilities available to us, that our conditioning keeps us from considering or exploring.
The strong influence from familial training or our interpretations of those experiences will affect the choices we make and the way we feel.
Therefore, it is beneficial to become more open-minded and look beyond our own conditioning for other information that may positively influence our life in meaningful ways.
For instance, many of us can relate to finding ourselves in repeatedly unsatisfying relationships, or jobs from making the same choices over and over again, that haven’t always served our highest good until we noticed a pattern.
I know when I was young; I tended to choose the same type of dating partner over and over again, based on ineffective beliefs about myself, and the mistaken idea about being able to change another person, without their desire to do so.
Fortunately, once I became aware of this unhelpful belief system and negative personal filter, I was able to open my mind, and learn better ways to become more discerning which led to the highly elevated choice in my husband.
So, whether this particular film is to your liking or not, it is always advantageous to stay teachable, and open to learning beyond our own vantage point.
What new information on your journey helped turn your life around?
The Cathie Barash Blog 