Do You See the World Through Your Faulty Mindset?

Do you see the world through a faulty mindset? Not sure?

Then answer this question: Instead of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, do you see it through pitch-colored glasses? You know…so everything seems dark and foreboding.

Some people insist on viewing everything and everyone around them in a negative manner. They only see the worst…never the best. They see limitations rather than possibilities. They see the bad, not the good.

Are you one of them?

Why Your Mindset Shows You the Dark Side

The experiences we have in life to a significant degree affect who we perceive experiences, people, events, and situations. Those who have had a tough life, for instance, might think that things are always tough. That’s their mindset.

Take my mom, for instance. Not only did she survive the Holocaust by moving from Czechoslovakia to Isreal—leaving everyone but her immediate family behind to be killed by the Nazis, she also lost her husband when she was just 40. She was left to raise three young girls alone and learn how to manage the family finances. These experiences tainted her mindset.

She sees only the storm clouds and never the silver lining. She rarely sees the good in anything.

You Can Choose How You See the World

Here’s the thing… My mom could decide to see the world differently. She could take off the pitch-colored glasses and put on clear glasses…or even rose-colored glasses. She has the choice.

And so do you. You can choose how you see the world.

If you typically see everything in a negative light, decide to see it in a positive light.

Catch yourself saying, “That will never work,” “No good deed goes unpunished,” “People can’t be trusted,” or “Nothing ever goes smoothly.” Then change up those thoughts! Try:

• I bet that will work!
• Ever good deed is returned in kind!
• People are kind, good-hearted and trustworthy!
• Everything goes smoothly!

If that seems too hard, just start with a more open mindset. You can think, “Maybe it will work.” Or “Some people are trustworthy.” You might even say, “I hope this goes smoothly.

You Control Your Outlook

You can repair your faulty mindset. Yes, maybe some events in your childhood or even adulthood affected how you perceive the world. But you don’t have to continue through life with that mindset.

Your can change your mindset in an instant with the decision to change it.

How would you like to see the world? What outlook would you prefer?

Think about it…imagine it. Then decide to correct that mindset immediately.

Your Past Does Not Have to Affect Your Future

You may think you are stuck with what goes on in our mind—the negative thoughts and limiting beliefs. You may tell the story of how your mother continually told you strangers were dangerous, bad things come in threes, or marriage never works. And so you may look for evidence that these stories are true.

And you probably find it…everywhere.

You can decide these stories are untrue…and find evidence of this as well.

Or you might determine that trees are unsafe because you fell out of one when you were 10 and broke your leg. Or you can decide that trees are beautiful and necessary…but you should be careful climbing them.

Maybe you determine that men are dangerous—and you’ll never get married—because one raped you when you were 21. Or you can decide that it’s best not to walk home alone at night…and you’d like to have a loving, trusting, safe relationship with a man.

You can see women as selfish and uncaring because your mom gave you up for adoption when she realized she couldn’t afford to care for a child. Or you can see that some women have painful choices to make…and make them anyway. And you can seek out strong, courageous women as friends and romantic partners.

Because of your “bad luck” or “negative experiences” in the past, you can see every storm as a potential disaster…or as an awesome force of nature. You can see every traffic jam as your bad luck or as a chance to relax and listen to your favorite podcast or Pandora station.

You get the idea.

The past does not need to dictate how you see the world and the mindset with which you approach life…not unless you choose to let it. By why would you let it?

No reason except that it’s the way you’ve always seen the world.

Tomorrow, choose to wake up and see the world through a new mindset…a new set of glasses. You’ll be amazed at what you see…and appreciate.

How do you see the world?

Photo courtesy of Hans / Pixabay.com