Power of Perception

How can we deal with things that people say or do that we don’t understand? We might wish we could change that person’s behavior, but we have as much control over that as we do over the weather. We cannot control someone else’s actions – only our reactions.

In order to control our reactions- and react more positively – it is helpful to keep in mind that our reactions are solely based on our own perception. A lot goes into how we perceive someone else’s behavior. It depends on our own biases, knowledge and past experiences. We each react depending on how we interpret a situation.

Try these scenarios. See how your reaction depends on what you believe, what you know and your own past experiences:

• A man is walking down a street in the night.  His jeans are a little grimy…he has stubble on his unshaven chin …his hair is a little matted and dirty, so is his coat.  He walks toward you. What would you think?
• A mother is pulling her child out of the car and her child is crying and screaming. What would you think?

 Just like there are many ways to interpret these scenarios, there are many ways to perceive how our partner, friend, parent, child or co-worker is behaving. Choosing to give the other person the benefit of the doubt can help us stay positive in our thoughts, words, and interactions!