Daily Gratitude: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”

Have you ever had the experience of being around one or more people and you’re talking about something you’ve all seen? Pretty soon, though, you start to wonder if you’d been someplace different besides there’s no way you saw what they saw.

It’s like that in everyday life too. People interpret what they see based on their past experience and their emotional state. And that most likely is different than your background.

This matters for two reasons. The first is that it will help you at least understand why someone may respond to something differently than you do.

It will also help you take some time to figure out what you are actually seeing compared to what you are looking at. This might help you gain different perspectives on what’s going on around you.

Another fun thing to do is to see what you think of something today compared to what you thought last week or year. You may not be able to do this now but try to test it from today forward. Make notes. Just see if your mood perhaps might influence what you are seeing.

Daily Gratitude: “Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

I wrote about this recently but feel so strongly that I found a different quote about it.

I think I feel so strongly because it’s something I need a lot of work on. But I like the question Marcus suggests. “What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

This idea also goes along with the “pause” concept. When we start to criticize (out loud or internally) something or someone, we should pause and ask this question of ourselves. And in that time consider it deeply. Is this something you do and don’t like? Is that why you’re getting ready to dump on it (or them)? Or is it closer to another quality or trait you have?

Whatever you come up with, see if you can figure out why it’s irritating or annoying you. If you can see what’s going on inside of you, then it gives you something to work on.

Then next time you’re faced with the same situation, measure your reaction and repeat the process as often as you need to until you no longer react to those particular circumstances.

Daily Gratitude: “If the mind can stay with itself and not go out looking for things to criticize or latch onto, it can maintain a natural form of stillness.”

Have you ever said or thought “I wish I could just shut out the world”?

You can. You are in charge of your mind. You can be your own Ring doorbell. You can hear something banging at your door, trying to get your attention. But you don’t have to open the door right away. Use your Ring doorbell (or in the old days, the peephole) and take a peek at who (or what if you’re talking about the mind) is trying to gain entrance.

Is this “visitor” an invited guest (something that will help you reach a goal you’ve set)? Or is it an intruder (something that will distract you or veer you off into a direction that really has no purposeful aim)? Is the visitor there to help or hinder you?

You should be able to tell from that peek but sometimes you need to ask a few questions. If you do, though, make sure you ask them while the visitor is still outside. Once you’ve let them in, your control over them weakens.

You want to let in those thoughts and activities and relationships that further your goals and keep you on track.

You want to keep out the ones that will distract you or once they gain a foothold, carry you along as if you’re a “tuber” traveling down the rapids and you have nothing to steer with.

Don’t let anything in without making a conscious evaluation and decision. You control your mind. Be your own Ring doorbell.