Once upon a time…
Recently married, Ken and Kitty, moved into a new neighbourhood. The next morning, while they were eating breakfast, Kitty observed their neighbour hanging laundry out in the back garden.
“That laundry is not very clean”, she said, “Who hangs out dirty laundry on the line? She obviously doesn’t know how to do her washing correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.”
Ken raised his eyebrows, but remained silent.
Every time the neighbour would hang out washing to dry, Kitty would rave on and on about it, making the same comments over and over again.
Almost one month later, Kitty watched the neighbour come out to hang her washing on the line.
She was startled, “OMG Ken, look! She has finally learnt how to do her washing correctly. I wonder who taught her this”.
Ken said: “Oh, while you were sleeping in this morning, I decided to get up early and clean the windows.”
“If you change the way you look at things,
the things you look at change.”
– Wayne Dyer
Moral of the Story:
What we see when we are watching others, depends on the purity of the window through which we look. Before we are quick to offer criticism, it’s a good idea to check our state of mind and ask ourselves if we are ready to see the good, rather than automatically assume something about the person we are ready to judge. Perspective is subjective. Just like what we see in a room, the things we perceive often depend on where we’re standing. Most of the time if we change our perspective towards a particular thing we will see a better picture.
Your perspective is how you choose to see the world. It’s the way you construct your view and opinion of things. Unfortunately, with so many things going around you and with so many people telling you what they think, it’s easy to be influenced. As a result, your perception can become distorted which can affect the way you live your life. The more we aren’t listening to our own heart, the more righteous we feel about judging others. Especially those who are easy targets who cannot directly respond. Be like Ken by not doing what everyone else is doing, or thinking what everyone else is thinking. Attune to your heart as your highest authority figure and clean your window of perspective often.
“What we do see depends mainly on what we look for. … In the same field the farmer will notice the crop, the geologists the fossils, botanists the flowers, artists the colouring, sportmen the cover for the game. Though we may all look at the same things, it does not all follow that we should see them.”
―
Affirmation: I am open to new ways of perceiving myself and the world.
Each day I choose to see things from the most loving perspective. Every day I practice seeing the positive side of things. I appreciate the scenery on life’s detours. I concentrate on the positive in others. I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt. I am open to new ways of perceiving myself and the world. I expand my perspective and my capacity for understanding every day. I perceive the world around me in the most positive way possible. I practice looking at the world from different viewpoints. I recognise the value in every person I meet. I remember to laugh at myself when I take things too seriously. I am safe and all is well.
“Remember, despite how open, peaceful, and loving you attempt to be, people can only meet you, as deeply as they’ve met themselves.”
– Matt Kahn
