Perception

Posted on May 15, 2020 | By: Priscilla Hackman-Asamoah | Tags: mindset, happiness, personal growth | Comments (1)

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The meaning we give to something impacts its effect on us

We have a way of becoming aware of objects and events and of making sense of them. We do so through the senses of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting or feeling them. Coming to awareness does not just happen; it comes from engaging in active processes that involve the senses, and is shaped by how we receive and manage those senses. Therefore, two individuals may experience the same event or object but come to different, sometimes opposite, conclusions about them. The process we go through to manage those senses is what one generally calls perception.

The interpretation we give to a thing or event often stems from our life experiences, beliefs, values, ethos, fears, interests, dislikes, needs or aspirations. When we interpret something to be ‘bad’ or ‘negative’, it could make us feel angry, sad, bitter, or resentful. On the other hand, when something is viewed as positive or beneficial, it sparks energy, happiness, enthusiasm, and motivation. For example, our present social situation, in which we are compelled to stay indoors because of Covid-19, could be seen by one person as opportunity to have rest and spend time with family; another person will be annoyed by it, seeing it as curtailment or denial of opportunity to enjoy the world.

Becca Eberhart puts it this way: “we have a thought which contains our own meaning, which triggers our emotions and therefore affects how we feel at any given time. It is therefore true to say that our experience of the world is shaped by our perception of what we encounter. Life always throws things at us - both good and bad. Sometimes, these are small and negligible, and with little or no effort, we overcome their impact on us. However, on some occasions, they tend to be what one would call ‘out of our control’ things.”

It may not seem so, but perception is not something that just happens to us. Rather, it is the active interaction of a person with the things that happen and the environment in which they happen – and what we want to make of them. We gather strength to face and manage them to our advantage, or we buckle and hide away in misery.

Perception lies at the root of our own behaviours, and plays a crucial role in our understanding of other people’s choices and behaviours. Perception is the reason we approach life situations differently – because we perceive things differently.