How to change your perspective?

dustyraven26 said:It is the ego, quite obviously. Nothing escapes its constant cycle of approval and disapproval.

I guess my take would be... since consciousness is basically the thing doing the perceiving, in one way or another... it’s the only thing capable of seeing things differently 😉...

Right?

The ego is just one slice of consciousness, isn't it?

A solid starting point for shifting your perspective is getting your head in the game.

neonscout5 said:A solid starting point for shifting your perspective is getting your head in the game.

Or... just stand on top of the desk and look at everything from above 😉 (you know, like that scene in Dead Poets Society)

Try visualizing yourself from an outsider's perspective—like you're watching someone else through a lens. It shifts your perception entirely, especially when you start asking yourself, "Is this really who I want to be?"
It won't necessarily change how the world sees you overnight, but it starts the process of changing yourself. If you’re being honest with yourself, it’s pretty hard to look at those reflections and still find them likable.

brisktiger56 said:I guess my take would be... since consciousness is basically the thing doing the perceiving, in one way or another... it’s the only thing capable of seeing things differently 😉...

Right?

The ego is just one slice of consciousness, isn't it?

Are we distinguishing between consciousness and awareness here? Specifically, how are you defining consciousness?

MJ figured out how to actually spark a shift a long time ago 😉—he knew exactly who needed to step up first 🙂

I’ve been thinking lately—is it actually possible to shift your entire perception just by tweaking a few daily habits or perhaps moving to a different part of the country?

Sam Hayes said:I’ve been thinking lately—is it actually possible to shift your entire perception just by tweaking a few daily habits or perhaps moving to a different part of the country?

Sure, it’s possible—but honestly, it usually works the other way around. You change how you see things, and *that* is what eventually drives you to move to a new place or overhaul your daily routine.😉

brisktiger56 said:Sure, it’s possible—but honestly, it usually works the other way around. You change how you see things, and *that* is what eventually drives you to move to a new place or overhaul your daily routine.😉

Yeah, I feel that too... maybe this first part is actually the easier bit? I guess what really gets under my skin is how much time everything takes—it feels like everything requires so much patience 🙄

Leaping into the unknown is the best way to shift your perspective

Sam Hayes said:Yeah, I feel that too... maybe this first part is actually the easier bit? I guess what really gets under my skin is how much time everything takes—it feels like everything requires so much patience 🙄

Whether it’s "easier" isn't really the point. What actually matters is what's more effective at shifting perception...

Maybe you're just lacking a little life experience 🙄

brisktiger56 said:Whether it’s "easier" isn't really the point. What actually matters is what's more effective at shifting perception...

Maybe you're just lacking a little life experience 🙄

I suppose I might just be missing a few screws in my head—it’s hard to say, really. 🙄
I suppose my own experience is fairly standard for someone my age—nothing particularly groundbreaking or out of the ordinary, I guess...
I suppose I see things a little differently than most people my age—which, if I'm being honest, sometimes makes me feel like a bit of a total freak. For instance, instead of spending my weekends hitting up crowded bars or chasing the latest nightlife scene, I much prefer things like hiking through the woods, hosting a backyard BBQ, or just getting lost in a quiet corner of the local library. I really value deep conversations, long walks, and staying active—those kinds of simple, restorative things. Most of the time when I go out with people, we end up racing around the city or trying to find the next loud spot, whereas I’d much rather just sit outside and look up at the stars. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how so many people don't seem to know how to actually enjoy being out in nature. 😢 It’s especially tough during these summer months... I can't help but wonder—am I just being unusual here, or am I actually expected to adapt myself to this specific mentality? Or maybe I'm just overthinking things, I suppose.
Well, I mean, look—I certainly don't mind heading out to a local coffee shop or hitting up a club every now and then—but I’m definitely not doing it constantly... I guess you have to find that balance, right?

Sam Hayes said:I’ve been thinking lately—is it actually possible to shift your entire perception just by tweaking a few daily habits or perhaps moving to a different part of the country?

No, it isn't possible; it is merely an illusion. Before long, even these "new" experiences will grow stale, and the cycle will simply reset itself.
The reason people feel trapped in a repetitive daily grind is quite simple:
they view everything through the lens of a fixed, unyielding perception.
If one manages to alter that perception, the world may briefly appear fresh, at least until it becomes familiar once again.
When the current routine loses its luster, the question isn't whether one should change their perspective, but rather whether they might choose to abandon perception altogether—remaining conscious of the fact that new opportunities are constantly unfolding, even if they remain invisible due to the specific way a person chooses to look.
People tend to see what they believe in, rather than what is actually happening right in front of them.

Unless one makes a genuine turn, they will inevitably end up exactly where they were headed.

Sam Hayes said:I suppose I might just be missing a few screws in my head—it’s hard to say, really. 🙄
I suppose my own experience is fairly standard for someone my age—nothing particularly groundbreaking or out of the ordinary, I guess...
I suppose I see things a little differently than most people my age—which, if I'm being honest, sometimes makes me feel like a bit of a total freak. For instance, instead of spending my weekends hitting up crowded bars or chasing the latest nightlife scene, I much prefer things like hiking through the woods, hosting a backyard BBQ, or just getting lost in a quiet corner of the local library. I really value deep conversations, long walks, and staying active—those kinds of simple, restorative things. Most of the time when I go out with people, we end up racing around the city or trying to find the next loud spot, whereas I’d much rather just sit outside and look up at the stars. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how so many people don't seem to know how to actually enjoy being out in nature. 😢 It’s especially tough during these summer months... I can't help but wonder—am I just being unusual here, or am I actually expected to adapt myself to this specific mentality? Or maybe I'm just overthinking things, I suppose.
Well, I mean, look—I certainly don't mind heading out to a local coffee shop or hitting up a club every now and then—but I’m definitely not doing it constantly... I guess you have to find that balance, right?

Preach!
You aren't "normal"—well, in the context of how most people act—but compared to my own worldview, you're more than normal. Honestly, you should probably start hanging out more with people who actually think like you, rather than just sticking to whoever happens to be nearby right now.

Just stay true to yourself. Stare at the stars, watch the clouds, lie down in a field of grass... don't let it bother you that others aren't built like you. They don't need to be; they can be whatever they want to be, or whatever they already are.

With the way you view the great outdoors, everything is perfectly fine with you!

@dustyraven26 — I suppose everyone views the world through their own unique lens, right? We all experience things in our own way—it’s not really about seeing what you want to believe, but more about actually experiencing what is right in front of you, at least that's how I tend to look at it...

@brisktiger56 — See, there you go—I guess I'm just not exactly "normal" 😁 and honestly, it makes you wonder how someone feels when they genuinely love people, yet others just see them as being eccentric—or maybe even just unhappy—instead of seeing who they truly are

Sam Hayes said:@dustyraven26 — I suppose everyone views the world through their own unique lens, right? We all experience things in our own way—it’s not really about seeing what you want to believe, but more about actually experiencing what is right in front of you, at least that's how I tend to look at it...

@brisktiger56 — See, there you go—I guess I'm just not exactly "normal" 😁 and honestly, it makes you wonder how someone feels when they genuinely love people, yet others just see them as being eccentric—or maybe even just unhappy—instead of seeing who they truly are

😁

Well, you don't have much of a choice—you might as well embrace being the "unhappy" one, since there isn't really another option 😍
But in all seriousness though:
Maybe you're overthinking the idea that something is broken within you, when really, you're just comparing yourself to people who are fundamentally broken themselves. It might be better to just lean into your own perspective instead of trying to force yourself into someone else's worldview—especially when their way of thinking doesn't even fit you anyway.

I'm telling you, find your tribe—people who actually get it—and everything will start feeling a whole lot more normal 😉

brisktiger56 said:😁

Well, you don't have much of a choice—you might as well embrace being the "unhappy" one, since there isn't really another option 😍
But in all seriousness though:
Maybe you're overthinking the idea that something is broken within you, when really, you're just comparing yourself to people who are fundamentally broken themselves. It might be better to just lean into your own perspective instead of trying to force yourself into someone else's worldview—especially when their way of thinking doesn't even fit you anyway.

I'm telling you, find your tribe—people who actually get it—and everything will start feeling a whole lot more normal 😉

Honestly, I don't really care, and I don't particularly care to be "normal" anyway 😁 though I suppose life would be a little nicer if I felt accepted and could just feel a bit more at peace—that, I guess, would be nice😍

Sam Hayes said:Honestly, I don't really care, and I don't particularly care to be "normal" anyway 😁 though I suppose life would be a little nicer if I felt accepted and could just feel a bit more at peace—that, I guess, would be nice😍

just go grab a glass—literally just one—of some decent blackberry wine😉

Sam Hayes said:@dustyraven26 — I suppose everyone views the world through their own unique lens, right? We all experience things in our own way—it’s not really about seeing what you want to believe, but more about actually experiencing what is right in front of you, at least that's how I tend to look at it...

@brisktiger56 — See, there you go—I guess I'm just not exactly "normal" 😁 and honestly, it makes you wonder how someone feels when they genuinely love people, yet others just see them as being eccentric—or maybe even just unhappy—instead of seeing who they truly are

Both the pessimist and the optimist inhabit the exact same world, yet they experience it in entirely different ways. It is perfectly natural when one lives according to their own convictions.
The optimist will readily sacrifice current happiness in anticipation of something greater;
while the pessimist clings desperately to their misfortune, terrified of an even deeper descent!

When asked how one might shift their perception, my response was that one should probably abandon the concept of perception altogether, as it acts as a set of constraints.
For instance, despite my deep love for the great outdoors, I would much rather spend an evening at a local Starbucks with someone I care about if it brings them joy, rather than insisting we sit under the stars together.

It’s almost as if people act like there are only two camps—the pessimists and the optimists—but life isn't really that black and white, is it? I mean, I find myself being both at different times; sometimes I'm leaning toward the dark side, sometimes I'm feeling pretty hopeful... and plenty of times, I suppose I just land somewhere right in the middle. Besides, how do you even begin to strip away your own perception? To me, that feels a bit like trying to deny your own lived experience, which doesn't seem particularly possible, I guess.