This is an interesting subject… perceptions. What are they really? We all know they are different ways of looking at things. One person’s perception is usually completely different from another. Some can be very similar but there is always at least one little thing that is different.

Recently, I’ve been working with some people that are having a hard time dealing with inner turmoil. This inner turmoil sometimes consumes their thoughts and makes some situations very difficult for them to deal with. While discussing their turmoil, the emotions they are feeling, and the situations that bring up these emotions, I discovered that their perception of the situation is controlled by the emotion connected to the turmoil. After guiding them through letting go of the emotion, their perception changes. So… does this mean that perception is controlled by emotion? Interesting question! In this realization I noticed that I started to look at this more closely. This is what I have found thus far…

Depression can be so very difficult to recuperate from. Here’s why… Depression is a conglomeration of an overabundance of negativity. When something triggers in us negative thoughts we can become lost and overwhelmed by these thoughts. When people become overwhelmed, sometimes, they feel they cannot do anything to over-come what is overwhelming them so they give up on trying to over-come them. This then leads to allowing negative thoughts take over… literally every thought we have until it grips us and pulls us into the very depths we are trying so hard not to go. Sometimes it is inevitable. One little negative thought can turn into many then those can turn into many more… so much so that you lose all control of reacting to any kind of situation. Reactions are controlled by the intense emotions that we are feeling. Perceptions are also controlled by the intense emotions. We begin to feel that no matter what we do or what we say we are going to experience pain. That is our perception. We feel that no matter what we do or say… we won’t be loved. That is our perception. Sometimes, these perceptions can make us do horrible things such as causing pain to others.

Anger is another that is very difficult to recover from. Full of emotion is anger. Anger is also another highly intense negativity. Anger usually is all about the perception of a situation caused by emotion. When we become angry about a particular thing, sometimes, we can’t control the negativity surrounding it. We lose control and lash out at those around us. Typically on those we love the most. Our perception of the situation is clouded by negative thoughts about ourselves which makes it more difficult to over-come. If we have negative thoughts about ourselves, we are more vulnerable to anger.

So, you might be saying “Now that we understand depression and anger better… how do we change it?” Good question! We start by focusing on the negative thoughts. Yes, the descriptions above are all about focusing on the negative thoughts but let’s take this a step further. Let’s start to take notice of the negative thoughts. What are they? This will be a bit difficult at first but keep trying. It will become easier. So once you notice a negative thought, write it down. Read it out loud. What emotions are you getting from it? Write them down. Read the thought out loud again. Now think about it and try to flip it around to be positive. Write the positive thought down. Now you know where to start. So every time you come up with that negative thought switch it around to the positive thought. It will be weird at first but over a little bit of time you will start to see a change in yourself. You will start to become more positive. When this occurs you can better focus on the emotions and the turmoil inside. You will be stronger emotionally which will help you to face the turmoil and emotions so that you can let them go.

Give yourself time… be gentle with yourself by being more positive. “I can’t possibly do this! It’s too hard. I can’t even get up in the morning or look at myself in the mirror.” Yes… You… Can. You are loved and if those that love you could do it for you they would in a heart beat. So it’s time for you to start showing yourself some love. You deserve it even though you may not think so… you truly do. Yes… you truly do.

In love & light always,
Carol