The Late-Night Conversation
We emerged from the tunnel. It was still dark, street lamps lit the way in the early hours. I was driving a pal home from a late-night party. The friend swayed in his seat drunkenly but talked fluently. I hung on every word. He made a lot of sense.
His speech was interesting, intriguing. It was all to do with perception. He told me he saw the world through the lens of the main character in whatever book he was reading. After all this time, I can’t recall the example he outlined this with. Yet, the sentiment has stuck with me.
Our perception of reality is shaped by the content we consume. This media primes the lens through which we view the world. Think immersive worlds of books, curated snapshots of life on social media, or the relentless stream of national or world-news updates. Each medium carries its own influence on our understanding and interpretation of the world around us.
Consuming media does what?
Books actually invite us into the minds and experiences of characters and protagonists. They allow us to see the world from perspectives vastly different from our own. Social media, on the other hand, often presents a polished, or extreme version of reality that can skew expectations and self-perception. Furthermore, news media is increasingly optimized to draw attention. It can significantly affect our emotional state and worldview, often highlighting conflict and despair over positivity.
The constant barrage of different forms of media informs our immediate reactions and subtly shapes our long-term outlook, attitudes, and beliefs. Recognizing this influence is the first step towards consciously choosing our media diet to foster a more positive understanding of the world. Once we understand our minds are being molded by the content we can consume, we can become more thoughtful curators.
The Power of Priming the Mind
I’ve said it before when talking about the power of your mind. The mind makes a wonderful servant but a terrible master. Repeated exposure to ideas and themes influences our perceptions and behaviours. The way to take charge of this situation is to become more proactive with media consumption.
An example may be leaving supportive comments on creator’s content and timelines. Do this continuously over a long enough period, and there will be change. Gradually, as you consume content, your brain will start to look for positive things to say.
Dr Robert Maurer of the Kaizen Method talks about the importance of asking questions. Something echoed by Jason Feifer in his more recent book Build for Tomorrow. If you are constantly asking the brain the same question, over and over again, your subconscious will start trying to answer. This is priming.
Maurer uses the example of what make and colour car was next to yours when you parked this morning. Chances are, you can’t recall. However, if he asks you this question everyday, eventually, you are going to remember when parking and be able to provide him with an accurate answer. It’s a trivial example. Yet it’s practical. And here’s how to be even more practical.
Practical Advice: Writing Positively
I have found taking little steps consistently to be profoundly powerful in bringing about change. Start simple: keep a gratitude journal where you jot down things you’re thankful for each day. Focus on the positive aspects of your life. Ask yourself leading questions such as:
- What are you thankful for today?
- What are you looking forward to?
- What is a simple pleasure you often take for granted?
Take 30 seconds a day. Honestly you can start as small-scale as you like. You don’t need grand or important answers right away. Your subconscious will work on the process. Simply commit to practicing gratitude like this every day.
If it helps to expand the journaling process, then great. Maybe consider bullet journaling. For those inclined towards sharing thoughts with a broader audience, keeping a blog/vlog or social media presence may be appropriate. When crafting content, consciously impart optimism by highlighting solutions. Instead of dwelling on problems, celebrate small victories, and share uplifting stories. Once again, scale is not important. It is the sentiment that counts.
Change the brain, change yourself
Over time, the practice of positive writing will fundamentally alter your mental pathways. The brain has a property called neuroplasticity. This essentially means it can reshape itself. Ignore the naysayers who say people never change. They can, and do. Just rarely in an instant. Positive change is hard-won but it is possible.
Regularly focusing on the positive will enhance your overall well-being, reduce stress, and foster a more hopeful perspective on life. By consistently adopting a positive attitude when writing, you are priming your mind to recognize and appreciate the good in your life. If you choose to use a public or semi-public platform you will be inspiring others to be more optimistic too.
Improving our Perception
Many people are looking for a quick fix. We live in a quick fix society. Good service at restaurants and shops is quick. Customer service is highly rated when they can solve your issue quickly. Technology has altered our cultural idea of convenience to a point where impatience has become the norm. This may be unfortunate. However, it’s important that we understand the human body is working on a different scale to our impulsive conscious mind.
We must give ourselves time if we are healing. If we are dealing with issues or trauma. One week of writing in a gratitude journal is not going to heal deep wounds. But six months might have impact. Take a two minute breathing practice everyday. The first few weeks aren’t going to feel much different. But after several months of incremental increase, your breathwork will have a phenomenal effect on your mood.
Final Thought
It is easy to be swept away by the undercurrent of negativity that pervades online spaces. Yet, the power to alter our perception lies within. By choosing to engage in positive writing, we can prime our minds to appreciate the beauty and goodness in our world and extend that hope to others.
With online content you never know who is reading what you put out there. You never know who you’re helping. The practices of priming and intentional positivity can transform our own lives. They can also ripple from person to person outwards, amplifying the light we share in a world that often seems so dark.