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In my old blog “Is your glass “half-full” or “half-empty”, I said it was your choice to see the glass as “half-full” or “half-empty”. And it is not a new idea at all. Everyone knows this idea, and people use this phrase very often. It is very easy to understand it conceptually, but it is not so easy to understand it from the bottom of your heart. So if you fully experience the idea, it is just like opening a new window.
When you see the glass as “half-empty”, you see the “empty” part of the glass. It means you see what is missing. If your focus on the “missing” part of the glass, it is normal to think it’s not good, feel anxious, and look for the way to fill up the glass. It is not a bad thing to see what is missing, because by looking at what you don’t have, you are seeing the area of improvement. Also, it is showing your diligence and aspiration. However, if you see only the missing part all the time, you might feel unhappy and worry about everything.
So it is ideal if you can see the other part of the glass, the “filled” part of the glass as an option. If you are able to see both sides as you wish, you can see what you have as you find the area to work for improvement.
Often, people have different perceptions even when they see/experience the same thing. And it is not only “empty” or “full”, but also there are somewhere in between.
iPEC coaching (https://www.ipeccoaching.com/) provides the perception chart above.
It shows different levels with different perceptions/points of view.
If you see a circumstance/situation and you would think you as a victim and feel apathy. You might behave/act lethargy and it is shown as Level 1 in the chart. If you think the situation as conflict you and feel anger. And it might end up taking defiance action which is shown as Level 2. Then if you are in Level 3, you would think responsibility, feel forgiveness, and show cooperation. People who concern, feel compassion, and provide service are in Level 4. Thinking reconciliation, feeling peace, and showing acceptance are a sign of Level 5 perception. If you are in Level 6, you might think synthesis, feel joy, and show wisdom. Then when you reach Level 7, your thinking would be non-judgment, the feeling might be an absolute passion, and creation would be the action.
It means that it is ideal if you are able to see a situation from different points of view and choose what to see. People with broad perceptions can choose their thoughts and feelings regarding a certain situation as they wish. Also, they are not influenced by others and situations easily.
Have you met a person who complains and feels miserable all the time?
Have you met another person who can see opportunities and joy in any situation?
It is very difficult to see opportunities and joy all the time. However, would you feel differently if you know that you can choose?
As I have been writing many times, your brain is used to think and feel the way you have been doing. So it is not easy to change how your brain works.
Do you remember when you drove for the first time in your life? You might have been panicked the entire time because you had to hold on a stirring wheel while operating your foot with pedals as well as looking three mirrors and front. It was panicking because you are not used to doing it. Your brain had to work so hard to make sure everything is OK. Then what happened after several trials? I believe you must have relaxed more and more. Probably by the end of one year of practicing, you should be able to have a conversation with other passengers, think about your meal plan of the week, or more.
Why? It is because you got used to all the movement and your brain didn’t have to work so hard anymore. It happens the same for perceptions. If you are used to feeling sad, miserable, and/or anxious, it’d be challenging to feel differently. You don’t try to feel happy when you are not, but if you can try to focus on “what you have” or “half-full” part of the glass, you might think and feel differently.
Are you interested in having different perceptions?