How’s your day today?

Do you see it as good? Do you see it as okay? Maybe you see it as a tough day so far.

However you see your day, more specifically, how you perceive your day to be going will be how you are interpreting your situation.

Perception is interpretation. How you see the world is how you interpret what is going on and how you are affected by it.

Perception is the ability to see, hear, the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through our senses. We perceive something to become aware of it.

Interpretation is the action of explaining the meaning of something. Our interpretation of the world helps us understand and believe what is happening.

Let’s talk about interpretation. You understand that our interpretations are really important to our wellbeing and to our goal achievement.

When I am coaching someone and we get into a hard conversation, if I interpret the situation or the client as pitiful or bad, then I’m quite likely to let them off the hook or sympathize too much.

My job is to interpret that my client has the resources somewhere to not only deal with whatever it is.. yet use it as a springboard to success.

Same situation, different interpretations. Different results.

Our perceptions are the same thing as our interpretations. That is true for external situations and for internal thoughts that pop-up.

We are able to perceive based on the brain sensors of the senses, yet we make cognitive sense through our mental filtration system. That filtration system includes our beliefs, values, memories and programming.

We have a 13 year old dog that we adore. Her name is Luby. She’s a bit on the retired side these days, yet back in her spry youth, she was our 70 pound mutt  “guard dog.” When people came to the house, Luby would bark – fairly ferociously – until she realized after a couple of seconds that you are cool. Then she’d be your best friend.

People who love dogs would come in and see Luby’s protection and they smiled and wanted her to come to them. They’d get down at her level to show their “lack of threat.”

People who didn’t like or trust dogs would see – i.e. perceive – the same behavior from Luby and would be frightened.

Both sets of people saw her and heard the same behavior. Each, though, had a different way of perceiving Luby. Their perception and interpretation – based on their filters – create different responses from our guests.

How do you see the world today? Are your filters creating a helpful interpretation or are they giving you an interpretation that is limiting?

Make a goal this week to notice what you are receiving and therefore how you’re interpreting. Notice if you’re helping yourself or getting in your own way.

The good news is that YOU can have ownership over your perceptions and interpretations. That’s what personal empowerment is all about.

So, how’s your day today?

You got this!