– by Søren Lauritzen
Most of us have encountered this famous question before, typically in connection with worldview or how to view life: whether we see things pessimistically or optimistically.
However, you can actually make a much longer version of the ‘story’ or joke, which is more entertaining (and thought-provoking), so I have done that in the picture here:
(Note: The reference to Schrödinger’s cat is a kind of ‘inside joke’ for people interested in quantum physics. Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961) was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who created a thought experiment about a cat that could be either alive, dead, or in a quantum state where it was BOTH alive and dead until the moment someone observed it – then it had to be either alive or dead. As Schrödinger’s thought experiment is often used today, it mostly deals with the infinite possibilities at the quantum level – and the likely fact that which possibilities become “real” depends on consciousness and choice (expectations, intentions).
The little ‘story’ on the image above is a sweet and funny way to convey something wise.
It’s about will, choice, and perspective / life view. And, especially, about consciousness and experience.
Perspectives on the Glass = How to View Life! Perspectives on Everything (Worldview)
Different people with different backgrounds see the glass differently. And the glass is just a symbol, an example – an example of anything, a symbol of EVERYTHING: a symbol of life and ourselves.
The way we see the glass is the way we see ourselves, others, and life.
Or, perhaps more precisely:
Most of us see everything in a certain way, whether we are looking at a glass, ourselves, others, a situation, a choice, or life as a whole.
This is our perspective. Or, if you will, our worldview.
How to view life (our perspective) is super important because it determines what we experience and how we experience everything.
As Neale Donald Walsch says in the quote on the picture to the left:
“My perspective will create my perception.”
What Does Perspective Mean, and Why Is It Important?
What is perspective? The word “perspective” comes from the Latin “perspicere” which means to see through something, like a window or lens.
Artists and painters talk about perspective when they create the impression of space and depth on a flat piece of paper or a canvas, but also when they, like photographers, have to decide where they will stand when looking at what they want to draw, paint or photograph, that is, the viewpoint.
Writers and filmmakers also have to decide from which perspective or viewpoint they will tell their story – do we see things from the hero’s or the villain’s perspective, or do we see it all from an external and overall / general perspective?
So …
Our perspective is the lens through which we see everything, but it is also a combination of the place where we stand when we see, and the angle we view things from, our viewpoint.
Where we stand is our starting point, and it has a lot to do with how we perceive ourselves, that is, our chosen identity. Our ideas about ourselves greatly influence our perspective, as does our view of life, our life philosophy.
Additionally, we humans have the amazing ability to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. We have empathy, and beyond that, we have imagination and creativity. These abilities allow us to easily shift our perspective. But how often do we do this, how much do we use these abilities?
Artists, photographers, writers, and filmmakers use many different perspectives in their work, but in our daily life, many of us forget to do the same. Instead, we often stick to just one perspective, one viewpoint – the one we are used to.
This is limited and limiting for our consciousness, our will, and our life experience, and therefore not good for us.
We can train ourselves to see things through many different lenses, from many different standpoints, and from many different angles. Especially when what we are looking at is something we find challenging. This is a good little exercise to play with, simply because it expands our perspective and our consciousness, leading to a better life experience.
´
Which Perspective in the ‘Story’ Is Best and Tells Us How to View Life?
Which of the different perspectives or life views that we saw in the picture in the beginning of this article is the right one, the correct one?
Although I personally like the perspective shared by the spiritually enlightened mystic and the quantum physicist, the answer is actually: None of them AND all of them. Several perspectives are directly conflicting, but they are all possible, and therefore valid. They are perspectives one can have – and that people around the world actually do have.
When we have a certain perspective, there are many other perspectives that we do NOT have. This goes without saying. This tells us that perspectives set boundaries.
Is one perspective or life view better or worse than another? Who knows? But there are a few things one can say with certainty:
Our perspective or life view is a matter of belief, a kind of question of faith. Or more precisely: a choice. How to view life is a conscious or (often) unconscious choice.
Every perspective is limited and limiting.
And every perspective has consequences.
Yes, the different perspectives we saw in the picture have different consequences for the people who choose to have (= believe in) them.
For example:
The Pessimist Versus the Optimist
Both the eternal optimist and the chronic pessimist can easily be accused of being “unrealistic,” but that’s where the similarities end.
A person who almost always sees things pessimistically creates a poor (= unpleasant) life experience and is quite likely neither good company nor particularly visionary (because the pessimist focuses on limitations), to name just three typical consequences of pessimism.
On the other hand, a person who almost always sees things optimistically can be quite visionary (because the optimist focuses on possibilities), is probably pleasant to be around, and – most importantly – the optimist creates a much better life experience for himself / herself.
We can therefore reasonably conclude that optimism is more useful and thus “better” than pessimism.
“I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.”
~ Winston Churchill ~ (1874-1965), British officer, politician, and author. Prime Minister from 1940-45, leading his country to victory in World War II. Re-elected as Prime Minister from 1951-1955. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Considered one of the great statesmen of the 20th century.
Consciousness Programming: Automated Consciousness and Will
Who determines what we think, feel, choose, do, and experience? Who determines our perspective, our worldview? There are two answers to this.
The first answer, which seems obvious, is that we do. We have control over our consciousness and free will to make those choices. But do we use this control, and do we choose freely? Most people do not, most of the time.
The second answer, which is true for most of us most of the time, is that our consciousness programming determines our worldview / perspective as well as what we think, feel, choose, do, and experience.
Consciousness programming is a way to program and control our consciousness and will.
We are born with certain tendencies, some innate personality traits, but in addition, our consciousness and will are programmed from two sides: our environment and ourselves.
Our consciousness programming includes both cultural and personal opinions, norms, habits, beliefs, our ego (our AI, our artificial intelligence), and more.
These factors are much more controlling and influential than most of us realize. They make us think, feel, believe, choose, act, live, and experience in specific ways — namely, as dictated by our consciousness programming.
Consciousness programming is the automation of the two most powerful things we have: our consciousness and our will.
If it sounds like consciousness programming means we are not free individuals … then that is entirely correct.
I’ve known people whose worldview / perspective was shaped by believing very negative things about themselves and life, while simultaneously denying other, very positive things. They, like everyone else, had every right to hold these beliefs, but … their lives were definitely not as good as they could have been. In some cases, it might even be fair to call their lives a bit of a hell.
Some of these people continued their pattern for as long as I knew them, but others (including some who were my clients as a consciousness guide) chose at some point to change their consciousness programming, with very positive results. After freeing themselves from various limiting, negative beliefs and expanding their perspective and worldview, they created a much better life, both in terms of a better life experience and in practice (in relationships, work, etc.).
Who ACTUALLY Determines Our Will and Consciousness?
There is a very short answer to that:
Ultimately, it is ONLY ourselves who determine our will, our perspective, and our consciousness in general.
Therefore, we also determine our life experience.
However, as long as we are ruled by things that we a (long time ago when we were young) uncritically accepted as true and right and are no longer aware of, even though they control us, we are not free, and we have much less to say than we might think.
Of course, that’s not great to hear. But it is true.
The solution is conscious awareness, which is the use of our will plus the truth and acceptance of that-which-is … to make the unconscious conscious, and to lift, heal, and expand our consciousness.
We won’t delve deeper into consciousness programming or awareness here; it’s just important to understand that our consciousness and will are extremely flexible and powerful, and that they have already been programmed to control us … But the power still lies within ourselves – here and now.
Back to the Glass and Its Emptiness or ‘Fullness’
How do you view the glass? And how do you view everything else? What is your perspective / life view?
Is your consciousness and will programmed to be optimistic, pessimistic, cynical, worried, dogmatic, philosophical, scientific, demanding, dominant, doubtful, or pragmatic (or cat-like)?
Or perhaps a combination? Maybe your consciousness and will are programmed in one way in certain areas of life and in another way in other areas? This seems to be the case for many of us.
At the very basic level, the questions probably are:
– Is your consciousness open and accepting or closed and judgmental?
– Is your will free … or not?
A closed and judgmental consciousness is directly related to a will that is not free.
Or put in a slightly more provocative way:
People whose consciousness is closed and judgmental actually have less free will than people whose consciousness is open and accepting.
The closed and judgmental nature comes from consciousness programming, and when consciousness is heavily programmed and automated, so is the will.
Put more positively:
A large, open, and accepting consciousness is a good way to ensure that you have a lot of free will.
This is useful to reflect on and become aware of.
It is good to know your own perspective / worldview.
It is good to become aware of the areas where you have unintentionally put your consciousness and will on autopilot.
Even more useful is it to realize that …
Our Consciousness Is Super-Flexible
When it comes to our consciousness, there is surprisingly little that is fixed or given.
Our perspective on everything (including how to view life, others, and ourselves) is only a choice and a habit.
We can change our choices and habits as we wish – whenever we want.
Different choices, habits, and perspectives have different consequences and provide different experiences.
This is logical and easy to understand. We know this.
But we don’t always take action on it, even though it would give us a (much) better life.
Why not?
First of all, we are afraid of change – we know what we have, not what we will get. (The thing is, if we don’t try something new, it certainly won’t get any better).
Secondly, a habit is exactly that – a habit. It’s something we do automatically until we actively make a different choice and do something else. And continue to do something else.
And thirdly, we tend to believe that whatever perspective / life view we have is “good.” We think our choices, beliefs, habits, and perspectives are “right”. Even if they function sub-optimally and create situations and experiences for us that are uncomfortable. Which they often do – if not in one area of life, then in another.
Are you going to let these things limit you, or aren’t you? The choice is yours.
Okay. Now we know that the power lies with us and nowhere else.
But can we, here at the end of this article, draw some general conclusions about which type of perspective / life view it is worth having?
Yes, we can.
The Best Type of Perspective / Life View
What you consider to be the best perspective naturally depends on what you find important – that is, your own yardstick.
Here at www.goodconsciouslife.com, we believe that for each individual, there is nothing more important than our life experience.
Our life experience is the perfect yardstick, because when we use it, we get good results in every way – both for ourselves and our surroundings.
In this light, there is a very simple …
General rule of thumb regarding our perspective on everything:
The larger, more open, and inclusive our perspective (life view) is, the better.
This is simply because a large and open perspective is more effective and provides a better life experience than a small and closed one.
Which, again, has to do with consciousness.
General Rule of Thumb on What Actually Works and Provides Us with a Good Life Experience
Now that we are at it, we can also formulate a more all-encompassing rule of thumb that addresses will, consciousness, life experience, and what works best. It can be stated as follows:
The larger, more open, and freer our consciousness and will are, the better they will function, and the better a life experience they will provide us.
This is because both the nature of consciousness and will is to be open, free, and unlimited. When they are this, they function as intended. And since our perspective on life, others, and ourselves is a function of our consciousness and will, the same can be said about perspective.
The opposite is naturally also true:
The more closed, unfree, and limited our consciousness, will, and perspective / life view are, the worse a life experience we will have.
Conclusion: How to Open and Free Your Consciousness, Will, and Perspective / Worldview
It is worthwhile to free yourself from various consciousness limitations such as old traumas, shadow aspects (parts of ourselves that we do not want to acknowledge), and various forms of consciousness programming. These are all obstacles, and they are all unnecessary.
The first step is typically always to become aware of these obstacles and what they entail, as well as what they do to your will, consciousness, perspective, and life experience.
Conscious awareness itself can sometimes be enough.
In case it isn’t, there are many effective methods you can use to let go of such limitations, including The Work by Byron Katie, The Release Technique or The Sedona Method, both originally by Lester Levenson, PSYCH-K by Rob Williams and Bruce Lipton, The Lefkoe Method by Morty Lefkoe, or my own Let Go Method, described here and in this book.
We can also choose to go directly for creating the most open, free, and limitless perspective possible.
Personally, I have had very positive experiences by simply replacing all belief in limitations and “impossibility” with the following phrase:
“It is possible.”
This was a choice I made one evening many years ago, and then I trained myself to adopt it. Every time I thought of words like “impossible,” “not possible,” or “it can’t be done,” I replaced them with “It is possible.” Every single time.
I believe I did this for about a month before it became automatic and it has continued to operate on its own ever since. Today, I consider it a turning point in my life, as well as a cornerstone of my perspective and worldview.
What Would You Like to Read Next?
 Go to the ‘parent page’ for perspective and worldview The Wholeness Comprehension – A powerful holistic perspective that leads to a better life |
Go to the overview page, Articles on Personal Development
Read this page in Danish 🇩🇰
Go to the homepage