Filtering: Part 2

We filter a lot outwardly. We filter how we show up, how much we share. Sometimes we do it because it is appropriate to do so, sometimes we do it because we just want to and sometimes it comes automatically as protection from being hurt, judged, rejected. You can catch up on the newsletter from last week to read more on this (Part 1).

We also filter inwardly. Why wouldn’t we? With so many stimuli coming our way (sounds, smells, objects, thoughts) we simply wouldn’t be able to function. Like a computer with many parallel processes, we would overheat and then shut down.

You gotta love that sharp and clever mind. It decides (often unconsciously) what to focus on. Of course, it wants us to stay safe – so any obsessive thinking that is related to our safety stays front and center. Of course, the mind wants us to be self-centered so it will grab information that feeds our ego. And of course, it will focus on pleasure and things that we love.

The mind also loves to generalize and put things in categories taking less energy to receive, process and maintain information through that lens. It also loves to extrapolate and predict/expect something happening in the future based on what took place in the past.

That’s why you often can meet people who are ridiculously happy and people who are extremely upset with seemingly identical life circumstances.

So, same facts but completely different interpretations, completely different beliefs.

And because we look for supporting evidence to confirm our beliefs, we start treating our beliefs as universal truths, as facts of the world. We have no idea that we created that reality for ourselves. We have no idea that we are operating with confirmation biases.

We live in the world of many influences, with people, businesses, governments having their own agenda. It is at times hard to figure out what is a fact, what is an opinion.

That’s why it is so crucial for all of us to:

• Realize that all have filters – some of them conscious, many of them unconscious
• Stay open to being challenged on our views especially if our views are self-destructing, self-limiting, victimizing and diminish our self-agency
• Identifying our filters (blind spots) and deciding to use or stop using them on purpose

Curious to hear your take on how you filter information, why you do it, how it serves and what it costs you.

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This newsletter is my attempt to share best practices learned, insights gained, opportunities created. It is a way to keep myself accountable to the big goals creating a ripple effect on thousands of people who look for change but still struggle with “But I don’t know how” and getting in their own way.

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Next week I will be writing about losing, how to process it and what is on the other side of it.

P.S. Thank you for tuning in to read about a journey of my personal transformation as I am navigating a new version of me emerging that I don’t quite associate myself with just yet.

P.P.S. If you are interested in bridging the gap between where you are and where you want to be at the end of 2024, let’s have a call to come up with a few doable actionable steps. Reach out via LinkedIn messaging or via email.