"We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us."
American Author
1916 - 1988
One of the challenges we all face is not letting other people's perceptions of us determine who we are and how we behave. This development of who we believe ourselves to be begins almost from the moment we are born. Our parents judge us based on our gender. I have talked to women who say: "My father wanted a boy so he named me ___________." Other people will tell us that we are big or tall or pretty. And over the years these observations sink into our subconscious and we begin to believe them to be true. Much of my childhood I was told that I was big for my age. Over time that observation by people translated in my brain as "you are fat" even when I wasn't.
What observations have you heard throughout your life that you have come to believe as true? How did these observations become translated into your brain? Are these observations true or do you need to discard them?
As artists and writers we experience similar challenges. People will criticize our creative works and often we come to believe these criticisms to be true. We may even change our work to please the critics. If we do, we are allowing their limited vision to define who we are and what we are capable of achieving. Do not let those with limited imaginations limit you. Stand up for yourself. Choose to define yourself and your work by your vision, not that of others.
