Chardonnay Beaver - Words of Wisdom Influential Speaker, Storyteller, Creator of WOWbyChar, and UW

Have You Checked Your Perception Lately?

Perception is defined as the process of taking-in, picking, organizing, and understanding sensory information. In short, through our 5 senses–sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell– we possess the key ingredients to develop awareness. With that said, our actions follow our perception and when we misperceive life through a singular lens we tend to operate in stagnancy.

I have always admired the response children have to new discoveries. Because of their position everything in their surroundings seems so much bigger. Like they’re a small piece of this larger puzzle. I recall feeling that way as well, like everything around me was huge and towering over me. For example, as a young child I loved spending time with my great-grandma (whom we called Granny). We would watch The Young & The Restless and The Price Is Right. Later in the day she would watch the Disney channel with me as well. She often would sit with a napkin in her lap to collect the ashes from her lottery scratch tickets.

Whenever I wanted a snack, I would run to her pantry where all of my favorite crackers or fruit-snacks were arranged on shelves. As a four year old, I recall perceiving those shelves to be too high, simply unaccessible. As a result, I would call for Granny saying “Can you please help me? I want some Cheez-Its”. Of course, she would come and reach for the snacks I thought were unattainable. I was amazed! As years went on those shelves became easily accessible. Soon after, I was bringing Granny her favorite snacks.

With that said, many times we allow our perception of who we can become to mirror my perception of the snacks assembled on the shelves: unattainable, inaccessible, or simply out of reach. The truth is: as you grow into who you were called to become things will happen effortlessly. Do not be discouraged by what seems to be out of reach, try to better your perception with each day.

Words of Wisdom by Char of the week: Do not allow what seems unattainable today to discourage you from living, seeking help, and having faith for what tomorrow may hold. Focus on today, let God handle tomorrow! Colossians 1:10