Connecting Experiences

I am playing with the idea... developed from NLP's emphasis that to move through something or to move over something, we need to do something different.

Einstein's definition of insanity - i.e. insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result - is featuring more and more in people's consciousness.

I often meditate on this idea of doing something different to make a difference. I also think it is similar to what Ghandi said about being the change you want to see in the world.

I know my thinking is not very linear at the moment, but humour me as I engage my creative mind.

I am wondering about how perceiving something as similar or different influences our further thoughts and consequently our actions. When someone overreacts to something I have said, I wonder where this is coming from. When someone misinterprets my comments, I also tend to think along the lines of ... this does not seem to have anything to do with the current conversation. At this point you might be catching on that, the same is true when I feel my buttons are being pushed.

We assign meaning to words, comments, actions, etc. often based on earlier habits of assigning meaning. When x says that, it actually means....this and that. This is how we make sense of our world and create our reality and experiences.

I am coming to realise though that "good" people can say something that I perceive as bad and "bad" people can say something that I perceive as good. Also reminding myself that good and bad are simply labels I give to people and things to simplify my life.

Of course I realise my labels are created by me and not set in stone. I can change my perception and the meaning I give to events.

The reason this entry is rambling is that I am building on an idea ... a bit of the explore, play and appreciate approach. I have utmost confidence that it will develop into something fun, empowering and useful!

QUESTIONS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• How is this the "same"?
• How is this "different"?
• What makes it the same/different?
• What will make the difference here?
• What is the pattern? e.g. X says this and I know he is lying. I have given him the benefit of the doubt many times. Then when I confront him, he admits nothing, denies everything and makes counter accusations. He then does something "nice" (i.e. acts differently in a way I appreciate). I then doubt myself and give him the benefit of the doubt... only to start the cycle all over again. {comment: In this  scenario, x does something different to what he's been doing and this influences me to give him a second chance, what I don't see is that his something different is actually perpetuating his lying ways. I want it to be the truth so much...etc.etc.etc...}