The Power of Perception

A few days ago, I was let in on a secret. A wise woman, here at Pitt, verbally expressed something we all know. Our peers, professors, family, friends, and strangers have the ability to perceive us however they see fit. These perceptions can be based in reality or have no basis at all. We came to a common conclusion. Is it fair to us that each person passing by can judge us without knowing our inner soul? Better yet, is it fair that we often are held captive by others' perceptions of us?

I don't think so. Neither did she. She proposed that we take control and define ourselves. In essence, we look inward, determine who we truly are, and project it outward. This way, there is no discrepancy between who we are and who we appear to be. The real secret in this message, however, lies in the self discovery. No matter how we conduct our lives, others will always have the power to perceive us however they choose. The magic lies in the fact that once you honestly know and love yourself, it doesn't matter. Others' opinions fade. You are left with your own impression of yourself, the only one that matters.

My proposal today is to take a few moments to look inward. See yourself for who you are, rather than someone else's definition of you. Discover the shadows, the light, the contradiction, the beauty, and love yourself. With this, may you feel the relief of not needing to look to others for acceptance. Your perception is the only one that matters.