Happy Sunday everyone!
Today I want to cover something I believe we should always be mindful of when taking someone’s advice or internalizing their opinion. This can be applied to strangers, your friends, and even your parents.
Main point:
Every one of us has a unique mental filter that influences our perception of the world. This mental filter is a result of experiences and lessons learned in the past.
In many ways, it contributes to our core beliefs, and naturally, dictates how we think others should live as well.
So when we receive any advice from anyone, we must always be mindful that someone is sharing a thought that flows through their unique filter. And it’s possible that your filter of the world is very different.
So because of that, you always have a choice to disregard their advice and opinions.
This might seem a little obvious but it’s just too easy to fall into a trap of self-limiting beliefs when we forget that others are sharing an opinion with an incompatible filter to us.
Why I’m sharing this reminder
In my latest podcast episode with my good friend Kenji (link below), we talked about how people will judge our abilities and how we need to go about things based on their filter.
When we aren’t constantly mindful of their unique mental filter, it’s easy to fall into the usual self-limiting traps such as:
Self-doubt
Fear of rejection
Fear of judgment
Negative self-beliefs
Imposter syndrome
They are all linked and unfortunately, many of us allow these self-limitations to guide how we create opinions and advice. And then we dish out our fears onto others.
Now I don’t blame anyone for doing this as life isn’t easy and many of us have gone through a lot. So it’s absolutely acceptable to have these filters and it’s crucial not to dismiss or belittle someone else for having them. But it’s still important for us on the other side to respectfully unlink their thoughts from our truths.
This also applies to positive advice and opinions. A lot of things I say in my newsletter about growth and living are based on my unique filter. It’s important for you to figure out if my perceived truths are a decent fit for your life.
A final note on social media
Unlike in person, it’s much harder to decipher one’s filter when they’re giving advice on social media. It’s also very easy to be convinced that their life experiences are somehow relatable to ours.
So keep searching for authentic voices that speak with a compatible filter and always be open to stop listening to people when you’ve moved on in life.
Thank you for your support 🙌🏾. I really appreciate it.
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About Me
My name is Arun and I'm a 4th-year medical student at King's College London. I'm also a certified personal trainer and fitness photographer.
Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for more!
For thoughts about this newsletter, drop me an email at hello@arunjayaraj.com
Absolutely right! A person’s advise is based on their perception, which is coloured by their experience of reality.