Linda L. Pilcher

Writing Your Legacy: Becoming the Author of Your Life in 2025

As we approach the doorstep of 2025, we pause to reflect on 2024 and prepare for the new year. We decide if this is a new chapter, if we continue to live as we have in the past, or if we write a new chapter for our story. We have the opportunity to design the life we want. You have to see it, know what you want, and have a plan to reach those hopes, plans, and dreams. Visualize who you want to be tomorrow, what life you aspire to, what relationships to nurture, and what life goals you desire. What are your big dreams?

“The best part of your story is that the next page is blank, and you get to write it.”
- Jodi Picoult

I refer to writing your legacy as a tool to visualize what it takes to transcend time and continue influencing and inspiring long after one’s lifetime. Our legacy reflects who we are, what we stand for, and what we contribute to the world. This legacy may only be in your circle of family and friends or through your job or passions. It may be your imprint on a grandchild who grows up to be an influential leader.

The power of legacy encourages us to live with purpose, intention, and a deep sense of responsibility toward ourselves and others. I encourage you to expand your thinking past 2025 to a life plan; what do you want to do with your life? What do you want to leave behind? To achieve this, we must set meaningful goals.

“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.”

– Nido Qubein

Establishing goals as the new year approaches is a way to ground our focus and provide direction. It entails being intentional in our choices. Whether setting goals for 2025 or visualizing beyond, knowing who you are now and who you want to be is crucial. Establishing goals is our roadmap to success.

In your overall plan, your well-being is the foundation that affects every aspect of your life, from mental and physical health to your social engagements. Self-care should be one of your goals as you dream big. Healthy, happy people are more productive.

Life is a journey; understanding who we are and what we believe, and value is vital to success. We live our lives in the here and now. However, we should reflect on our life experiences, achievements, and lessons learned along the journey.

To truly establish goals, you must find your true north. What is your direction in 2025? What is your purpose? If you don’t visualize where you are going, how will you know when you reached your destination? Then, you need to take inventory of where you stand today by mapping your present. You can discover what matters for your mind, body, and soul through an inventory or self-assessment. What do you want to do with your life, where you are today, what building blocks have you assembled, knowledge, skills, abilities, passions – who are you today? Who do you want to be tomorrow? Align your core beliefs and values with your goals.

We want to establish meaningful goals for 2025 and beyond. We should establish goals based on what truly matters. Play and fun have their place in life, but what do you really want to do with your life? What is your big dream, even if you are currently in a skilled profession? What comes next?

Self-Authorship

“Your Life is your story. Write well. Edit often.”
- Susan Statham

You are the author of your life, and if you decide to take responsibility for your story, put it on paper. Write the story you want to live so that you have a roadmap. It will have detours and roadblocks, but you can get around them with resolve. Be the author of who you want to be. To find your true north, you must find your true self. It is a journey, sometimes a long journey. We are all a work in progress. Becoming the author of your life means directing the journey, being intentional, and being fully aware of how you live your life. Authenticity and self-actualization are gained on the road to reaching your highest self and potential.

Authenticity and self-actualization

Authenticity means being true to yourself, including your core values, beliefs, and feelings. It means expressing and presenting yourself without pretense or conforming to others’ expectations. Achieving authenticity requires deep self-awareness and acceptance, acting in alignment with your genuine self.

According to Abraham Maslow, self-actualization is realizing and fulfilling one’s potential. It is connected to personal growth, creativity, and seeking meaningful goals. To reach self-actualization, one must live authentically. It is the opposite of conforming; it means making choices that reflect one’s true self and core values. This is not easy in a world that expects high conformity.

Authenticity and self-actualization are vital to setting goals for personal growth. You must first know your destination. Finding your true self leads to holistic well-being and life satisfaction as your goals and decisions follow your path and not those set by others.

Authenticity and Self-Authorship

In seeking self-actualization and authenticity, my path is following my passions. At the end of the day, what do I feel is most important in life? I am passionate about justice, inclusion, diversity, and equality. These values are embedded in my value system.

As for my other passions, I have always been a person with lots of hobbies and interests. Among my passions are art, music, dance, reading, writing, horticulture, a love of animals, and being outside. Finding my authentic self has been rewarding, and I have not fully reached my highest potential. However, I am the author of my journey.

Self-authorship is taking control of your life based on your values and beliefs, even if it steps out of line with expectations and validations from family, community, or societal expectations.

Disrupt Your Own Narrative, by Michael Gervais

Here are some past essays that will help you wrap up your New Year Resolutions for 2025 and beyond:

Take Responsibility for the Quality of Your Life

Transforming Purpose into Meaningful Action

Dream, Plan, Achieve: My Blueprint for a Successful New Year

The Writer’s Roadmap: Setting Clear Goals for Your Creative Journey

Intentional Living

Rewrite Your Story. Embracing the Blank Page of Possibility!

The Perfect Day – Life on Your Own Terms

A Perfect Day – Becoming the Best Version of Yourself

Conclusion

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finding your authentic self provides the clarity and focus needed for writing your story and being the author of your life. Living true to yourself requires reinforcing living authentically and consistently aligning your actions with your values and vision. Do not let others hold the script of your life; in writing your story, have your own pen.

Intentional living is a lifestyle philosophy that encourages conscious choices and decisions aligned with our values, beliefs, and goals. It involves being purposeful and deliberate about how we spend our time, energy, and resources rather than simply going through the motions of daily life.

In setting goals today, how do you want your legacy to read? What impact did you have on the world, leaving wisdom, community contributions, leadership, or activism? Were you a steward of animals or the environment? Did you lead a life that presented a role model to those around you? Did you live your life authentically?

We have the power to create our narratives and make choices that define the life we live. Start writing your legacy today by setting goals for 2025 and beyond.

“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

– Michael Jordan

Citations

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2025 and Beyond – Aligning Your Core – Setting Goals

This essay is about setting goals to help us design a better version of ourselves, the version we always wanted to be. Setting meaningful goals for the New Year involves a thoughtful and balanced approach. Empower yourself and take responsibility with zero excuses. Today, we will determine what truly matters, which helps us set our priorities. We only have so much time and energy, and by focusing on what is essential for our future self, we can allocate our time and energy as needed.

As you write your New Year’s Resolutions, remember these five concepts: Focus, Clarity, Consistency, Balance, and Moderation.

Focus is about directing your attention and efforts toward meaningful activities without getting distracted by a less important task. Learning to focus helps us find clarity.

Clarity means having a clear and detailed understanding of our goals and what we want to achieve. We will look at SMART goals as a method to capture the details.

Consistency is the key to reaching your goals; it refers to maintaining regular and persistent effort toward your goal. Develop habits and routines that support your goals. Small, consistent actions are the vehicle to reach your goals.

Balance involves ensuring that your goals are well-rounded and that you allocate time and energy to various aspects of your life. Pay attention to how you allocate your time, work-life balance, reflection time versus social time, and sedentary versus movement. As you set your goals, balance out your time and energy, which are your currency for self-growth.

Moderation means setting realistic and achievable goals without overburdening yourself. If you allocate all your time to working out at the gym, you have no time or energy left for other important areas of your life. Moderation is about setting goals that are challenging yet realistic and sustainable over a long period.

As we put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard to write New Year’s Resolutions, we seek our current knowledge, skills, and abilities, which we determine by a personal inventory. You also want to identify resources and time constraints. Identifying your resources means being aware of and leveraging various available assets, tools, and support systems to reach your goals. You want to set goals you can achieve but not overwhelm you.

What truly matters

If you are serious about setting goals that will change your life, take an inventory of where you are today, identify what truly matters, determine which goals you want to achieve this year and beyond, and then set SMART goals. If you write, “I want to lose weight,” you will not reach this goal as you have not identified the details, how much weight you plan to lose, what steps you will take, what lifestyle changes, and over what period.

The first set is to take a personal inventory; for more details on taking an inventory or conducting a self-assessment, refer to my essay on 2025 and Beyond, Mapping Your Present: What Truly Matters; and Why!

Health – Connections – Compassion – Authenticity – Time – Our impact; what is it that is most important?

People (Connection, engagement & communication)
Health (Physical, mental, emotional, social, psychological, spiritual, environmental, occupational, and financial)
Wisdom (Education & lifelong learning)
Philosophy (Personal philosophy & worldview)
Finances (Quality of life)
Mindfulness or spirituality
Authenticity & Self-actualization (Finding your potential and your voice)
Art (beauty)
Music
Writing (self-expression, communication, deep thought)
Fun & pleasures (dancing, socializing, music, games, or sports)

When you start your day, always ask yourself what truly matters and why. Take time to answer that question for the day ahead. What activities can you complete that move you toward your goal?

Setting SMART Goals for 2025 and beyond!

If you are unhappy, start with the body. Nourish it. Rest it. Move it. If you are uninspired, start with the mind. Excite it. Expose it. Open it. If you are unmotivated, start with the heart. Find your why. Do something that matters. Be of service.

Vex King

I want to introduce SMART goals. I encourage you to use this goal-setting method as we move through this journey. SMART goals are a method of follow-through, answering all the questions about the goals.

George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham, in their 1981 article “There’s a smart way to write management goals and objectives developed SMART goals.” The same principles apply to an individual’s goal setting.

S – Specific (simple, sensible, significant)
M – Measurable (meaningful, motivating)
A – Achievable (agreed, attainable)
R – Relevant (reasonable, realistic, and resourced, results-based)
T – Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, time-sensitive)

goal. To set a specific goal, you must answer the six “W” questions:

Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Identify a location.
When: Establish a time frame.
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Specific reasons, purpose, or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” However, a specific goal would be to, “Join a health club and work out 3 days a week.”

For more on SMART Goals, check out UMass Dartmouth’s website – Creating SMART Goals | UMass Dartmouth.

Here are some past essays that will help you think about what matters and write your goals for 2025:

Finding Your True North: Setting Your Direction for 2025

What Truly Matters? Finding Meaning in a Chaotic World

Why Consistency is Key to Reaching Your Goals

The Power of Self-Discipline

Beyond the Eye: Philosophical Reflections on Perception and Reality

Quality of Life: Embracing Appreciation as a Lifestyle

Harnessing Your Inner Voice: The Secret Weapon for Achieving Your Goals

Cultivate Empowering Self-Talk

Conclusion

As you establish your New Year’s goals, consider a well-rounded approach incorporating focus, clarity, consistency, balance, and moderation. You may need to shift your thinking about how you live your life. It is not about individual goals, but about your lifestyle, habits, and how you look at the world. You choose whether you see a positive outcome or a negative one. You are responsible for you.

Get rid of statements like I can’t and replace them with I can. Trade, I will try to I will do it. Our self-dialogue can sabotage us; make sure what you tell yourself aligns with what you want. Opportunity does not knock on your door; get ready to go out into the world and conquer the opportunities of your choosing.

Setting and reaching your goals will increase the quality of your life, helping you to become the best version of yourself while achieving your hopes, dreams, and plans. Evaluate your progress and recognize your achievements along the way. This helps to motivate you and promotes a positive outlook.

Steps to Writing Your New Year’s Resolutions

Take inventory or conduct a self-assessment of where you are now. What skills, knowledge, and abilities do you possess? Are your basic needs met, a roof over your head, food in the frig, money in the bank? If not, this could be a starting place. As to our higher needs, of reaching our fullest potential. Where are you today, and where do you want to be tomorrow? This is what you set goals for, the many tomorrows to come. Who do you want to be? Dream Big as you write your New Year’s resolutions.

Citations

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2025 and Beyond, Mapping Your Present: What Truly Matters; and Why!

Where are you today? Take an Inventory/Self-Assessment

“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the New Year.”

– Vern McLellan

“Every decision you make reflects your evaluation of who you are.”
- Marianne Williams

We are working toward personal and professional growth to build a stronger version of who you are today. This essay aims to help you take a comprehensive inventory of your current situation to set a strong foundation and map for future growth. You must see them in written form or as a visual cue to keep focus and clarity on your goals. Research estimates that 90% of people who set New Year’s goals do not reach their goals. The University of Delaware and the University of Scranton completed this research. Let’s be the 10% who achieve them.

The links at the bottom of this document will provide a list of areas of your life and an outline to help you start thinking about what is truly important and where to establish goals. How you approach your life is vital to how you achieve these goals. Assessing your habits, behaviors, and lifestyle philosophy helps you reach your highest potential. I encourage you to embrace an intentional living lifestyle.

Intentional living is a lifestyle philosophy that encourages making conscious choices and decisions aligned with our values, beliefs, and goals. The philosophy is to be purposeful and deliberate about how you spend your time and energy. It is about how you use your resources rather than simply going through the motions of daily life. Your resources could be your health, money, education, social network, skills, knowledge, and abilities.

First, you must understand who you are today. This can be accomplished by taking a self-assessment or an inventory, analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, and identifying the gaps between where you are today and who you want to be tomorrow.

What does taking a self-assessment mean? It involves assessing and cataloging various aspects of your personality, skills, knowledge, and abilities. You are defining aspects of your identity, interests, and behaviors. It is a self-assessment and a self-reflection exercise. A better way to understand yourself and your potential. In a simple statement, it is about creating a list or profile of who you are.

What does taking a personal inventory mean? It is about gathering the pieces of your life’s wins and accomplishments. It is taking an inventory of where you are today regarding the different areas of your life, such as education, health, career, and relationships.

You want an inventory to know where you stand today; we are mapping a plan. We will align our goals and write our legacy in the following two blogs this month. We want to document where we are NOW and where we want to go TOMORROW. Who do you want to be? How do you want to improve? What areas do you want to work on in 2025 and beyond? Asking and answering the most important questions.

It is important to remember you cannot tackle everything at once. Change happens through continuous improvement incrementally. Small steps daily.

Then, design the life you want to live. Define who you are! Don’t be part of who you are.

Why does self-assessment matter?

“Self-reflection is a power tool that provides us with wisdom and a deeper understanding of ourselves.”
- Unknown

A self-assessment is part inventory and part analysis. It can provide a clear and realistic understanding of your current strengths, weaknesses, and resources. By identifying our strengths and weaknesses, we arm ourselves with a vision and a plan of where we want to see growth. How can we improve our strengths? How can we turn our weaknesses into strengths? This preliminary plan helps us to set realistic and attainable goals. Self-assessment also allows us to align our goals with our core values and interests.

Knowing your current resources, such as time, energy, finances, skills, knowledge, and abilities, enables you to plan effectively. Your self-assessment will help you allocate these resources to reach your goals. It can also help you prioritize your goals based on importance and feasibility. Identifying the areas of your life and where you need to set goals is necessary.

Regular self-assessment keeps you accountable to yourself. It is a tool to help you find clarity, focus, and commit to your goals. Self-assessment provides a baseline from which you can track your progress. Seeing measured improvements can be highly motivating and encourage continuous effort.

How to complete a self-assessment

Complete a personal SWOT analysis

List your strengths and weaknesses
Identify opportunities and threats (what could go wrong, what roadblocks you might face)

SMART Goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound. Smart goals are a guide to setting objectives. Objectives define the strategy to reach the identified goal.

Reflective journaling is writing your thoughts and feelings to help determine what truly matters and where you want to go in 2025 and beyond.

How to measure your goals. You want to develop a way to monitor your goals, as being out of sight and out of mind means you don’t always follow through. Tracking your personal growth will help.

“Review is essential to evaluation, which is essential to progress.”
- Melissa Steginus

What truly matters?

As you determine what goals you want to set. Ask yourself what truly matters. You cannot do it all at once, so focus on the most critical areas of your life.

Focus, Clarity, Consistency, Balance, and Moderation

Take some time to read these past essays as you start your map. The essays will give you food for thought and help you set goals.

How to be a Better Person by Setting Personal Standards

Intentional Living – Nourishing Your Mind and Body

Why Habits Are the Secret Weapon to Changing Your Life

Intentional Living

What Truly Matters? A Personal Growth Mindset

Intentional Living – Nourishing Your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

The Power of Authenticity – Becoming Your True Self

Conclusion

“The important question is not how assessment is defined, but whether assessment information is used.”
- Grant Wiggins

This statement means that the true value of an assessment lies not just in the process of collecting data about ourselves, but in how that data is actively analyzed and used to improve your life. Having an assessment in place without acting on the information it provides is essentially useless.

Completing a self-assessment allows you to adapt your goals according to life’s circumstances. Life is messy, and every plan faces some roadblocks. If you have developed a deeper understanding of who you are today, you will be able to adapt quickly. By completing regular self-assessments or inventories, we can create a mindset and habit of continuous improvement.

Self-assessment and inventory are vital processes that help you set meaningful, realistic, and achievable goals. The process helps you to understand your starting point – NOW. It helps to align your values and goals. You create a baseline that serves as a reference point for measuring progress and a tool to adjust goals as needed. By completing a regular self-assessment of how you set goals, you can create a clear path to personal and professional growth.

Keep the SMART goals formula in mind while mapping your journey. Mapping is a graphic representation of a place usually drawn on a flat surface – a map. We are mapping our future. What does this all have to do with mapping? You need to know your destination. Mapping is a journey, a trip you are preparing to take. The trip might be running the race, painting a picture, or becoming the CEO of a major company. You still must plan your trip, pack the right items, and prepare for the process.

Start your self-assessment now and share your insights or questions in the comments. The following two document will help you see in what areas of your life you want to set goals. The first document is Chapter 3 of my book, Resolutions: Life Planning Tools. The second document is my approach to understanding the big picture for 2025 and beyond. It is a bit philosophical, but so am I.

Chapter 3 Inventory (from Resolutions Life Planning Tools)Download

2025 and Beyond – Setting Goals Download

Citations

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Photo by Michiel Annaert on Unsplash

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Photo by GIK Multimédia on Unsplash

Finding Your True North: Setting Your Direction for 2025

The theme for December 2024 is to establish goals for 2025 and beyond. So, we are starting some preparations for setting goals: find our true north, map our present, align our core, and write our legacy. This essay is to set the stage, so please follow along every Friday for more on how to establish goals for 2025. At the end of this essay, you will find links to other essays that will help you start planning. Let’s dream big!

Aligning our beliefs, values, hopes, plans, and dreams to design the life we want. That is what goal setting is about personal and professional growth. It is about taking an inventory of where you are now and where you want to go in the future. Who do you want to be tomorrow? You can change your mind, body, and soul. All you have to do is take responsibility for your thoughts, actions, and behaviors.

It takes work; it takes time, and it takes planning. Writing your goals down and defining them will help you achieve them. Research shows that 92% of New Year resolutions are never accomplished. There are many reasons, but one of the important ones is that people write one-liners; I will lose weight. However, there is no definition of what that means or how the individual will reach this goal. Goals need structure, direction, and a detailed plan.

Our goal will be to have a written plan of action for 2025 and beyond by December 31. A map of the path of your desired outcomes. Do you want to improve your health, appearance, mind, and relationships? All require a defined goal. What we are working toward is self-authorship. Write your own story with the ending you aspire to reach.

“The secret is there is no secret.
Consistency over intensity.
Progress over perfection.
Fundamentals over fads.
Over and over again.”

- Kendra Kidwell

When setting goals, remember there is no magical shortcut to achievement. It is about consistency rather than quick-fix methods like a fad diet. It takes focus and clarity to reach your goals. We will look at SMART goals, a framework for establishing goals. In writing your goals, you will be (S) specific, (M) measurable, (A) attainable, (R) relevant, and (T) timely.

If you follow along this month, we will take an inventory to map your present. Aligning your core values and beliefs, reflecting on what truly matters in your overall well-being, and looking at your entire self, mind, body, and soul. This will help us set goals that apply to who we want to be. Who am I today, and who do I want to be tomorrow?

“Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better.”

– Paul Coffey

Our core values and beliefs

What we believe about ourselves powerfully affects how we live. Our self-perception and cultural conditioning influence our behavior, decisions, and overall life path. Our beliefs and value systems develop our worldview and our perspective on life. However, we are not always aware of our beliefs and value systems; we function on autopilot, managing many aspects of our lives subconsciously. We need to become aware of this deeper self.

If we believe we are capable and worthy, those beliefs become our navigators through our experiences. If, on the other hand, we have low self-worth, this could lead to self-doubt and the avoidance of challenges. Getting more education is a good example. Many people are held back by the fear that they are not smart enough. But the basis of education is to learn how to learn. It is a matter of taking small steps over time. You can improve your self-worth!

Our identity is shaped by how we view ourselves and our roles, thus affecting our lifestyle choices and engagement with the world. For example, do you see yourself as a leader or a wallflower? How we see ourselves drives every decision we make in our lives. You can change your view of yourself!

Often, we function on assumptions that control our reactions without conscious thought. Running on autopilot stems from past experiences and affects our behavior and decisions. Becoming aware of and challenging these assumptions can lead to growth. Addressing the assumptions can help us make more rational decisions.

Another system in our autopilot program is memories; remembering past successes and failures can influence our actions and self-perception today. By becoming aware, we can use these memories to reflect on and motivate us to improve. Moving forward and not hanging on to the past; however, if you have past traumas, it is best to face them as they can become roadblocks to your future success. Set goals to address the traumas; face your demons and put them away.

Our core beliefs are fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world (our worldview). These beliefs are often instilled in childhood and guide our actions and reactions, either consciously or subconsciously. So, as we look toward the New Year 2025 and beyond, taking control of your identity, beliefs, values, thoughts, and actions is essential in improving your life. Knowing yourself is critical to defining your identity and designing the life you want.

Take Control – Self-Authorship

Write your legacy and control your story. We are the authors of our story. We can create a story that aligns with our identity by thoroughly exploring what truly matters in our lives. Then, by setting goals, we can define how to improve the areas of our lives that are most important.

Seeking authenticity – your true identity

By reflecting on and becoming aware of our beliefs, assumptions, and values, we can gain insight into how they influence our behavior. This is an essential step in making deliberate changes. We can challenge and reframe negative beliefs and assumptions to develop healthier thought patterns and behaviors. You can control your thoughts!

Gaining a better understanding of how culture and family influence impact our identity allows us to navigate our social engagements. By aligning our actions with our core values and positive beliefs about ourselves, we can seek personal and professional growth and achieve a more fulfilling life. The life of our hopes, plans, and dreams.

As we seek our story, we will work through some key concepts for setting goals during December:

Taking an inventory of our present self.
SWOT analysis, looking at our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
SMART Goals, establishing well-defined goals.
The overall goal is mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being to improve the quality of your life.
Intentional living is a lifestyle philosophy that encourages making conscious choices and decisions aligned with our values, beliefs, and goals. It involves being purposeful and deliberate about how we spend our time, energy, and resources rather than simply going through the motions of daily life.

Conclusion

Focus, Clarity, Consistency, Balance, and Moderation

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
- Colin Powell

We live with assumptions, memories, beliefs, and value systems acquired by our family and culture. Let’s make this the breakout year, where you define yourself and who you want to be when you grow up. We are all a work in progress, so you are still growing, regardless of age.

Define yourself and your most important goals. We only have so much time and energy to define what truly matters, which will help us find clarity and focus.

Consistency is how you reach the goal. Make a plan and consistently follow the plan. Consistency will be your best friend if you want to develop a new habit. If you want to lose weight, following a sensible diet will help you reach your goal. Adopt sustainable habits that promote long-term growth rather than extreme measures that may not be maintainable.

Balance is vital to reaching your goals. Our overall self-growth plan should include our mind, body, and soul. Balance your time and energy to work on various aspects of your life.

Moderation involves setting realistic, achievable goals and pacing oneself. Extreme focus on one area can lead to neglecting other areas.

Understanding the powerful hold of our self-beliefs and the influence of our cultural and familial background is key to unlocking our potential and leading a balanced, purposeful life. Recognizing these influences allows us to shape our paths and make informed, authentic decisions.

The following blogs will help you define your goals for 2025 and beyond. Please take some time to read these fundamentals of self-growth.

Designing the life, you want by the choices you make

Echoes of Time – Self-Reflection on the Past, Paving the Future

Destiny by Design: Crafting Your Ideal Life Through Manifestation

We Cannot Become What We Want by Remaining What We Are: Embracing Growth and Transformation

Thriving in Life – The Well-Being Framework

What Truly Matters? Finding Meaning and Purpose

A Philosophical Perspective – Who Am I?

Citations

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What If Self-Authorship Redefines Your Existence?

Let’s have a philosophical discussion about “What if.” How can changing your mental attitude help you see the opportunities in your future? Our thoughts and attitudes shape our reality. An ongoing process of self-definition and self-creation characterizes human existence; we are constantly faced with choices that shape our identity and future possibilities. The ability to perceive those opportunities in the future requires openness and acceptance of change.

“Decide what kind of life you really want … and then say no to everything that isn’t that.”
- Malanie Mackie

We engage in “What if” analysis in our heads all the time. Often, those “What if “scenarios are negative. Negative thoughts don’t help us and may become roadblocks on the way to achieving our dreams. But “What if “we decided to have a positive mental attitude? If you have followed this blog, you know that we have tremendous power over our life choices, habits, and direction. If we take responsibility without excuses, we can shape our world.

As we move into December, it is time to look at your goals for 2025. Here are two questions that establish my starting line:

What if I am indeed the architect of my future? The author of Who I Want to Be in My Morphical Tomorrows.

What truly matters?

It is a time to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, as well as prepare for the New Year. What if we approached the new year with a new perspective, one of ownership and self-management? What if we learn how to better manage our thinking abilities to improve decision-making and problem-solving? What if we take full responsibility for 2025?

Framework essential to our goals

“The hand you are dealt is just the starting point for development.

Carol Dweck

Our mind frame is how we frame or structure our thoughts and perspectives. It is like the scaffolding of a building; in our mind, it is a framework for how we perceive and process information. Shaping your mind frames to achieve your goals influences your understanding and reactions to the world. Understanding how to harness these tools can help you design a better life through goal setting.

In our quest for personal and professional growth, how we perceive and respond to situations plays a vital role in reaching our goals. There are many benefits to becoming aware of your mind frame. Through a positive mind frame, you can see opportunities and analyze challenges and setbacks positively. Helping you make better, more rational, and informed decisions. Understanding your mind frame can help you manage your emotions and can allow you to reframe negative experiences to maintain an emotional balance.

Cultivating a positive mind frame starts with awareness. Take time to reflect on how you interpret situations or identify negative patterns. You can reframe negative thoughts, turning them into positive ones. Instead of thinking, “I can’t” reframe it to “I can.”

Let’s explore three frames essential to our goals

Growth mindset, metacognition, and self-authorship are interconnected concepts that create a framework for self-improvement. Here’s how they come together:

Growth Mindset

It is a belief that your talents and intelligence can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and engaging with others. It is a belief that we can grow by working on how well we use our cognitive abilities. This growth mindset helps to empower us, help us harness innovation in our lives, and collaborate with other individuals or groups. A growth mindset promotes a love of learning and fosters actively seeking challenges and learning from your setbacks. People who have embraced the growth mindset persistently work toward goals, actively seek feedback, and embrace new ideas.

Metacognition

Metacognition refers to thinking about thinking; it involves an awareness of our cognitive processes. There are three main components: metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive control, and metacognitive monitoring. It is a higher order of thinking that helps us understand and control our learning, decision-making, and problem-solving processes. You can improve your planning, organizing, concentration, and goal-setting skills by gaining control of your thought process.

How a Lifelong Learning Mindset Fuels Goal Achievement

Self-Authorship

Self-authorship is the stage in our lives where we have formed our own identities, beliefs, ideologies, and values. It is a cognitive process that involves collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reflecting on information to form our perspective. It is finding your authentic self. You are authoring your own story. Finding our authentic selves helps us set goals based on our internal values and desires.

The Power of Authenticity – Becoming Your True Self

Self-Actualization – Finding My Self

I will refer to mind frame in December’s blogs as we prepare for 2025 goals.

How this framework intersects for self-improvement

What if we gain better control of our thinking process? Could this help us build a stronger version of ourselves? In looking at goal setting for 2025.

What if? We Leap Beyond our Perceived Limits with a Positive Mental Attitude

Growth Mindset and Self-Growth.

Some individuals gain skills and knowledge effortlessly, others are more orderly and achievement-focused than their peers, and others exhibit unusual talents. While such positive traits are not evenly distributed, they are not necessarily out of reach for those who are not “natural” high achievers. As Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck and colleagues conceived, a growth mindset is the belief that a person’s capacities and talents can be improved over time. Growth Mindset by Psychology Today.

15 Ways to Build a Growth Mindset, by Tchiki Davis, Ph.D.

Metacognition

Developing metacognitive skills can enhance your ability to learn and solve problems. Learning to control this process helps you choose strategies promoting learning and problem-solving. Setting goals is a metacognitive skill involving thinking about your learning process, planning, developing strategies, visualizing a desired outcome, and monitoring your progress. It is a self-regulatory process that includes self-observation, self-judgment, and self-reaction (Bandura, 1986).

Mastering Self-Awareness with Metacognition, by Bay Area CBT Center (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy)

Self-Authorship

“Self-authorship is the capacity to internally define a coherent belief system and identity that coordinates mutual relations with others.”

Baxter Magnolia, Professor of Educational Leadership at Miami University.

Self-authorship is linked to better performance, critical reasoning, better thinking, and motivation. Self-authorship allows you to define goals that relate to what you want in your life instead of living up to others’ expectations. It is about taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Setting self-improvement goals is how we become the author of ourselves.

How to develop your self-authorship, by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Conclusion

Decide

So do it, decide. Is this the life you want to live?
Is this the person you want to love? Is this the best you can be?
Can you be stronger. Kinder. More compassionate.
Decide. Breathe in. Breathe out.
And decide
- Meredith Gray

The best way to transform your life is to explore what you want your life to be. Then, set goals and put yourself on the path to continuous improvement incrementally. Baby steps. You cannot tackle a transformation in one day. Think about your goals as a transformation; you are building your full identity, a stronger version of who you are now, through your lifestyle, habits, thoughts, and behaviors. It requires you to take 100% control to become the author of this stronger version.

The framework discussed in this essay is a tool to help you make better decisions and to learn better ways to solve your problems. These tools allow you to build a mind frame that improves your thinking and reasoning skills.

Embrace a growth-oriented mind frame by continuously seeking new experiences and knowledge. Keep your mind open and flexible to new opportunities and perspectives. Your mind frame is a powerful tool that shapes your experiences and outcomes. By understanding and managing your mind frame, you can transform how you perceive and connect to the world.

What If We Are the Authors of Our Own Lives?

What If Your Story Is Yet to Be Written?

The 5 Hour Rule | Watch, by Thomas Frank

My December theme will be: Rewrite your story. Embrace the blank page of possibilities!

Citations

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

Photo by Hannah Popowski on Unsplash

A Philosophical Perspective – Who Am I?

I think therefore, I am – Descartes

Who Am I?
Just a puppet on a string?
To dance and sing
And make them laugh
A game called survive
Put her down
See how long she lives
Till she dies
A dream
Only to disappear
When they awaken
The mind of a single thought
One word of an infinite song
Who Am I?
Just a puppet on a string?

- Linda (Thompson) Pilcher

“There is nothing to prove and nothing to protect, I am who I am and it’s enough.”
- Richard Rohr

I wrote this poem at the beginning of my journey to define myself. At sixteen, I had not learned that we hold the strings. At sixteen, others (my parents) controlled my life. It takes a lifetime to understand that we are the authors of our story.

Asking deep philosophical questions can help us on our journey to self-understanding. It can ignite our personal growth. A growth that necessitates knowing yourself first. The fundamental question, “Who am I,” helps us explore our values, identity, and beliefs. It helps us explore why we exist by defining what brings life meaning and purpose. What truly matters? What are your passions, causes, concerns, and loves?

As we move closer to 2025 and prepare for setting goals in this new year. Take an inventory of yourself. Dig deeper into who you are and what you want from life. We have a limited amount of time and energy, and finding clarity is vital to utilizing this time and energy for personal growth. We can find clarity by focusing on some of humankind’s most profound philosophical questions and though self-reflection.

In seeking our true selves. We want to get to a point where we can say:

I know who I am.

I know who I want to be.

I know what my story is today and have a draft of a symbolic tomorrow.

I know I have the means to become the person I always wanted to be.

This could be becoming a better person through integrity or becoming more knowledgeable. It could be becoming stronger spiritually, mentally, physically, or emotionally. What constitutes a better version of us is a personal journey; there are no right or wrong answers as you seek your authentic self. You create, design, and define your identity.

Who are you today, and who do you want to be tomorrow? It takes a lifetime to get to know yourself on a deeper level, and even then, you never fully know yourself because you are a work in progress.

What defines me?

This question is personal and profound; it involves a lifetime of likes and dislikes, passions, visions, hopes, plans, and dreams. Is it my perspective of me that defines me or others’ perspectives of me? I vote for my perspective, yet that does not make it true.

On our journey, we seek what is true; what is real? We are looking for our authentic selves. The problem with this is we are the architecture of this self. We are complex creatures. Part of our identity is created by where we are born, our family’s biological traits, culture, religion, and our experiences. Then, a part of our identity is defined by us; this is where we have the control to design who we become.

We are like a puzzle; we become a composite picture of ourselves where and when we put the pieces together. Today, our puzzle includes who we were yesterday and where we are today. To complete the puzzle, we need to project our imagined future – then, from that imagery – start gathering the tools, education, and skills to reach that ideal future.

Peeling Back the Layers: Perception and Identit y

Introspection

We look in the mirror to assess our appearance and what we look like on the outside. Introspection is reversing the mirror and looking at what we look like on the inside, exploring our inner selves. It is a self-examination of your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, beliefs, and values. Some methods used to navigate this internal journey are:

Meditation which is a mindfulness practice focusing on solitude, sounds, images, mantras, or affirmations. There are several types of meditation, so you can experiment to find what works best for you. Some forms of meditation are guided movement, visualization, music, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, and spirituality.

Meditation – Introspection A Path to Clarity

Mindfulness is about being aware of the present moment. It involves being fully present and aware of your surroundings, as well as your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Approach the here and now with a non-judgmental attitude and accept your thoughts and feelings without labeling them. Practicing mindfulness helps you to focus and train your mind to stay engaged with the present. The present is where we live our lives, even though mentally we flow from the past to our imagined future easily. Mediation is a method to train yourself to be here and now.

Prayer involves finding quiet time, a place free from distractions. This solitude allows one to reflect on experiences and our inner being. For those who believe in a higher power, prayer is a way to seek spiritual insight, which can provide a sense of direction. Prayer can lead to philosophical questions about our life choices, values, and purpose.

Listening to music, setting time aside for solitude, or spending time in nature can facilitate self-reflection. Creating structured time for self-examination and reflection helps lead to greater self-understanding and awareness of our inner lives.

Affirmation
I am designing a better version of myself every day.

Meditation – Introspection A Path to Clarity

Cultivating Inner Peace: A Journey Within

A Perfect Day – Becoming the Best Version of Yourself

The Art of Introspection – Finding Yourself

Self-Actualization – Finding My Self

Focused Journaling – Expressing Your Thoughts and Emotions

The Magic of Journaling – A Guide to Finding Clarity and Maintaining Focus

Who do I want to be tomorrow?

This is a symbolic tomorrow; who do you want to be in one week, year, or five years? At the end of your life, looking back, what do you want to define your existence? How do I reach that image of my ideal self and life? The first rule is to take 100% responsibility and 0% excuses. You are the author of your story. Take hold of the narrative; write the story you want to happen. Then make it happen.

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”
- Angela Davis

Finding focus, clarity, consistency, balance, and moderation is the way to take hold of your story. Continuous improvement is incrementally used to change a little each day. Add or strengthen a habit or break a bad habit, not by just stopping, but by incrementally working on this habit.

Build intentional living into your story. Make deliberate choices as to what is important and what truly matters. Then develop a system that works for you. The question is do you want to be a better version of yourself. We are all a work in progress.

Please take some time and read my past blogs

These essays will help you build a framework for setting your 2025 goals. Also, it helps you dig deeper into who you are today and who you want to be tomorrow.

Designing Tomorrow – The Path to Intentional Living

Designing the life, you want by the choices you make

The Power of Authenticity – Becoming Your True Self

Rewrite Your Story. Embracing the Blank Page of Possibility!

Take Responsibility for the Quality of Your Life

We Cannot Become What We Want by Remaining What We Are: Embracing Growth and Transformation

Conclusion

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.

- Judy Garland

“The world as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
— Albert Einstein

Introspection is a gateway to understanding our true identity. Through thoughtful reflection and a willingness to explore the depths of our inner world, we can answer the age-old question, “Who am I?” and set a course for a life of authenticity and purpose.

Asking and answering questions can lead to greater self-awareness and a deeper understanding of ourselves and where we fit into the world. Seeking clarity can guide you to living a more intentional and meaningful life.

Citations

Photo by Benjamin Wedemeyer on Unsplash

Photo by Nijwam Swargiary on Unsplash

Photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash

Beyond Aesthetics: Unveiling the Philosophy of Beauty

“Beauty is not a quality of things themselves, but rather exists in the mind of the person perceiving them.” – David Hume

Why is beauty important? What is your definition of beauty? How does experiencing beauty affect us psychologically, physically, and emotionally. To know yourself well, you should ask questions and seek answers. Become aware of your surroundings and how it affects your daily life. Extending from the blog posted on November 8, 2024, what does it mean to exist? What role does beauty play in our existence?

Beauty is a concept that is often connected to aesthetics. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty, art, and the creation and appreciation of beauty. Beauty is one of those deep philosophical questions pondered by humankind from the beginning of recorded history. On the surface level, it is what pleases the senses. However, on a deeper level, it is intertwined with our emotions, culture, and our thoughts.

The saying beauty is in the eyes of the beholder means that the person who is observing is the one to decide what is beautiful. It could also mean that beauty does not exist outside of the observer; it is created by the observer. Our life experiences, upbringing, worldview, and our personal tastes shape our perspective on what is beautiful.

Why is beauty important to us? Because experiences with beauty provoke joy and pleasure, they trigger our emotional response. Encountering beauty affects our physical and psychological well-being. Finding beauty in our day can have a calming effect. It can stimulate our creativity and act as a springboard for societal innovation. The arts can connect us to others and help us communicate and understand others on a deeper level.

"There is certainly no absolute standard of beauty. That precisely is what makes its pursuit so interesting." - John Kenneth Galbraith

How beauty contributes to our existence

Beauty links our sensory experiences, search for meaning, and place in the world. Engaging with magnificent landscapes or a sky with a full moon and stars brings a sense of awe and wonder. We say that beauty is breathtaking, that the experience is so profound that it takes our breath away. One experience stands out for me, driving through the mountains in Colorado for the first time. Driving on a winding road through copper-colored rock formations, like towers on each side of the road, as the sun rises, the light catches on the copper. There was an intense array of colors from the deepest reds and oranges. It was an encounter with beauty that left a lasting picture in my mind. We could all name moments when we are overwhelmed by something so beautiful that it leaves us speechless.

Art, music, and literature hold profound truths about the human condition. Participation in these forms of beauty and aesthetics prompts deep self-reflection. It can encourage us to explore our feelings and life experiences. Creating beauty through art, music, and the written word gives us a way to express our thoughts and emotions. A path to seek who we are and to communicate who we are to others.

Beauty can provoke strong emotional responses, such as happiness, joy, or inspiration. Some encounters are so beautiful that they bring tears to our eyes, leave us speechless, and move us in ways that create a forever impression. These emotional experiences enrich our lives. They help us to understand our own and other people’s experiences. These emotions connect us on the deepest level.

How beauty has been viewed

In ancient times, philosophers pondered the nature and essence of beauty. Plato viewed beauty as an objective quality, a reflection of the eternal and unchanging forms. He believed true beauty transcends the physical world and can be grasped through the mind’s eye. Aristotle saw beauty in the harmony and balance of parts within a whole, emphasizing order and symmetry.

Then, in the Enlightenment era, Immanuel Kant argued that beauty is a subjective experience. Kant believed that beauty was in the hands of the individual to learn to appreciate harmony and order. He distinguished the sublime from the beautiful. Sublime refers to a quality of greatness that inspires awe and admiration; it invokes deep emotional responses. David Hume believed that beauty exists in the mind of the beholder and varies from person to person.

"The beautiful is limited, while the sublime is limitless. - Immanuel Kant

Cultural Dimensions of Beauty

Beauty is also influenced by our cultural framework; different cultures have differing standards of beauty, and they are influenced by historical, social, and environmental factors. One example is the concept of beauty in ancient Greece, where there was an emphasis on physical perfection and athleticism, contrasts with the more spiritual and inner beauty valued in many Eastern cultures. Cultural expressions of beauty can be found in art, music, literature, rituals, and symbolism, which reflect the values and aesthetics of a culture or society. These cultural treasures not only convey beauty but also preserve and transmit cultural heritage and identity.

Science has explored the human experience of beauty through biology, psychology, culture, religion, and social perspectives. It has been found that we have a built-in biological radar that associates facial symmetry with beauty. We see this symmetry as displaying health and genetic fitness. Or you may find someone with average features to be safer or trustworthy, as average features are more familiar. Culturally, standards of beauty vary widely. What we consider beautiful in one culture may not be the case in another. The standard of beauty has changed significantly over history, time, and place.

Beauty in everyday life

Beauty is present in our daily lives. As we encounter nature, the beauty of a sunset, a flock of birds overhead, the face of a loved one. Through the arts, music, dance, and literature, we experience and are connected by beauty. The sights, scents, and sounds of our culture and heritage can bring joy and connectedness.

Nature provides us with a wonderland of beauty if you take the time to appreciate it. In nature, we see patterns, textures, colors, and forms that are pleasing to our eyes. Nature can stimulate our senses with regard to sight, sound, and touch. The sounds of birds singing or the wind slowly moving through the trees can trigger a peacefulness, giving us an awe experience. Nature can trigger inspiration, creativity, and deep self-reflection. It also provides us with a sense of reality and belonging.

There is a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness, which is how we can fail to notice visible objects because our attention is focused on something else. This blindness can cause us to overlook smaller details of our lives, maybe missing the beauty that can awe and inspire us. When I walk, I block out the ugly and focus on the beauty around me to the point I do not see what I don’t want to see. But what am I missing?

I bring this up because becoming aware of how we interact with the world and learning to truly see and appreciate what surrounds us will promote well-being. Experiencing beauty in any form can bring joy and happiness, releasing the feel-good hormones that uplift our mood. The bottom line is that it is good for your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Conclusion

Appreciating beauty enriches our lives on multiple levels—emotionally, psychologically, socially, physically, and cognitively. It helps create a more balanced, fulfilling, and joyful existence. There are some commonalities in how we encounter beauty; oftentimes, what is beautiful is defined by the culture or time in history. However, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. What I see as beautiful is not necessarily what you hold as beauty. The role of the observer in the perception of beauty is central to making it a deeply personal experience.

Beauty plays a vital role in the arts, inspiring the creative nature of humans. We create works that bring out emotional and aesthetic responses in others. We share our concepts of the world and our feelings. We create beauty through fashion, aesthetic designs, graphic arts, sculptures, and music. I have been listening to Frederic Chopin, a classical pianist, and the beauty of the music is sometimes almost overwhelming.

The pursuit of beauty can be intertwined with the search for meaning and purpose in life. Beyond aesthetics, beauty has captivated our minds since recorded history. It is intertwined with our emotions, thoughts, cultures, and our daily existence. We build, design, and wear things we feel are beautiful.

Beauty, with its multifaceted nature, goes beyond mere aesthetics. It touches on philosophical questions about our existence, perception, and values. Beauty is not just what we see, but what we feel, think, and experience. It is a part of the human journey, a source of joy, inspiration, and profound meaning.

Could you imagine your life without beauty?

Citations

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash

Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash

A Philosophical Inquiry. What Does It Mean To Exist?

What does it mean to be human? What is the purpose of our life?

Why do we need meaning? How does meaning affect us? What even is meaning? Philosophers have spent countless hours considering the concept of meaning, as well as the “meaning of meaning.”

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
- Pablo Picasso

Existence is having a presence in the world, an awareness of yourself, and your interactions with the environment. For humans, it means experiencing life through our emotions and senses. What does it mean to exist is a deep philosophical question that we often ask ourselves; or should ask if we have not. Finding meaning and purpose is the core of happiness, fulfillment, and well-being. It anchors us and functions as a compass in living our lives.

We are biologically programmed to procreate; it is a fundamental aspect of existence. This drive ensures that we survive and that our species continues to exist. This aspect of existence is shared by all living organisms. Psychologically, our existence is consciousness and self-awareness, providing us with the ability to think and reflect on ourselves. Socially, we form relationships for survival and a sense of belonging; we are social creatures.

“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”

Viktor Frankl

Survival or flourishing

Our existence can be seen as encompassing survival and flourishing, each playing a significant role in our lives. Our most fundamental needs of food, water, shelter, and safety must be met before we can progress to higher levels of self.

There are no true answers to this question of the meaning of our existence. The answers will be as unique as each of us, as this is a profoundly deep question. So, one likely answer is that we create our own meaning. For some, it is tied to family, work, faith, or community. An artist or musician might find meaning in their creative work. A teacher, doctor, or firefighter might find meaning in serving others.

The search for meaning has been a pilgrimage throughout human history. Meaning can be cultivated through self-reflection, active searching, or embedded through your upbringing or cultural environment. For those who follow a divine presence, their meaning may be entirely derived from their faith.

The concept of our existence having meaning comes down to “Does your life matter?” We define our purpose, sometimes taking decades to cultivate a definition. Our purpose could be connecting to others or in the interests we pursue. Meaning and purpose vary greatly based on our beliefs, values, and experiences. We will not flourish until we have found purpose.

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
- Aristotle

“We’re not sure exactly where meaning comes from, if it is inherent, or if it is ‘real’ at all; what we do know is that humans flourish when they have it and suffer when they don’t.”

Positive Psychology

Our existence is connected to the past, present, and future. The past provides a framework for our present. We live in the present. The future is the realm of possibility. Our identity is built on our environment and memories, helping us understand who we are and where we want to go. In other words, we construct our reality from past, present, and imagined future experiences. Our view of our existence is based on our understanding and construction of the world, our worldview.

Do we exist? by Lazy Owl

Shared meaning and purpose

We also have shared meaning and purpose through the community to which we belong. This shared meaning gives us a sense of belonging and well-being. It can help us establish a sense of direction. Beyond procreation, early humans formed social groups for basic survival. Today, we form those social connections for fun, sports, self-improvement, and improvement of our community and world. When our basic needs are secure, humans strive for self-actualization, reaching for our highest potential. Thus, great cities have been built, and exquisite works of art created, symphonies of musical instruments, and voices have blended to become one experience.

What Is the Meaning of Life According to Positive Psychology, by Courtney E. Ackerman, MA.

Uncovering the Meaning Behind Our Existence: The Quest for the Purpose of Life, by Abhinav Shai

We have infinite ways of finding meaning and infinite potential sources of meaning. Some find meaning through their suffering. Stephen Hawkings was diagnosed with a debilitating disease, in a wheelchair, unable to speak, yet he made groundbreaking contributions to theoretical physics and cosmology. He found his purpose despite limitations. Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban, yet she became a global advocate for girl’s education. Her suffering led her to her meaning in life; she became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Others lose a family member to cancer, or heart disease and then dedicate their life to research, advocacy, and education.

Conclusion

The paradox of existence: are we just a dot in space and time? A paradox is a statement or situation that seems to contradict itself or goes against common sense but is true or possible. It is a statement that seems to contradict or contain two conflicting ideas. For example, we see ourselves as continuous beings, but in actuality, we are continuously changing. Time is a paradox that we all participate in, blending our past, present, and future. Time is linear, yet although our existence is in the present, our every move is influenced by our past experiences, memories, and our imagined future.

In essence, we are programmed to procreate, which is the foundation of our existence. However, humankind has evolved to create advanced civilizations and technology, art, music, and literature, profoundly expanding how we find meaning and purpose.

We creatively express our emotions, ideas, and experiences. We tell stories and build communities where we can seek continuous improvement. Humans pursue knowledge through education and lifelong learning to expand our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.

“Everything can be taken from a man but… the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl, a neurologist, psychologist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, developed a therapy for treating the lack of meaning before World War II. After he was a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, he wrote Man’s Search for Meaning. The main point in his book is that humans are driven by their desire for meaning in their lives.

Frankl believed everyone has a healthy core and the internal resources to utilize this core. He also believed that no one is owed happiness or fulfillment, but that life offers each of us purpose and meaning. Reading his book is a grueling task as it describes life in a Nazi prison camp, yet you come away with the belief that man can overcome the worst of challenges and that we can find resilience and hope in the darkest of days.

We create our own meaning through our life’s work and accomplishments, self-exploration, social connections, love, hope, and faith. This meaning and purpose anchor us to our reality, validating our existence.

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear with almost any ‘how’”

– Nietzsche.

We design the life we want by the choices we make. Who are you today, and who do you want to be tomorrow? Survival is the structure upon which flourishing is built. Survival means meeting our basic needs to ensure we continue to live. Flourishing enriches our lives, providing meaning and purpose. Both are critical to human experience.

Practice self-reflection and seek answers to what is means to exist for you.

Past Blogs: In Search of Meaning

Peeling Back the Layers: A Journey of Self-Reflection and Identity

Destiny by Design: Crafting Your Ideal Life Through Manifestation

Designing Tomorrow – The Path to Intentional Living

Self-Actualization – Finding My Self

Citations

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Photo by petr sidorov on Unsplash

Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash

Beyond the Eye: Philosophical Reflections on Perception and Reality

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

– Colin Powell

The focus of my blog is personal growth and development. This growth requires getting in touch with yourself through analysis, taking inventory, and spending time in deep self-reflection. Then, define who you are today, who you want to be, and how you plan to reach your goals. A personal growth plan leads to better self-awareness, focus, and clarity regarding your identity. Truly knowing yourself and what really matters in life is a starting point. We are always a work in progress. Reaching your goals takes consistency, developing a balance between work and home, and fun and meaningful activities. We all want self-fulfillment and happiness. So, during November and December, let’s make a plan. Today, we focus on reality.

This month, I want to address the deep philosophical questions we should be asking. As we move toward 2025, we will think about our plan for our best year yet. Reality is not something we usually sit around thinking about, but by understanding that we each have our personal reality, we can better understand who we are. Giving us room to design the person we want to be. Reality is not fixed but fluid. Meaning you can change your identity.

We need to prepare to set new goals and to design the life we want. Just as the leaves are falling from the trees, preparing for the winter. We, too, can make time to shed parts of ourselves that we no longer want or need and to prepare for a new version of ourselves. Personal growth takes time; time to examine where you are in life, what you want, and what gaps you have in reaching what you want. We have the power to change our lives, but we need to be well-grounded. Understanding reality and our personal philosophy is a good starting place for the journey into a new year.

We will start this journey by looking at key fundamentals of reality and how they affect our personal philosophy. When you open the door to go outside, one person knows their day will be pleasant; it is their expectation, their reality. Another person stands at the door, and they see danger, risk, and an obstacle course. They face the day with different attitudes, beliefs, and expectations. Yet is it not the same world?

“We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
- Anais Nin

There are many components that shape our reality. Our upbringing, culture, beliefs, values, education, religion, and political views all have the power to shape our reality. We are each different, and therefore, there is no one set of beliefs we all share. No one concrete reality.

So, why does exploring these ideas matter? The more you understand yourself, the more control you can have over your life, and you can design the life you want. We each have a personal philosophy, even if we have not defined it. It is your set of beliefs, values, and principles that guide your decisions and behavior. We each have a worldview as well, which is a broader perspective or our lens of the world and our place in it. Your worldview includes your personal philosophy, but also your culture, religion, and how society influences your life.

By defining your personal philosophy and your worldview, you gain perspective on your reality.

Perception is Reality. So, How Are You Perceived at Work? by Jawad Ashan

How your perception creates your reality, by Dr. David R. Hamilton

A Virtual Life: How Social Media Changes Our Perceptions, by Sherry Thomas

The Power of Perception: How Reality Shapes Goal Achievement and Wellbeing, by Linda L. Pilcher

Daily impact on our understanding of reality

How does understanding the nature of reality and our personal philosophy impact our daily lives? What roles do our emotions, cultural background, or social norms play in our perspective on reality?

Our emotions play an influential role in shaping our reality. First, we tend to seek information that confirms our beliefs and emotions; this is called confirmation bias. Our emotions impact how we perceive and interpret events. If our mood is positive and upbeat, then we experience positive feelings. And if we are negative, we have negative experiences. You may have heard the saying “getting up on the wrong side of the bed,” which means getting up in a bad mood. It implies that one is starting their day with a negative attitude. We have all had some event that shifts our mood, and that mood colors the rest of the day; it affects our reality.

We also often have a fight-or-flight response, a physiological reaction that is where our bodies prepare to fight or flee when we feel there is a threat. Although this is a physical reaction, it is tied closely to our emotions. What one sees as a threat is not how everyone sees the situation. So again, it is our perception of reality.

Are our emotional responses a reflection of our personal philosophy?

Cultural backgrounds can include your values and beliefs. The culture we grow up in teaches us values and beliefs that influence our worldview. Our cultural traditions and customs provide a structure for understanding and interacting with the world. These practices shape our reality. Even the language we speak can influence how we conceptualize reality. Different languages shape our understanding of time, space, and relationships.

The social structure or social norms you were brought up in and live in now influence what is acceptable behavior, shaping our perceived roles and how we perceive others. If you grew up in the U.S. in 1970, the social structure was different than that of our children and grandchildren today. Acceptable behaviors and actions are something we conform to, or most of us conform to.

The media we consume and the information we’re exposed to can reinforce societal norms and shape our world. Items such as the news, social media platforms, and even entertainment influence our reality.

How Does Perception Influence Reality? By Jay Van Bavel (YouTube)

Educational institutions and government policies reflect societal values and shape our understanding of our place in the world. They influence our worldview.

Our personal philosophies, or worldviews, are built through our identity formation, moral teachings, and our experiences. All build our perspective on life. Since no one has the exact experience as the person next to us, we see the world through a lens colored by our life experiences. We do not share the same lens or view of the world.

The Art of Self-Reflection: Defining Your Worldview By Linda L. Pilcher

“Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience in reality. It’s all through our own individual prisms.”
- Sterling K. Brown

Conclusion

Our perception of reality serves as a force shaping our experiences, choices, and outcomes. By cultivating a mindset rooted in optimism, resilience, and self-belief, you can move beyond obstacles and become the person you want to be. By recognizing the profound impact of perception on our well-being, we empower ourselves to a more fulfilling and enriching life. As we move along our journey, we strive to perceive the world through eyes of possibility, resilience, and gratitude, embracing each moment as an opportunity for growth and transformation.

There are obstacles to reaching our goals. Not being your authentic self for whatever reason will hold you back. Our perception of reality is not necessarily what our spouse or boss experiences, which could be an obstacle. Thus, sometimes we hold very different views of the world. Our Presidential election has shown that groups with opposing views on the same issue are entrenched in their beliefs; each believing that they are 100% right. Is there a right or wrong? I guess it depends on your views.

An interesting note, The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where a large group of people remember an event or detail differently from how it actually occurred, basically false memories. One belief is that Nelson Mandela died in 1980 while in prison, yet he left prison and passed away in 2013. Check out these examples and explanations of the Mandela Effect. People often have false memories that they hold as true. I know that some of my childhood memories have been shattered by other family members as I learned what I believed to be true – was not true. We want to understand where we may not have the right answers. Be open-minded, ask questions, do research, and seek the truth.

The bottom line is: who are you today, who do you want to be tomorrow, and what is your plan for achieving your goals? We are not in competition with each other, but with ourselves. Winning means you have deeply analyzed your life and are making intentional choices to take you where you want to go in 2025.

“Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind.”
- Plato

How to be a Better Person by Setting Personal Standards, by Linda L. Pilcher

Questions to ponder:

Is reality objective and independent of our minds, or is it subjective and constructed by our perceptions?
What is the purpose of my life?
How do my experiences shape my understanding of the world?
What does it mean to live a good life?
How do I define my identity?

Citations

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Echoes of Identity: The Layers of Senses and Emotions

“Self-awareness is your awareness of the world, which you experience through the five senses (sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell). Pay attention to your sensory impressions and be aware of those five ways that the world comes to you.”

– Deepak Chopra

Our emotions and senses play an important role in shaping our identities. Both are foundations for how we perceive and interpret the world. They influence our memories and imprint associations to specific experiences.

When we think about who we are, we think in tangible terms, our bodies, homes, and jobs. As I started this month’s essays with subconscious layers. We are a part of everything we experience, and our emotions are what connect our past, present, and imagined future. Today, we explore the interplay between our five senses and our emotions.

How our senses and emotions connect to our identity

It is a complex mix of thoughts, feelings, and experiences that shape who we are. Our sensory experiences are deeply connected to our self-awareness of the environment. So, how do the layers of our emotions and sensory experiences affect who we are?

Creating memories

Our senses are powerful stimuli for our memories. The scent or taste of a dish can transport you back to childhood. As we sense the world around us, we are having an emotional experience as well. These experiences are all filed away until something triggers them for retrieval.

Emotional connections

Since our senses are directly connected to our emotions, they help us understand and process them. Think about a loved one’s hugs or how sitting on a beach can shift your feelings and thoughts. These sensory experiences can shift our mindset.

Music can prompt strong emotions and tap into our memories. A song can take us on a journey to our past, almost like time travel. Music triggers the release of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which can reduce stress and improve our mood. Music can also make you sad, bring tears to your eyes, or your favorite song makes you get up and dance. Music can decrease your blood pressure and heart rate, bringing a sense of well-being.

Our emotions are deeply tied to our cultures. Think about Thanksgiving and how your traditional meals can create a feeling of belonging tied to memories of past holiday meals. These memories are a part of our identity, connecting us to our past and providing an anchor.

Scents and memory

Scents can trigger intense emotional responses; they can connect to our memories. There is a strong connection between smell, memory, and health. The feelings we have through our sensory experiences contribute to self-identity. The scent of a perfume your grandmother used to wear can bring up memories of connection and love.

On my walk this week, I passed a man smoking a pipe, and the scent of the pipe tobacco floated in the air. I was immediately transported to my childhood, and I could see and smell my father’s pipe, just like he was with me now. Our experiences and memories are all filed away, which can be triggered by our senses.

What the nose knows, by Coleen Walsh

The Connections Between Smell, Memory, and Health, by Molly McDonough

Touch and comfort

“The more we learn about touch, the more we realize just how central it is in all aspects of our lives — cognitive, emotional, developmental, behavioral — from womb into old age. It's no surprise that a single touch can affect us in multiple, powerful ways."

— Maria Konnikova in "The Power of Touch"

Tactile sensations, such as the texture of the sand between your toes as you sink into the tide, can induce memories. The soft fur or your dog or cat. The warmth of a blanket just out of the dryer. Throughout our day, we have constant tactile experiences, cooking, typing, textures on surfaces we come into contact with. Temperature changes, such as walking out of a warm house to a cool breeze as you step outside.

The Tactile Sense, by snoezelen

Everything you Need to Know About the Touch Sense, by Griffin Occupational Therapy

Auditory associations

Sound can also transport us to a specific moment in our past. The sounds of waves lapping the seashore can take us on a beach vacation. Couples often have a favorite song “oh, they are playing our song,” bringing them to the place and time they first heard the song. These shared memories help us to connect to others.

Art and self-expression

Viewing a work of art is an emotional experience that can bring joy and awe, or a strong sense of peace. As a form of self-expression, art allows you to express and explore your deepest self. It helps to put life into perspective and voice your feelings about the world. Art can be therapeutic as a method of processing your feelings and interpreting the world. In creating art, we are connecting to our senses, memories, and emotions and putting them into a visual medium.

“A work of art is a world in itself reflecting senses and emotions of the artist’s world.”
- Hans Hofmann

How Does Art Evoke Emotions and Why? by Pinot’s Palette Naperville

The Four Domains of Human Consciousness; Different layers of consciousness can be mapped to better understand humans by Gregg Henriques, Ph.D.

Awareness of our senses and emotions for well-being

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

– Socrates

Engaging our senses can heighten our awareness of emotions and their triggers. We can understand our sensory inputs and learn to regulate our emotions through mindfulness. We can learn to focus on our sensory experiences on a deeper level. This awareness and focus can help us to live in the present moment.

Emotional triggers

Becoming aware of our emotional triggers is vital to emotional regulation. Just think about an emotional advertisement on TV; your eyes tear up; the sweet little dog waits patiently for its human to come home; a man buys a car because he can picture his children on a trip and the happiness it will bring. Commercials are designed to trigger your emotions. Our emotions are responsible for how we respond to stimuli and triggers. What are you feeling now? Learning to be aware of your emotions can help you feel more peaceful and comfortable in certain situations.

Think about giving a speech in front of an audience of 2,000 people; just thinking about this scenario might trigger emotions of fear. Studies show up to 75% of the population has a fear of public speaking. What triggers the fear? The same is true of happy emotions; thinking about visiting someone you love can fill you with happiness.

Personal reflection

Self-reflection is necessary for personal growth. Reflecting on how our senses and emotions are connected can help us build a stronger resilience, learn what triggers our emotions, and how we can regulate our emotions.

Artistic expression is a powerful tool for self-expression and discovery. Expressing yourself requires self-reflection, experimenting, and taking risks. It powers us to think through art and to communicate what we see and feel. Art impacts us on many levels, as the artist uses color, textures, and maybe sound to transport us to an emotional experience.

Conclusion

Who are you?

What I hope you take away from this essay is an awareness of the layers of your emotions and sensory experiences, an awareness of the connection to our memories. Take responsibility with zero excuses; finding and identifying your identity takes work. It requires you to spend time with yourself, to reflect on and understand all the layers of your identity.

Sensory triggers can evoke powerful emotional responses. We connect the pieces of our life’s puzzle through emotions and memories. Who we are is based as much on what happened in the past as what is happening now. Through our auditory, olfactory, taste, and tactile sensations, we experience the world.

Next month, we move into the deep philosophical topics about who we are. The goal is to help you with topics to think about or questions to ask to find your authentic self. Then, you can start to move forward and build the life you want. So, we will move toward setting new goals for 2025. And further. How about a life plan? Define who you are and what you do, find clarity, and focus on your goals. Rid yourself of time-wasting activities. Be who you were always meant to be. If you don’t know the answer, seek by asking and answering questions. Understanding the layers of self is a starting point.

We design our lives by the choices we make. Take responsibility, determine who you are today and who you want to be tomorrow. The more you understand who you are today, the more you can take control of tomorrow. What are the gaps between who you are today and who you want to be tomorrow? What is within your realm of control?

How do your senses influence your emotions? You answer this by living in the present moment and being aware of your five senses and how they interplay with your emotions. Get in touch with your deeper layers to help you understand yourself and help create the self you want to be tomorrow.

Citations

Photo by Tabea Schimpf on Unsplash

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash

Self-Authorship

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What truly matters

Setting SMART Goals for 2025 and beyond!

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Where are you today? Take an Inventory/Self-Assessment

Why does self-assessment matter?

How to complete a self-assessment

What truly matters?

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Our core values and beliefs

Take Control – Self-Authorship

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Framework essential to our goals

Let’s explore three frames essential to our goals

How this framework intersects for self-improvement

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What defines me?

Introspection

Who do I want to be tomorrow?

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How beauty contributes to our existence

How beauty has been viewed

Cultural Dimensions of Beauty

Beauty in everyday life

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Survival or flourishing

Shared meaning and purpose

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Past Blogs: In Search of Meaning

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Daily impact on our understanding of reality

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How our senses and emotions connect to our identity

Awareness of our senses and emotions for well-being

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