Perceptual maps & change.

We perceive only the sensations we are programmed to receive, and our awareness is further restricted by the fact that we recognize only those for which we have mental maps or categories.

~ The Art of Possibility, Rosamund Stone Zander & Ben Zander

Our perception of reality is dependent on the stories we tell ourselves. These stories create the perceptual maps in our brains. And the brain selectively perceives only that stimuli that fits into these maps.

This is the hard part of change. We can keep trying to create or find evidence, but unless we work on changing our narrative, that evidence will be largely ignored by the nervous system.

Change starts by observing the story that we are telling ourselves that doesn't align with where we seek to go. And then the hard part is to let go of the story.

We can then invent a new story, one that resonates with our desired path. And we strengthen it by creating evidence for it, by making choices that take us away from the old story and towards the new one.