Recoloring the Way We See Our World: The Power of Perspective
Ever wondered how two people can face the same situation yet walk away with completely different experiences? Picture a bright, blazing sunny day. One person basks in its glory; smiling, eyes closed in quiet appreciation. Another groans; shields their eyes, cursing the swelter and longing for shade. The sun is the same—only their perspectives towards it differed.
This is not just a quirk of human nature. It is a powerful insight into how our minds work. The world around us is largely neutral. But it is our mind’s lens that colors it with joy or sorrow. Positive Reframing is the art of adjusting that lens. It does not deny the presence of difficulty. Instead, it empowers us to view things in a fresh light, from a different angle, and in a whole new way!
Reality Check
In the Vedic tradition, scriptures are called Darshan Shastra: teachings meant to open our inner vision and help us truly see. We may think we see clearly, but the scriptures remind us: our perception is often clouded.
Psychologists describe a similar phenomenon called inattentional blindness. It means that even when something is right before us, we may fail to see it because our attention is elsewhere. Consider the famous ‘gorilla test.’ In a 40-second video, two teams of players—one dressed in black, the other in white—pass basketballs among themselves. Viewers are told to count the number of passes made by the team in white. Most people concentrate and answer correctly: 16 passes.
Then comes the question: “Did you see the gorilla?”
Nearly 46% of viewers say no. Midway through the video, a person in a gorilla suit walks across the screen, beats his chest, and exits; all in plain sight. Yet many don’t notice him because their attention is locked onto counting the passes. This is how easily perception filters reality.
We also fall prey to selective perception, shaped by the brain’s negativity bias. Without realizing it, we magnify problems and overlook the blessings around us. For instance, someone may praise you ten times, but one critical remark lingers in your mind. You may succeed at many things yet obsess over one small failure.
This bias is rooted in our survival instinct. Think of a small fish in the sea. It swims in a world full of light, plankton, and nourishment. But it must watch out for predators. If the little fish misses a meal, it can find another. But if it fails to notice a predator, it may not live to see another day. So, it is wired to focus on danger. Humans have inherited a similar mental pattern. In any situation, we tend to fixate on the 2% that is wrong, overlooking the 98% that is going well in our lives. Our attention gets hijacked by problems and threats, which is how the mind's lens distorts reality. And then we blame circumstances for our unhappiness.
The good news is: We can change the lens through which we view life.
Same Scene, Different Story
There is a timeless Hindi saying: दृष्टि बदलने से सृष्टि बदलती है—When you change how you look at things, the world itself begins to change. It is a powerful reminder: perspective transforms experience.
The Lady’s Dilemma
A woman once approached Swamiji with a peculiar issue: “I am always miserable,” she said. So much so that her neighbors began calling her ‘the unhappy lady.’ She had two daughters: one married to a brick-maker, the other to an umbrella-seller.
When it rained, the brick-making daughter would lament, “Mom, how will we make bricks now? Pray for the sun to come out!” And when it was sunny, the umbrella-selling daughter complained, “Mom, we are not making any sales. Please pray for rain!” Whether it rains or shines, one of them was unhappy—and so was she!
Swamiji smiled and said: “Why not simply change the way you look at it?
On sunny days, celebrate your brick-making daughter’s success. On rainy days, feel happy for your umbrella-selling daughter. The weather won’t change, but your state of mind can.” She took the advice to heart. Her mindset shifted. Complaints faded, joy returned. And neighbors soon called her ‘the happy lady.’
Two Soldiers and the Nurse
Another lady shared an experience with Swamiji that left a deep impression on her. While working as a nurse in an Army hospital, she cared for two soldiers in the same ward. Both had fought bravely against terrorists and lost a leg in a grenade blast. Yet their moods were worlds apart.
The first soldier was bitter: "Why did the commander send me on that mission? My team let me down. The government should take stricter action against terrorists. Life is so unfair." The second soldier was grateful. "I came face to face with death and survived. God has been so kind! So what if I lost a leg? With today’s technology, I will get an artificial limb. I am alive to see my wife, my children… I have been given a second chance at life.” Swamiji highlighted, the tragedy was the same. What differed was the lens. One chose resentment. The other chose gratitude.
Some challenges test our perspective. Others test the very spirit. In those moments, reframing takes more than courage—it takes faith.
Seeing Light in the Dark
The scriptures declare: This whole world is the veritable form of God.
puruṣha evedaṁ sarvaṁ ~ Puruṣh Sūktam [v3]
“God is everywhere in this world, and everything is his energy.”
Do we truly see it that way? Do we recognize the divinity in everything—even in suffering? Can we believe this universe is ultimately benevolent?
Here is one story of someone who did.
Anthony Ray Hinton, a poor Black man, was wrongly convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Still, he was sentenced to death and placed on death row—the section of the prison reserved for convicts who have been sentenced to death. His world shrank to a 5-by-7-foot cell. Every so often, he watched fellow inmates walk to the gallows. For the first three years, he was overwhelmed with despair.
But then he made a life-altering decision.
During the one hour he was allowed to walk outside his cell each day, he chose to use that time to uplift others in the prison. His cheer, his strength, and his faith inspired both inmates and guards. Eventually, even the prison staff campaigned on his behalf. After nearly 30 years, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that he had been wrongly imprisoned.
Upon his release, when a popular new channel interviewed him, they asked if he was angry about what had happened. His reply was striking: “Whatever falls from the heavens can only be auspicious, like the rain.” Later, another interviewer asked him, “Are you unhappy about what they did to you?” He smiled and said, “If I stay unhappy, they will still have me in prison.” He further added, “My mother told me not to chase money, but joy. Even billionaires can be miserable. Today, I have only $3.50 in my pocket—but it is the happiest day of my life.” Though behind bars, Anthony Ray Hinton found true freedom by seeing God’s grace at work and finding light even in life’s shadowed corners.
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj taught: “The best virtue is to force yourself to look for the positive even in the most negative circumstances.”
And the great Sage Narad said,
loka-hānau chintā na kāryā niveditātma-loka-vedatvāt ~ Narad Bhakti Darshan [Sutra 61]
“When you suffer a reversal in the world, do not lament. Choose to see benediction in the loss.”
Thank God Anyway
When there are stormy clouds, it is not always easy to spot the silver lining. But it is there, quietly waiting to be noticed.
Saint Tukaram, the poet-saint of Maharashtra, knew how to find it.
Tukaram’s wife had a volatile temperament. Arguments were a regular affair at home. One day, with no food left in the house, Saint Tukaram was absorbed in his bhajan: “Rukmini Vitthal, Rukmini Vitthal…” His wife burst in furiously: “What are you doing? Sitting here chanting? Go earn something; we have nothing to eat!”
Tukaram went to his shop, earned some money, and bought groceries. On his way home, he came across some beggars. His heart melted, and he gave most of what he had in charity. By the time he returned, all that was left was a single stalk of sugarcane. He presented it to his wife. Enraged, she struck him with the sugarcane so hard that it broke in two. But Saint Tukaram was unfazed. With a smile, he said, “It is already split—one half for you, one for me. We had to break it anyway.” Then, he went into his pooja room and exclaimed, “Oh Rukmini Vitthal, You are so kind, so merciful. You have given me such a wife that I can never become attached to this world.”
Where others would see humiliation, Tukaram saw divine grace. What seemed like misfortune became an invitation to loosen worldly ties and turn towards the Divine.
In another corner of the world, a mother was overwhelmed: taxes to pay, a messy house, cooking to finish, a party to host. Just then, she noticed her young daughter working on a homework assignment. “What are you doing?” asked the mother. The daughter replied, “Mommy, I am doing ‘negative thanksgiving’. My teacher gave us an assignment—to find the things in life we usually complain about and then write down what we can be thankful for in each of them.” Intrigued, the mother looked at the daughter’s list, which read:
● “I am thankful for final exams—because it means summer vacation is near.”
● “I am grateful for my parents’ scoldings—because it means they care and want me to become better.”
● “I am thankful for bitter medicine—because it means I am going to get well soon.”
Inspired, she picked up her own notebook and began writing:
● “I am grateful for the taxes I have to pay—because it means I have an income.”
● “I am thankful for the cleaning I need to do—because it means I have a home to live in.”
● “I am thankful for cleaning up after the party—because it means I have friends to celebrate with.”
It is easy to feel grateful when life goes our way. But stories like these remind us—there is something to be thankful for even when it doesn’t.
Conclusion
William Shakespeare once wrote, “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” And how right he was!
From Saint Tukaram to Anthony Ray Hinton, from the unhappy lady to the little girl giving thanks for bitter medicine—we see that joy does not come from perfect moments, but from a perfected perspective. Storms and sugarcane-splitting moments will come. But reframing is your quiet superpower. Positive reframing is not denial of hardships—it is a choice to find light even when the sky is overcast. Because sometimes, you don’t need to change your world—you just need to change the color of your lens.
Call to Action
📘Read The Art & Science of Happiness by Swami Mukundananda. Unlock the secrets to lasting joy with timeless wisdom and modern science. Discover how to rise above life’s challenges, build meaningful relationships, and find happiness that is not tied to external circumstances.
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Resources
Watch these YouTube videos by Swami Mukundananda to deepen your knowledge:
- Powerful Mind Management Tool that turns any Negative Situation into Positive | Swami Mukundananda
- The Mindset that can Change your Misery into Happiness in a Moment - MUST WATCH | Swami Mukundananda
- Inspiring Life Stories of Saints of India by Swami Mukundananda | Sant Tukaram
- Understanding the Nature of our Mind to Overcome Addiction to Negative thoughts | Swami Mukundananda