Our state of consciousness provides a unique point of view or perspective through which we see the world. Prior self-knowledge—derived from past experiences, memories, and associated feelings—shapes our perception. Everyone's perception is unique, and everyone possesses their own subjective truth. While the magnitude of time can be precisely measured, its experience is relative; everyone feels and experiences it differently. The objective world and our subjective experience are inseparable; they are interdependent.
Imagine two people running for 20 minutes in a park. For one, this experience might feel like a moment; for the other, it might feel like an eternity. The first person may have experienced a state of flow, complete immersion in the activity. Crucially, both had their own subjective truth about the run. These experiences will then influence how each person views the world and their self-concept.
Exploring Different Points of View
Self-concept is the concept that we identify as ourselves. Our state of consciousness and our worldview are influenced by our self-knowledge. We all have a unique first-person perspective. Even when we collect data from other people, it remains filtered through a first-person perspective.
The data you collect from others, and your unique point of view, will be influenced by your prior experiences. Therefore, in a scientific experiment asking two runners about their experience, their answers will be influenced by your unique subjective experience, even in the act of data collection. You collect two pieces of information: for the first runner, the experience was flawless; for the second, it was a disaster.
When collecting their responses, you are influenced not only by their appearance, speech, and overall demeanor, but also by your previous experiences with running and similar types of people, whom you may unconsciously categorize similarly. Moreover, you see what you want to see; you are looking for a confirmation of your internal beliefs. Our experience is entirely subjective; collecting data does not provide a third-party perspective.
It remains your unique experience because, before we perceive an image of our experience, it is first evaluated by consciousness. How it is evaluated depends on our current state of consciousness. You can only observe your own experience and then make judgments about it. You can be your own scientist, researching your own first-person perspective. Truth lies in your point of view and the data you collect. What you observe in our 3D reality will demonstrate who you are as a person.
Start observing your objective reality; you will see yourself in it. Take a journal and begin documenting any negative thoughts, events, and situations. Be your own scientist and recognize your inner state in relation to these events and situations. Are you angry at some people because of past actions? Are you sad, as if something is missing in your life? Do you feel unworthy, constantly apologizing unnecessarily? Pause for a moment and recognize your current state; write it down in your journal. If you do this regularly, you will see patterns emerge in your life. Once you clearly see these repeating patterns, you will be able to let them go.
You are what you experience because you cannot separate your subjective experience from objective reality. Your subjectivity is interwoven with objective reality. Observe and study objective reality; you will learn about yourself, but you cannot prove this to others. Proof resides only in your perspective.
You can't prove your truth to others because it's only an internal belief. Convincing others suggests a lack of self-assurance in your own convictions. We often seek this external validation, as if something is missing within us and we're searching for it outside ourselves. We are also afraid of the judgment that would come thereafter if we are denied by other people, because it almost feels like we are denied by a part of ourselves. From a historical perspective, it would mean being kicked out of your social group, tribe, or society, and not many people have the guts or are even willing to risk that. That’s why everybody plays by the same social or cultural norms and what’s accepted by everyone else.
The Quest for Acceptance
In our modern society, we often believe in objective truth, requiring evidence for acceptance from others. However, this belief assumes that everyone has the same experience and perception of reality. Therefore, tangible proof is often considered absolute truth.
When writing a nonfiction book, the author often attempts to persuade the reader of their truth by presenting evidence and the opinions of others. The more evidence gathered to support their point, the stronger the argument becomes. Authors often cite studies from scientific articles or quotes from other books, essentially seeking confirmation from reputable sources.
To become your true self, you can't play by someone else's rules; you need to do something unique, something no one has done before. If you do, you will be well rewarded, because the universe appreciates the brave. You can't be afraid of judgment from society, colleagues, family, and friends if you share your opinion. It's easy to belong to a group sharing widely accepted opinions, but being an outsider is not easy. You are here to be unique, to exist outside established systems and cultural norms that suppress any aspiration to be different.
Acting like everyone else, instead of being your true self, is a significant limitation. Following the same trends, wearing the same clothes, adopting the same habits, and treading the same path prevents you from embracing your uniqueness. Our true nature is to be unique; individuality is rare and precious, like a diamond. Just as no two trees are identical in nature, each following its own unpredictable path, so too are we all unique. By conforming, you protect a false identity, going against your natural and authentic self. When you don't act naturally, you are operating from your ego, protecting a fabricated concept that doesn't exist.
Your perspective is unique, and you can only truly understand and experience the world from your own viewpoint. When evaluating the opinions of others, it's crucial to consider whether they resonate with your own truth and your unique perspective.
If you want to become your true self, you can’t seek acceptance from the majority, automatically taking their beliefs, opinions and established norms as fact.
Accepting only the ideas and opinions of others, especially authority figures, confines you to a so-called safety zone where you can‘t realize anything else. In this way, you are putting huge limitations on yourself because you are operating only within your scarcity mindset and safety boundaries. You are afraid to do, think, and be something else because of the perceived judgment. Therefore, you protect only a false identity, blindly following beliefs that contradict your core values.
You can realize an idea only through your own unique experience, not by collecting information and opinions from others. We often blindly accept others' opinions solely based on their credentials, later creating many limiting beliefs for ourselves. The problem is that we don't clearly see it for ourselves because we haven't personally realized it.
Collecting information or data from an outside source is not inherently "false knowledge," but rather unprocessed or undigested knowledge. Merely memorizing information does not lead to internal change or alter one's self-concept, internal beliefs, or understanding of oneself.
We've all encountered seemingly intelligent people who, despite knowing study materials, struggle to explain them because they lack a clear personal understanding. This is likely because they haven't applied the material to real-life situations.
Accumulating vast amounts of knowledge can also foster a boosted ego, leading to perfectionism, arrogance, and pride, stemming from a belief in one's own superior knowledge. This creates a self-concept of "I AM knowledgeable."
You need to see everything in relation to yourself; your self-concept is always relative to your external environment, events, people, and situations. A self-concept can change through a realization arising from direct experience. In this way, you'll no longer rely solely on external information, which may be inaccurate.
Resistance to change often stems from a deeply ingrained, false sense of self cultivated over time. It's difficult to abandon beliefs and behaviors wholeheartedly embraced for years, especially when they feel integral to one's identity. In truth, it is only your false sense of self that is based on a lie which we try to protect at all costs. To release any resistance to change and see clearly, we need to create confusion for those who think that they know.
Insisting on the truth of false knowledge and the opinions of others can lead you astray. You follow it only because your intellect justifies it. We accumulate many false beliefs and concepts that distract us from our true nature, creating a discord between our self-concept and our being. We build a false identity, often difficult to change because of our need to be right. This false knowledge hinders your progress; look within yourself.