"No es negación. Solo soy selectivo con la realidad que acepto."

We all live in our own little worlds, right? Sometimes, those worlds are shaped by the bits of reality we choose to acknowledge. The core idea here is pretty straightforward: this quote is about being selective with the aspects of reality we let into our lives. It's not about denying truth; it's more about focusing on the parts that we find useful or positive.

Imagine you’re having a tough day. Things are not going your way, and you’re feeling overwhelmed. Now, someone might come along and say, “Hey, it’s not that bad; look at the bright side.” They’re not denying your problems exist. Instead, they’re choosing to focus on the positives. That’s the essence of this idea. It’s like seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty.

Historically, this kind of thinking can be linked to the concept of 'selective perception'. It’s been around forever, but it got a lot of traction in the field of psychology in the mid-20th century. People started recognizing that our minds don’t just passively take in information; we actively filter it based on our beliefs, desires, and fears.

Consider a professional athlete like Serena Williams. She’s known for her mental toughness. When she’s on the court, she doesn’t dwell on the last point she lost. Instead, she focuses on the next point she’s going to win. It’s not that she denies her mistakes; she acknowledges them but chooses to focus on what she can do to succeed. That’s being selective about the reality she accepts.

So, how do you apply this in your own life? Start small. The next time something doesn’t go your way, try to find one positive thing about the situation. Maybe you missed a deadline at work, but now you have extra time to make your project even better. Or perhaps you’re stuck in traffic, but it gives you a chance to listen to that podcast you’ve been meaning to catch up on. It’s all about shifting your focus.

Imagine telling this to a friend over coffee. You’re both sitting there, and your friend is stressed about a big presentation. They’re worried it’s going to go terribly. You say, “Okay, what if we look at this differently? What’s one thing you’re excited about for this presentation?” They think for a moment and say, “Well, I am excited about sharing my ideas with the team.” Boom. You’ve just helped them shift their focus from fear to enthusiasm.

The practical application here is to consciously decide what parts of reality you give your attention to. Sure, you can’t ignore the bad stuff completely—life’s too real for that. But by being a bit more selective, you can make your daily grind a little bit easier to handle.

So next time you find yourself spiraling into negativity, pause. Take a step back and ask yourself, “Is there another way to look at this? Is there a part of this reality that’s better for me to focus on?” It takes practice, but over time, it can make a huge difference in how you experience life. It’s not denial. It’s just being a bit smarter about what you let in.