Thursday, June 28, 2012

Perception

How are you perceived by others?  By others, I mean people you come in contact with on a day to day basis like, co-workers, bus driver, the woman you see every morning on the train, your neighbor, fellow gym-goer etc.

My boyfriend hates the word perception.  I think he equates the word with passing judgment but it is so much more than passing judgment.  The word perception is very tricky because everyone’s perception is different. Everyone has their own way of seeing things and processing information and interactions.  Perception comes from actual knowledge and interaction, when passing judgment comes from not having a true understanding, but automatically choosing to hate or dislike. 

Often times how we perceive someone isn’t really who they truly are.  I know for me there’s “Work Martine” and then there’s “Home Martine”, who is completely opposite.  I try to keep as professional as possible at work because I’m not particularly interested in making friends with my co-workers.  I’ve worked in Corporate America for a very long time in various companies and I know the game. Especially being one of very few black women at the company, I have to remain professional; so I keep my nose clean, work hard and be as generically cordial and friendly as possible. 

In the past, I was told a lot in high school and college that I came off as being stuck up. This always bothered me, so whenever I would be in a group of people I would stay quiet because I thought “If people are going to always think I’m stuck up, then I might as well not say anything”, so my walls went up.  Meanwhile, I knew that I wasn’t being stuck up, I am just the type of person that has to warm up to people before I feel comfortable.   And I’m still like that till this day. Except now, I’m a lot more comfortable with myself and I could care less how people perceive me anymore, I know who I am.

Do you ever think about how others perceive you?  Does it depend on who it is…strangers vs. family/friends? 

At the end of the day, do you even really care?

Check out this image below…

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