So what do you see when you look in the mirror? No doubt as a real estate agent the way you present yourself is important, but is that all you see? In a standard mirror, maybe it is. “Let’s see: short sleeve, button down shirt with yellow plaid design: check. Power red necktie, wide, hanging half way down my ample belly: check. Name tag with alphabet soup of certifications, right side up and cleaned of (most of) last night’s pasta sauce: check. Roger Rocket – real estate superman – reporting for duty.” But seriously, there are other kinds of mirrors you know…
A Look Back…?
Last week, in my article on Temporal Awareness, I talked a little about how past and present do not actually exist. I used the example of someone saying something about us behind our backs – the visceral reaction, the anger – only to discover they never said anything! We cause ourselves stress over things that never exist. We create realities and emotions over events that never happen. These responses can, however, be turned into a wonderful tool. And by “wonderful” I mean a gut-wrenching look at what’s inside of us that we are desperately trying to hide from both the outside world and ourselves. That kind of wonderful.
The Mirror Effect
The Mirror Effect is a way to recognize what’s happening and take a peek at what’s causing our emotional response. It also helps us stay in the present. (Though, truth be told, you have to be present enough to engage The Mirror Effect in the first place.) Suppose someone said something hurtful to you – an observation – that you knew in your heart to be inaccurate. For example: “Sean, you were never the athlete you like to think you were.” Our reaction to that would be pretty subdued; we might even chuckle a little. Why? In my example, because I know who I am in that realm; I know what I accomplished and even how I ranked. I’ve accepted the changes that come with moving past one’s athletic prime, but that does not diminish the truth of my vision. When we are secure in this regard, comment means little and garners little reaction.
Now, let’s Read more