WHEN THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN 🙃

GIVE IT THREE DAYS

In the late 1800s, psychologist George Stratton carried out an experiment to test the mind’s ability to normalise sensory data. He wore a set of reversing glasses that flipped his vision upside down for eight days. For the first days of the experiment, his vision remained inverted, but after three days had returned to its normal state.

“At some stage in most people's lives, things turn upside down, and nothing is as you expected it to be.” — Susanne Bier

Taking the glasses off again, the same thing happened and all appeared upside down again. And after three days - yippee- all was right side up again. The conclusion was that the brain needs three days to adapt.

“I wear a necklace, cause I wanna know when I'm upside down.” — Mitch Hedberg

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I find this absolutely fascinating as we are all so very convinced that our perception is always correct!

How do you trust something that cannot make up its mind about something as basic as which way is up?

I suppose it is all a question of perspective! Ergo, there can be no such thing as objectivity!

“He reproduced himself with so much humble objectivity, with the unquestioning, matter of fact interest of a dog who sees himself in a mirror and thinks: there's another dog.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

Just think of it like this: We are all just interpreting signals from the universe and trying to make sense of them. So very often these are just dim, shaky, weak, static little signals that only hint at the complexity of the universe that we cannot really begin to comprehend.

Yet there are truths that especially in the past three years have been twisted and distorted until the factual truth is no longer recognisable, even if it literally jumps at you. Hard facts are ridiculed and lies are repeated so often that they appear, to many out there, as the truth. Especially here in Germany, despite all the facts that are even surfacing in the mainstream media, I still see too much masking and too much fear.

I injured my foot on a trip in mid-February when I slipped in the bathroom. I had to travel home the same day - which certainly didn't help - and was convinced that I only had severe bruising. So I waited for the hematoma to go away, thinking with it the pain and swelling would go down too. To be honest, I didn't want to go to a doctor or have an X-ray, as masks are still mandatory in medical facilities of any kind.

Unfortunately, I was wrong and after two and a half weeks I had no choice but to go to the doctor. I didn't put on a mask and was amazed that I got away with it. I have to say that my GP is one of the few "awake" doctors. Unfortunately, I had to go to the local hospital to have my foot x-rayed. Again, I called their bluff and went to the hospital without a mask as well as to the emergency room. Maybe it was the matter-of-factness with which I appeared or the fact that my friendly smile could be seen is that spared me the humiliation of having to wear a nappy on my face. Interestingly, other patients were sometimes very rudely instructed to put on a mask. And of course, there were those that looked at me with utter disdain.

Neither the doctor nor the radiologist minded seeing my face - I'll just take that as a compliment.

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Unfortunately, after two X-rays and a CT scan, it turned out that I had fractured the first metatarsal up to the long bone and also had a bone spalling. Of course, the surgeon immediately recommended an operation (they do love to cut), which I graciously refused. My foot is now stuck in an air cast for the next six weeks - which is annoying - but at least I don't need an operation.

It was interesting that one or the other patient took their mask off when they saw me and others looked in the other direction - I am guessing they were, despite wearing the nappy, terrified of the murderous aerosols I was exuding.

I only have my personal subjective view and the strong empathy that enables me to put myself in someone else’s shoes. This is what helps me understand others and their specific views, even if I do not share them.

And no matter what you are struggling with, eventually, the world will turn right side up again, even if it sometimes takes a little longer than three days.

“My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.” — Henry Rollins

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🎶My Song of the Week

The sound quality of the video is not great but it’s still amazing! Upside Down - Diana Ross

For more good music, go to this Spotify playlist where you can find all the songs from the Change & Evolve Letters!

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📚My Poem of the Week

Is by Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

O Me! O Life!

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

                                       Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

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👀Impressions

Can you spot the broken bone?

To begin any kind of transformation, you have to know what your story is before you can navigate to something better and write a new story, becoming the best possible version of yourself. This is what the Enneagram and I can do for you. I would be happy to take the time for a speed coaching call that you can reserve right here go to my website or simply hit reply and get in touch with me directly.

If you enjoyed this letter, leave a ❤️ and a comment! I wish you an amazing weekend and look very much forward to hearing from you.

Yours

Tanja 🤗