“I’d lost control of the narrative of my career.”
I did a double take when I heard actor and director Andrew McCarthy say this during an interview in Brats, the documentary about Hollywood’s “Brat Pack” now airing on Hulu.
The phrase Brat Pack was coined in 1985 by journalist David Blum, in the title of an article he wrote for New York Magazine. It referred to a group of young actors frequently cast together in coming-of-age movies like The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire, which, now 40 years later, have become iconic.
McCarthy’s comment reminded me of just how powerful our perception is. The way we view a situation – and consequently, the way our brains interpret and filter an event or a comment – can have a profound impact on the reality we create for ourselves from that moment forward.
Perception Equals Reality
If we perceive a situation or event as being a certain way – whether we classify it as flattering or insulting, for example – our brains actually sort the trillions of pieces of data that are coming at us in every given moment and filter into our experience only those that agree with what we already perceive to be true. So, if we perceive the proverbial glass as half empty, we’ll see evidence of that lack everywhere we look. If we perceive it as half full, we’ll magnetize into our experience evidence of our abundance. Our perception equals our reality. And because we were each born with the ability to choose our perspective, we each have the power to choose either a path of struggle and resistance or a path of joyful allowance.
As a child of the 1980s, I had a front-row seat to watch the unfolding careers of the handful of actors who were named part of the Brat Pack. And, sure enough, consistent with Andrew McCarthy’s complaint that the title had stripped him of having control over the narrative of his career, his perception became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
He could have just as easily perceived the attention as a compliment, adopting the old PR adage that “any publicity is good publicity.” He could have chosen, as fellow Brat Pack member Demi Moore did, to view the mention as a positive sign because it represented a cultural shift and a growing popularity around movies that focused on the lives of young people. He also could have taken a cue from colleague Rob Lowe, who viewed the mention as a blessing and feels appreciation for having been a part of a watershed moment in Hollywood that is still being talked about today.
The point is this: Our perceptions matter, a lot. And thankfully we can shift our perception in an instant – just like we can shift our thoughts, our emotions, our words and our actions – simply by becoming more intentional and deliberate.
By engaging your power of focus, you can deliberately direct your attention toward all that is going well in your life; toward all that is praiseworthy, and on all that you appreciate. And in appreciation, all things that you nourish with the powerful energy of our attention expand, appreciate, and become more. This one simple, small habit of deliberately choosing your perspective can dramatically change not just the trajectory of your career, but the trajectory of your life.
See the YouTube video below that includes a quick process to help you shift your perspective on anything.
Christy Whitman is an energy healer, Master Certified Law of Attraction Coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Having It All: A Woman’s Guide to Unlimited Abundance. Her latest book, The Desire Factor: How to Embrace Your Materialistic Nature to Reclaim Your Full Spiritual Power is on sale now at www.thedesirefactor.com. Christy communicates with, and for, The Quantum Council, a collection of non-physical ascended masters who desire to help humanity understand that we are divinely designed for well-being, abundance, success, and loving relationships. You can take the first step in aligning with and creating your desires by participating in a free 30-day program called Watch Your Words: Click here to learn more; www.watchyourwords.com.
