The Buddhist view is that life is inherently filled with suffering. This might sound bleak, but it doesn’t have to be. When coupled with acceptance, we can understand this as an inevitable part of the human experience. We will encounter challenges, experience loss, and grapple with emotions like sadness, stress, and anger. These experiences are part of what makes us human.

However, we can embrace these inevitabilities and still enjoy life, appreciating the beauty of every moment, even the challenging ones.

So how do you see life in general, how do you think about life? Be honest when you reflect upon this question because it really does shape your experience day to day.

• Do you see life as a constant struggle? As an endless series of challenges to overcome, one problem after another? Do you often find yourself feeling sorry for yourself or blaming external factors (or other people) for your misfortunes?
• Or do you see life as an adventure? As a series of opportunities for growth and learning? Do you challenge yourself and pick yourself up after setbacks? Do you take responsibility for your own experiences and learn from every challenge?

Do you tend to focus on the negative or the positive? Do you live life with optimism and excitement, or do you simply try to get through each day?

How do you see life?

The way you answer this question profoundly impacts your life – your experiences, decisions, and ultimately, your happiness.

Our perspective acts like a lens through which we view the world. A person who sees life as a struggle might focus on obstacles, setbacks, and difficulties. But someone who views life as a gift will notice the beauty in small moments, the lessons in failure, and the joy in connection.

The reason that our perspective shapes our lived experience is something I have written about before – a very powerful thing called confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias is a very strong human tendency and plays a significant role. We tend to see and hear what confirms our existing beliefs, filtering out information that contradicts our worldview. This happens on both a macro scale (e.g. how we see the world) and a micro scale (e.g. our view on a given topic).

The truth is, life is a complex tapestry woven with both challenges and rewards. The magic lies in how we choose to frame these moments. By shifting our perspective, even the toughest situations can become stepping stones to growth.

So, how do you see life? Take a moment to reflect. If you find yourself leaning toward a negative narrative, ask yourself: “What’s another way to look at this?”.

The way we generally look at life will obviously be a well formed habit in each of us – a learned pattern of behaviour. How we face challenges and setbacks will generally have a default response pattern, a default perspective, but that is not to say that is a perspective we are stuck with – we always have the power to shift our perspective.

Life becomes richer when we embrace it as an adventure—messy, unpredictable, and undeniably beautiful. After all, your perspective on life is not just a reflection of the world; it’s a mirror of yourself.