Before a word is spoken…
something inside of us
has already begun deciding.
That first feeling matters more
than most realize.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Our senses, thoughts and emotions all become engaged when introduced to a person, place or thing.
The experience is instantly being processed beyond our ability to regulate or even assist.
This system runs automatically, feeding information back to us and forming what we call a “first impression.”
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye.
ARE THINGS WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE?
Here is the thing.
During this process and immediately afterward, our personal beliefs begin tagging the experience as good or bad, right or wrong.
We instantly take sides and hold those positions until something later changes our understanding.
Again…
all of this happens almost instantly.
SECOND GUESSING
What is fascinating is that intuition, common sense and even conscience are all submitting input too.
This is where many people fail.
They begin trusting everything except their own inner systems.
Second guessing enters while the original signal quietly takes a seat.
And remember…
this is all happening within moments.
EVERYDAY GOINGS ON
All of us have thousands of hindsight stories.
Situations where we knew…
should have known…
or could have never known.
But the reality remains:
The first contact with the circumstance happened first.
Everything afterward became the story, drama or unfolding event.
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT
Many people are naturally inquisitive.
Curiosity pulls us toward what is being presented because we want to know more.
Sometimes that pull leads to discovery.
Other times it leads into trouble.
One thing remains certain:
Anything pulling strongly on you deserves caution.
That pull itself can reveal temptation.
Apply your brakes there.
ALERT STATUS
Women often excel in sensing things from far away emotionally and intuitively.
Their inner systems activate quickly.
Signals begin saying:
“Take note.”
Women who learn to trust and remain faithful to those inner warnings often fare very well.
Most can tell stories about the times they ignored those signals too.
That became the learning curve.
THREAT ASSESSMENT
In men, the signal often triggers concern and defense.
Focus sharpens.
Unnecessary systems temporarily shut down.
An alert judgment forms.
From there, many men proceed with their minds made up until proven otherwise.
And once the threat is removed…
the system powers back down.
THE SENDERS
We have spoken about those receiving impressions.
But what about those sending them?
Now we must consider motives, circumstances and intentions.
Many people are exactly as presented.
Others have learned how to imitate impressions with remarkable shrewdness.
NOT EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD
Nature itself uses mimicry for survival.
Plants, insects and animals develop appearances meant to attract, deceive or protect.
Some of these disguises can even prove fatal.
That is precisely the point.
Appearance can be manipulation.
BEWARE THE CLOTHING
With people, this becomes far more dangerous.
Why?
Because human beings possess intelligence powerful enough to masquerade as the opposite of what they truly are.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing survives very well…
and usually eats quickly.
BEING ONESELF
Others remain genuine.
Most people are simply innocent, uninformed and being themselves without even realizing it.
They are naturally projecting who they truly are.
Some gravitate toward that innocence.
Others prey upon it.
Time reveals which is which.
IMPRESS
The very core of a first impression is to impress something upon another person.
Sometimes it is intentional.
Sometimes it simply reflects how the person genuinely feels in that moment.
Either way, all of us are constantly sending and receiving messages back and forth.
MARKETING THE IMPRESSION
Whenever people want something or are offering something, the impression systems go to work.
Commercials and advertisements understand this extremely well.
Catch phrases.
Slogans.
Visual appeal.
Music.
Eye candy.
Everything carefully designed to impress upon the mind.
THE MEETING
It is like turning on a television.
Many channels are available, but we naturally choose what resonates with us.
So it is with people.
Out in the world, impressions constantly move through the air searching for somewhere to land.
Eventually…
you and a certain impression will meet.
IMPRESSIONS PRESENTED
Impulse buying.
Affairs.
Temptations.
Overindulgence.
Opportunities missed.
Wrong turns taken.
Right turns ignored.
All of these involve the dynamic of impressing and being impressed upon.
The question is always:
Will you pause long enough to discern it?
TIME WILL TELL
First impressions are only the beginning of what is to come.
Wisdom learns to pause before acting.
Time still reveals all things.
And many who operate dishonorably fear time greatly…
as they should.
Use that to your advantage.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you