One quote that has been sitting with me lately is: "We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." It speaks to the power of personal perspective — how our worldview is filtered through our own experiences, beliefs, and emotions. Everything that shapes us — our families, friendships, work environments, and the culture we live in — plays a role in how we interpret what’s around us. We don't view situations with total objectivity; we view them through the lens of who we are and what we’ve lived.
I've been listening to Dare to Lead by Brené Brown, and one thing that really struck me is how she talks about judgment, especially in the context of parenting. She explains that parenting is such a vulnerable space — it's deeply personal, incredibly difficult, and full of uncertainty. Because of that vulnerability, we sometimes fall into the trap of judging other parents. It becomes a way to soothe our own self-doubt: "At least I'm not doing that," we tell ourselves. That comparison can temporarily make us feel better, but it distances us from compassion — both toward others and ourselves.
It’s a reminder that when I feel judgment creeping in, it’s worth asking: What’s this really about? And more often than not, the answer has more to do with me than with the person I’m judging.
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ChatGPT Says: The quote "We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are." is most commonly attributed to Anaïs Nin, a French-Cuban-American diarist and writer.
It appears in her 1961 book "Seduction of the Minotaur", though variations of the idea have existed before her time. The concept also echoes earlier philosophical ideas, including those from Talmudic sources and Carl Jung, but Nin's version is the most widely cited in modern usage.
So, credit for this specific phrasing typically goes to Anaïs Nin.
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