Bending reality to your will

Think about the last time someone told you a story. Did you take their words at face value, or did your mind start to add its own interpretations and meanings? Maybe you exaggerated some parts, minimized others, or filled in gaps with your own assumptions.

That's distortion at play, creating a narrative that's quite different from the original.

Distortions aren't just errors or misinterpretations; they're the carnival mirrors of our mind, twisting and reshaping our reality. They are the subtle, often unconscious, ways in which our minds play tricks on us, warping our understanding of what's being said or what's happening around us.

But here's the interesting part - these distortions aren't always negative. Just like those carnival mirrors can make us laugh at our comically stretched or squashed reflections, distortions can sometimes lead to creative insights and new perspectives. They can be a source of humor, creativity, and even empathy, if we learn to recognize and understand them.

Traditional NLP training teaches us to challenge distortion with the Meta Model. Instead, I encourage you to embrace it.

There's power in recognizing distortion in communication. It's like learning the tricks behind a magician's illusions - once you know them, you're not easily fooled. You start listening not just to what is said, but also to what is not said, and how it's being said. This deeper understanding opens doors to powerful and effective communication.

Next time you find yourself in a conversation, remember the hall of mirrors. Embrace distortion and use it to your advantage. After all, sometimes a warped reflection can show us angles of reality we never knew existed.