Course 10: "Change Your Lens"
Change Your Lens as a Wellness Tool
Welcome to Course Ten of the Wellness Walk.
When life has been hard, unfair, or unstable, it makes sense to protect yourself. Sometimes that protection sounds like, “No, that’s not for me,” or “I’ve tried things like that before, and they didn’t work.” At Life4Real, we honor that response. Caution is necessary at times, and is often how you survive.
At the same time, healing often invites us to try something unfamiliar:
staying open. Open to new ideas. Open to support. Open to the possibility that things could be different—slowly, gently, and at your own pace.
Changing your lens doesn’t mean ignoring what’s been hard. It’s like adjusting a camera or cleaning off glasses—it helps you notice something new without denying what’s real.
And at Life4Real, we’ll walk beside you as you do.
This session is broken into three simple parts: Reveal, Reflect, and React. Each part is designed to feel safe, manageable, and supportive.
What Does It Mean to “Change Your Lens”?
When you’ve lived through trauma, poverty, or stress, your brain learns to look for danger, disappointment, or failure. That mindset once protected you—it helped you survive.
But the same lens that kept you safe can sometimes make it harder to believe:
Things can improve
You deserve support
New opportunities might work out
Changing your lens doesn’t mean pretending life is easy or ideal.
It means staying open to growth—even when you’re unsure.
Old Lens (Closed-Off Mindset)
“That won’t work for me.”
“People like me don’t get help.”
“This is just who I am—I can’t change.”
“I can’t trust anyone. Everyone lets me down.”
“Programs like this never actually help people like me.”
“I’ve always done things my way—why change now?”
“If I ask for help, they’ll think I’m weak.”
“Paperwork is too overwhelming. I’ll just avoid it.”
“Nothing’s going to change for me, no matter what I try.”
New Lens (Open Mindset)
“I’ve never tried that—maybe I’ll just listen and see.”
“It’s okay for me to ask for help. I don’t have to do this alone.”
“I’ve been through a lot, but maybe change is still possible.”
“I can go slow, maybe I can trust one person at a time.”
“Life4Real feels different—maybe I’ll give it a chance.”
“Maybe a new way could make life easier, even just a little.”
“Asking for help shows strength and courage, not weakness.”
“I can ask someone at Life4Real to help me with it—step by step.”
“Change might be slow, but even small steps are still forward.”
Key Reminder:
Your first reaction is often shaped by your past—not your present. Awareness gives you the power to pause and choose a different response.