Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Colorado for an ASCD curriculum leaders conference.

After the conference, of which I got to spend three days with two of my Generation Esports colleagues, Chris Shima and Dr. Mike Russell, 

I took a few days to ski at Loveland Valley.

Loveland straddles I-70 over the top of the Eisenhower Tunnel on the continental divide.
While I'd consider myself a competent enough skier to handle most terrain, I found Loveland to be right on the edge of my skill set.

Yet the most challenging thing was the ability to judge the terrain confidently through my goggles.

A few years ago I bought a cheap knock-off brand from Amazon...and I now regret that decision.

Eye protection is a must while skiing due to the cold, wind, snow, and sun that bombard your eyes. BUT, just having a pair of sunglasses or goggles will not cut it.

If the goggles you have are made for sunny days and it's overcast, all of the terrains will look the same. You will have a very difficult time telling if a bump or drop-off is coming your way. Especially when you are flying down the mountain at warp speed. Additionally, if the goggles you use are designed for overcast days and allow lots of light, you will feel almost blinded on full sun days.

The majority of my time on the mountain was overcast and snowing..much like the picture below. Thus visibility and the goggles I had made skiing even more challenging. 

There was a time when I decided to hike a ridgeline to get to a power bowl, and upon making it to the drop-in point, I couldn't tell if I was on the edge of the mountain or the sky...my visibility was so poor. 

How You View the Path Will Direct Your Path

It was evident quickly that my poor choice of goggles was going to impact the ski experience...how I viewed the path in front of me would direct my path down the mountain. 

The same lesson applies to my daily decision making too....

The lenses through which I view my life and existence will direct my paths.

This is not a new concept or idea...nothing revolutionary here, but a good reminder for us all. 

If you want to experience life positively and upliftingly, what are you watching, and what lenses are you looking through. 

If my social media feed is full of content that is not building up and supporting the causes I believe to be Godly, I will not view my experiences in that way. 

If I fill my eyes and ears with political rhetoric, regardless of my side... I will view all things in life through that political lens.  

Imagine if you were to only view life through YOUR CURRENT, IN-PERSON experiences. No social media algorithms or feeds...just from the people you work with and the content you have outside of social media. 

Would you consume the same thing..would you be fed and view life in the same way. 

I know I wouldn't....social media directs my view of life way more than it should and impacts how I view my surroundings.  

Social media has taught me to hate and not love others. 

My lenses do not give me a clear picture of how to best serve and treat others, and I need to improve. 

Can I change the lenses through which I see life and thus change my outlook?

Am I willing to alter my habits and what I consume so that I can have a mind of Jesus instead of the anger and vile that floats around? 

You may have head it said that the wolf you feed is the wolf that survives...this comes from an old Native American Proverb....

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The lenses you look through and the Wolf you feed...

You choose the direction and the path forward. 

Frustrated with the world and the current state of life. Stop feeding that Wolf...change the lenses you are looking through. 

As a Christian, my goal is always to look at life with Jesus filtered lenses...to fill my head and heart with His love and message more than the world. 

Am I perfect in this endeavor? No, not at all. 

Yet I strive to fill my mind with more Jesus and less....well, it's different for us all.