Reality Model

Reality does not exist. This stark statement can be heard in countless books and lectures with metaphysical pretensions of varying depth and rigor. However, the phrase taken literally can easily be misunderstood. Let us try to clarify its true meaning.
What this statement truly means to express is that reality, as an objective entity, does exist in some form, but it cannot be perceived except through the thick filter of our mental system.
Reality can be explained in multiple ways. Some of the explanations that appear most neutral are those provided by physics equations and mathematics. However, the detailed description of the structure of a hydrogen atom or the biochemical process that occurs in the cerebral cortex have little to do with the reality that most individuals perceive. In that type of reality, smiles, feelings, expectations, and conversations matter more.

What ultimately occurs is that there is no single reality but an infinite multiplicity of realities that, indeed, may be based on the same unknowable underlying reality.
To begin with, the amount of information our senses receive daily is far greater than what we are capable of processing. The brain discriminates, filters, and selects the information it deems relevant, which is only a minimal portion of the total information surrounding us. Furthermore, this filtering is considerably different in each individual. This filtering is influenced not only by information from the senses but by the entire symbolic universe that has settled in our cognitive structure throughout our lives and even beyond. This symbolic universe includes not only our own vital experiences but the cultural legacy of the society we inhabit and the inheritance of phobias, affinities, prejudices, and preconceived ideas from our ancestors that, in some way, remain alive in us through the education we have received.
The complex cocktail that emerges from mixing all those elements that have built our psychological and cultural structure is what ultimately determines our model of reality, which is nothing more (nor less) than our particular personal version of the reality we believe to be objective. The model of reality we form determines to a large extent how our reactions will be to the facts that existence presents us with, hence the importance of knowing how to recognize our own model of reality, which is unique and non-transferable to others.
Being aware of our model of reality (at least to some extent) is a first step toward being able to adjust that model to our conscious intentions. And if our model of reality is, in fact, our reality, the possibility of being able to direct it opens a door for us to improve our life.
But to have a minimum guarantee of success it is advisable to be honest enough (and brave enough) to constantly question all our beliefs, including those we consider absolute truths. This does not mean we must abandon all our certainties at the first opportunity, but rather that we adopt the most open attitude possible.
Since it is not possible to completely transform our perception of the world overnight, it is convenient to re-evaluate our model progressively. As we question our symbolic pillars, we will discover new perspectives that will enrich our vision of the world.
Let us not deceive ourselves, most of our mental activity is unconscious. Manipulating our model of reality is neither an easy nor necessarily pleasant path, but it is a way to find an escape route that helps us broaden our understanding of reality. Most people remain anchored throughout their entire lives to a limited model of reality. This is not necessarily a problem when that model provides them with a harmonious existence, but the problem is that in most cases we encounter poor and miserable models of reality that end up creating tremendous suffering in the person who adopts them unconditionally.
It is true that the freedom to choose a model of reality is not unlimited. In some cases the circumstances under which a person is born even prevent them from making any fundamental change in their life. But is that your case? Normally we tend to have more room for maneuver than we think, and expanding our model of reality can help improve the quality of our existence.