Taking Off Our Blinders

Taking off Our Blinders

If one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.

Matthew 15:14

Blind spots. We all have them. Research has shown that we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do.^a Psychological and spiritual blind spots keep us from seeing the truth. They distort our perceptions. They trick our reality, and they feed us misinformation. Like the physical blind spots in automobiles, our personal blind spots steer us into danger if we’re not careful.

But when the blinders come off, we see the truth. A new reality sets in, literally. A transforming truth about who we are materializes where before we only saw an illusion. This is why discovering your blind spots is key to getting and staying psychologically healthy. It’s not easy work, but the payoffs are certainly sweet. Heightening your self-awareness lowers your stress, revolutionizes your relationships, and frees your spirit for optimal fulfillment and closeness to each other—and to God.

Healthy people know themselves well. They know their strengths and limits, their likes and dislikes. They know what ticks them off and what soothes their spirits. They know their dark sides and how to combat them. They monitor their feelings and learn how to manage them. They are aware of their motivations. They are aware of how they come off to others. Healthy people know, for the most part, what other people know about them. They keep their blind spots to a minimum. And the more they do this as a couple, the healthier their relationship becomes.

Can you be honest, in this very moment, and help one another gain clarity on a potential blind spot?

For me, the greatest clarity was always the greatest beauty.

—Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

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