Reality’s Little Red Flags
We notice them all the time—we just don’t realize what they mean.
In last week’s newsletter, we introduced the idea that we’re all wearing a built-in VR headset—one that interprets, filters, and projects a version of reality onto the screen of our awareness.
This week, we start observing the headset in action.
The Clues We Keep Ignoring
Most of us walk through life assuming we’re experiencing reality directly—clearly, objectively.
But we’re not.
We’re experiencing a personal rendering of the world, created moment-by-moment by that internal system.
It takes in raw data—sights, sounds, sensations, words—and runs it through layers of interpretation.
It adds meaning, emotion, memory, expectation.
Then it presents the final output so seamlessly, we rarely think to question it.
But sometimes, the headset gives itself away.
There are little moments—quirks in the system—where things don’t quite line up.
Someone’s reaction feels way off. A mood shifts with no explanation.
You catch yourself spiraling over a situation that just... doesn’t deserve it.
These are clues.
And most of the time, we ignore them.
Let’s walk through a typical day and see just how often the headset reveals itself—if we’re paying attention.
Morning
You wake up to the sound of your phone buzzing.
A text from a friend reads:
“Sure.”
Just that. One word.
Now you're staring at it like it’s a riddle.
Do they mean sure as in “of course”?
Or sure as in “ugh, fine”?
You go back and forth, re-reading it like it holds some secret meaning.
Spoiler: it doesn’t.
Clue #1: The fact that you’re reacting to a single word like it’s emotionally charged... says way more about your headset than the text.
Breakfast
Your partner is quiet.
They seem... off. You ask if something’s wrong.
They say, “No, I’m just thinking.”
You nod, but your brain goes on high alert.
Are they mad? Did I say something weird last night? Are they pulling away?
Fifteen minutes later, they’re laughing about something they saw online—and everything’s fine.
Clue #2: They were probably just thinking. Your headset was spinning a drama.
Commute
You remember something you said in a meeting yesterday and cringe.
Hard.
You think, Why did I say that? Everyone probably thinks I’m clueless.
But later that afternoon, a coworker casually references your point—and agrees with it.
Clue #3: Memory isn’t a recording—it’s a reconstruction. Your headset replays things with dramatic lighting and a critical voiceover.
Lunchtime
You mention an old vacation spot to a colleague.
They say, “Ugh, that place is awful.”
You blink. Wait… what?
You remember ocean views, charming streets, incredible food.
They remember overpriced drinks and a clogged toilet.
Clue #4: You were both “there”—but you were in different realities. Because that's how headsets work.
Afternoon
You send an idea to your team.
One person responds enthusiastically. Another seems lukewarm.
You start second-guessing everything.
By dinner, you’ve convinced yourself the idea was terrible.
By the next morning, the lukewarm person emails to say they love the idea and just needed time to think.
Clue #5: Interpretation changes moment to moment. So does other people’s thinking. So does yours.
Evening
Just before bed, you pause.
You realize your mood’s lifted. The anxiety from earlier is gone.
Nothing’s really changed. Nothing got fixed.
But you feel better anyway.
Final clue: If your experience changed without your circumstances changing… then maybe your circumstances weren’t the cause in the first place.
Behind the Curtain
We all miss these clues.
We feel something strange, or someone surprises us, or our mood does a 180—and we just shrug and move on.
We chalk it up to personality, miscommunication, weather, hormones, vibes, “just one of those days.”
But those tiny mismatches are breadcrumbs.
Little nudges pointing us toward something deeper.
Toward the realization that what we’re experiencing isn’t the world itself,
but a constantly shifting, headset-generated projection of it.
And once we see that?
We stop needing everything to make sense.
We stop chasing certainty.
And we start to get curious—about the quiet truth behind it all.
Reflection
What’s one moment today that didn’t quite add up?
What happens when you consider that it wasn’t the world being weird—it was your headset showing you a different filter?