TL;DR: The author reflects further on a striking encounter with a friend to illustrate how beliefs shape physical reality, showing that inner alignment—not outer conditions—determines the world we each experience.
In my last post, I shared a 24-hour journey from negative momentum to alignment, sparked by a conversation with my friend, Mark. It was a powerful moment of returning to my sovereignty, which you can read here.
But there’s a deeper thread that continued to unfold—the stark difference between my reality and Mark’s, even though we live in the same city. That contrast revealed something remarkable.
It’s often said that “we see what we want to see.” But what if it’s even deeper than that? What if we don’t just see through the lens of our beliefs… we live through them? What if every detail of our physical experience—what happens to us, what we witness, what we remember—is shaped not by the world “out there” but by the vibration we’re broadcasting?
Mark and I both live in Portland, Oregon. I live near downtown; Mark lives in the suburbs. Last Thursday, during lunch, Mark described two recent events that deeply disturbed him. Both happened downtown. Both involved violence. And both served, for him, as evidence of the country’s collapse.
Let’s take a look at them.
Chaos, danger and decline
In the first incident, Mark tried to visit the main branch of the Multnomah County Library around 9 a.m. only to find it closed. He immediately linked this to Trump-era budget cuts. Later that day, when he returned to the library around noon, the building had been cordoned off by police. A shooting had occurred on the steps.
But here’s the thing: the library wasn’t closed due to budget cuts. Multnomah County Library standardized hours in December 2024 to offer a balance of morning and evening access. Now, the downtown branch opens at noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to accommodate both working people and families. It’s about consistency and predictability for patrons—not politics or scarcity.
Still, Mark filtered the change through his vibrational lens. Saturated in narratives of political and social decay, he couldn’t help but interpret it as another sign of America’s downfall. His thoughts and beliefs tuned him to a version of Portland filled with chaos, danger, and decline. And that’s exactly what he found.
The second incident, which happened earlier, involved a gathering of unhoused individuals. An argument broke out, and Mark watched one person knock another to the ground and begin kicking them. Again, he took this as evidence that America—and particularly Portland—was unraveling.
Meanwhile, I’ve cultivated a completely different vibrational lens.
Vibrational Contagion Works
When I walk through Portland, people smile at me. I’m greeted warmly by strangers. I get compliments from passersby. Even unhoused people feel like part of the landscape, not a threat. I’ve held the belief that they’re harmless, and so they are. Recently, while dining out, a staff member passed by me and said, “You’re really good-looking.” I agreed. I know I look good because I feel good. I vibrate at a high frequency.
That’s not vanity. That’s alignment.
Last Thursday, Mark suggested I move to a country like Vietnam or Thailand, where my Social Security income along with my client revenue might stretch further. In his view, the U.S. is on a downward spiral. But I’ve recently manifested an affordable housing opportunity right here in Portland—Albina One—that feels like a perfect vibrational match for me at this moment. I’ve also received powerful dream downloads encouraging me to relaunch my YouTube channel.
None of that came up during our lunch. Why? Because I collapsed into Mark’s Belief Momentum. I saw what Mark saw: limitation. Diminished possibility. Fearful retreat.
That’s how quickly—and how powerfully—vibrational contagion works.
And when I collapsed, my vibrational lens changed. I actually considered leaving the country. I saw my future as limited, uncertain, bleak. That’s the power of alignment—whatever you align to, you see. I literally forgot all the incredible manifestations that had recently unfolded for me. Manifestations telling me my future is secure. Right here in the US.
When the Universe responds to our vibration, it doesn’t respond to the “truth.” It responds to belief. And then it produces what looks like truth—but it’s actually confirmation. That’s the kicker: What we think is “objective reality” is just our vibration made visible.
How We Change…Everything
But the beauty of this practice is, I noticed it. I caught the momentum then paused. I didn’t push forward from that lower vibration. Instead, I tuned inward. Then I shared my experience with my clients to demonstrate how even I, a seasoned practitioner, moved through contrast. I also did it to amplify my clarity.
And when I returned to alignment, everything came back into focus.
This is why Mark’s experiences and mine differ so radically—even when we occupy the same town. It’s why he was moved to suggest I leave the country… while I’m actively manifesting a bright, abundant future right here in Portland.
It’s why, when I aligned again with my Broader Perspective, I remembered the truth of my trajectory — my dream-driven YouTube guidance, my apartment, my unfolding financial stability. And it’s why, when I re-centered myself the next day, using my Positively Focused practice, I felt radiant again. Because I stopped interpreting life through his lens, and returned to my own. That’s how powerful this is.
This experience reaffirmed what I know to be true: our reality is not “out there”. It’s in here, in us all. Our thoughts, our beliefs, our vibration filter All That Is into the only version of reality we can see.
We don’t have to leave our country to find peace. Nor do we have to move to a different economy to feel secure. We just have to shift the signal we’re broadcasting—and then our world shifts around us. This isn’t theory. It’s not metaphor. It’s real.
I’m living proof.
Mark’s Portland is violent, failing, and hopeless. My Portland is promising, vibrant, and full of connection. Same city. Two worlds. Each perfectly matching our internal state.
But this isn’t just about Portland. It’s about how we each create our own external reality from the reality that is in us. Once we realize that, we stop trying to fix external reality. Instead we start tuning our vibration. Because that’s where our power lives.
And from there, everything changes.