it does overhead? It's actually an optical illusion called the Ponzo
illusion. The Ponzo illusion suggests that our minds judge the size
of objects based on it's background. In our minds, we see the sky as
a flattened dome so objects over our heads appear farther than near
the horizon. This image is reinforced by objects such as clouds,
birds and airplanes which move across the sky at a uniform height and
are indeed closer when they are over our heads and farther away when
at the horizon. All of this means that when we see the moon near the
horizon, we will think it closer thus, it appears to be bigger.
When it comes to exercising regularly, it is easy to give in to one of
these favorite excuses:
I am too busy at work.
I do not have enough time.
I am too tired.
It is too cold.
I do not have the right clothes.
I am too old.
I am too fat.
I hate going to the gym.
I don't like exercising.
I am too busy with the kids.
The list goes on and on. But how many of our excuses not to exercise
are inflated by the Ponzo illusion? Just as the moon appears to look
bigger on the horizon, our excuses might seem to hold more truth by
the angle from which we perceive them.
Take, for example, the most famous excuse not to exercise, "I don't
have enough time." What if you were to separate this statement from
your perception of "enough time" and your belief about how long you
need to workout. Now reexamine this excuse. How much truth does this
excuse hold now?
Many times, our perception gives power to excuses that maintain the
status quo. It's a brilliant strategy!
By the way, to see that the moon is not actually any larger at the
horizon than overhead, look at the moon through an empty paper towel
roll when it is near the horizon. Without the dome-like space to
refer to, it will appear smaller as it does overhead.
Thoughtful reflection: How does your perception about age, weight or
physical ability influence your excuses not to exercise?
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