Whether conscious or subconscious we all have a worldview. Our worldview is the framework from which we view reality and make sense of the world around us. Many things can shape our worldview: childhood experiences, things we have studied, and beliefs that we use to define truth. Our personal beliefs help to reinforce both positive and negative perceptions that we have about ourselves and how we view other people.
Those beliefs directly affect our behaviour which is birthed from the perceived reality we have created. “To perceive the world differently, we must be willing, to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.” (William James)
We cannot change our past nor are we able to predict our future. Living fully present each and every day is the best option available.
Your Mind is Busier Than you Think
Changing our beliefs can be a challenging task based on the number of thoughts that we have in the course of a day unless we learn how to become more self-aware.
“Everyday we have thousands of thoughts that are transient and often conscious. If we take time to pause many of those thoughts can be identified. Beliefs are stable and often unconscious assumptions that we make about ourselves, other people and the world.” (Sarah Edelman)
“To perceive the world differently, we must be willing, to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.”William James
Although it can be harder to identify our unconscious assumptions it does become easier with a little mindful attention. Creating some space and time and allowing for a non-judgemental acceptance of our beliefs is the first step in recognizing what we believe.
Sometimes we can make ourselves feel pretty miserable even when the circumstances around us are not as bad as we think. Negative, self-defeating thoughts can have a strong influence on our behavior. The challenge is how we respond to those thoughts once identified. How do we change those beliefs to positively affect our behaviour? What would be more helpful ways for us to think?