Do you agree that your beliefs shape your life?
Yes, I do. We know for a fact that shared beliefs can offer a frame for collective identity, reinforcing union between the members of a group. Now, if we apply this same collective principle to the individual, it’s safe to say it also strengthens a sense of belonging and stability within. It integrates the different parts we hold, which most of the times we see as facing one another when the reality is they complement each other.
Beliefs work as some sort of filter through which we interpret the world, but they also guide our decisions and determine what we focus on: through them, we interpret the stimuli we receive from the outside world. What we believe in determines how we act, and those beliefs are nurtured by the previous judgements we host. Beliefs mold our inner energy and they can either improve or weaken our sense of purpose.
For example, when facing a defeat, we can either hold the belief that we can learn from experience, which generates emotional flexibility. On the other hand, the certainty of being victims generates rigidity and frustration. Thus, the way we tell ourselves the story determines our ability to recover.
Beliefs can be (and should be) conscious decisions.
Do you think it is possible to choose your beliefs?
Totally. I think I have already explained why, but I could summarize it as follows:
Since we can choose how to interpret a situation, we can also choose our viewpoint on it and, therefore, we can also identify the belief behind it and change it if needed. Being capable of observing oneself, questioning and putting will at work are the basis of consciousness. If we improve those skills, we can choose what to believe and align our actions to those beliefs.
