Be Your Own Thinker

In the past I wrote about the power that societal conditioning can have over us. This is the major reason why people have difficulty forging their own thoughts. Simply, we are taught what to believe. Social pressure exerts great force on us. We all want to fit in. The idea of being singled out is not something that many are attracted to.

If you ask the average person, he or she will tell you that they are in control of their thoughts. However, the sad truth is that few take the time to monitor what is going on inside one's head. For example, have you ever taken a look at where your beliefs came from? Are they something that you made a decision to be true or were they put there by someone else? We are all products of our environment. This results in us mirroring those who are around us.

This conditioning will affect all areas of our life. Take one's work/financial situation. There are some who believe the best way is to go to school, get good grades, and find a stable company to work for. At the same time, some believe that owning your own company is the best route to go. Finally, there is a group of the population who believes the government will take care of them.

What creates the difference in mindset. I would say the largest part is the upbringing these people grew up in. The cultural impact on beliefs is evident depending upon the area one was raised. If he or she was exposed to people who received welfare their entire lives, this is believed to be true. This holds true for the entrepreneur and the steady paycheck individuals. Our societal conditioning plays a large part in what we do.

Other people lay expectations upon us. This is a fact of life. However, it is crucial that you decide to be your own person. The only one who can live your life is you. Others will want to influence it usually to make up for a lack of something within them. These are not the people you want to take advice from. Make a decision to live your life how you see fit. It is your happiness at stake.

There is a risk of being your own thinker. People like those who conform. If one chooses not to, he or she is open to scorn and ridicule. Society has a way of making fun of those who act or behave differently. This is its way of trying to get you back in line. Individuality is not stressed as a cultural norm. I can only presume that if everyone behaved in an individual manner, we would have anarchy. Fortunately, the vast majority will continue to conform so our decision to live our own life will not bring society down.

Be your own thinker. Take control of your thoughts immediately. Question all that you believe so that you are knowledgeable about what goes on in your head. If you were taught something was true, research it. Find out if it holds true for you or if it is false. Discard old beliefs which do not work for you. This is how one starts to attain individual freedom.
Share and Enjoy!