Why Do We Think The Way We Do? How Can It Be Improved

Self reflection is an important part of Personal growth and development

Our thoughts are responsible for attracting ALL the content of our lives. They give our lives shape and meaning, and because of what we are thinking, we form perceptions of how good, or not, our life is.

If we can remain optimistic and think only of happy life-affirming thoughts, we will attract to us circumstances to match, and our lives are good. However, if we lack confidence, have low self-esteem, and are generally negative in the way we view events, circumstances, and other people, then this is returned to us, and consequently, our lives don’t seem so good….. Therefore, the quality of our life experience is dependent on the quality of thoughts that we habitually think.

This is really important, yet so few people understand that the quality and circumstances of our life experience are OUR responsibility, AND it is one hundred percent dependent on our ‘internal world’ of thoughts and feelings.

Unfortunately, most of us have been taught to focus our attention on the world outside of ourselves, and to look for solutions to our discontent and problems everywhere else except where the real and lasting solutions lie….. The solutions are within us and are to be found in our predominant thought patterns which are responsible for the things we have come to believe.

So, why did we learn to think the way we currently do, and are our current thought patterns the best ones we can have?

Why Do We Think The Way We Do?

We are not born with thoughts and beliefs. Our thoughts are programmed into us as a result of the environment we live in and the people we are exposed to while we are young and impressionable. Therefore what we think about the world is relative to our country, culture, socio-economic class, and politics and the health of our parents, siblings, friends, etc. Therefore, our thoughts don’t reflect the ‘truth’ but rather just our impressions of our environment.

Where do your thoughts come from?

Have you ever considered: Where did the particular attitudes and viewpoints that you hold regarding, politics, education, wealth, sex, religion, etc. come from? And whether or not you were born with your beliefs already programmed into you?

The answer is no, you were not born with any ideas, beliefs, or thoughts of your own. You have acquired everything that you believe and think to be true or false, good and bad, beautiful and ugly, etc. from others as you were growing up. Therefore, the beliefs you hold are not a part of your ‘original self’ but have been learned.

The particular thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes you have acquired are a direct result of the specific environment that you were raised in.

It is for this reason that you think differently from others who were brought up in a different country, with a different religion, different socio-economic groups, different political affiliations, etc. Not only that, but we all have different thoughts from our neighbors, friends, and family members….. all because the particular ideas and beliefs we formulated when growing up were unique to us because of the sensory information we were exposed to when young and impressionable. No two people on the planet will ever think exactly the same about everything! However, we can have many beliefs in common.

Rewrite History Reviews-childhood-quizThis not only applies to us, but also to everyone else, including those who programmed us, and their programmers as well. We are ALL, in essence, living our lives according to the attitudes, beliefs and indoctrination passed down from those who programmed us and because of the information we were exposed to in the specific environments that we were raised in. And we in turn teach our children what we believe to be true in the hopes that we are setting them up to have a great life experience. However, what we believe and teach our children may not be the best information available!

This becomes very important, especially when you consider that not all the information acquired by us may be true or still be relevant! I say this because society, and life in general, has changed significantly over the previous five or six generations. Therefore, a lot of the beliefs we inherited, which have led to the habitual thoughts we are having, are not actually guiding us towards living the best life possible. In some cases, the beliefs we hold are essentially damaging to our overall health and well-being.

What you habitually think about may be preventing you from achieving your goals!

We just need to look at the gap between ‘the life we wish to be living’ and the reality of our lives now, to know that the thoughts we are regularly thinking (that have led to our current life circumstances) are not always aligned with our goals and dreams.

This is especially true when we consider that many of the beliefs we have were programmed into us by OTHERS who are not living lives that align with OUR goals and dreams. So, their beliefs and desires, when programmed into us, will not help us get what we want.

For example… Our great-grandparents and grandparents may have been brought up in extremely harsh environments, or in The Great Depression. At certain times in their lives, they may have struggled just to get the basic necessities for everyday survival. They may have lived through wars and seen family members and friends’ lives cut short through poverty, violence, starvation, etc.

Wealth DNA Code-Find out more buttonAll of these events, and many others, had a huge impact on the way they thought and felt about life. The beliefs that they formulated and passed on to the next generation may have included things like life is a constant struggle just to survive; there is never enough food to go around; money is scarce and hard to make, etc. And it’s natural that they would have (unintentionally) passed on some remnants of these deep-seated beliefs through the next generations, and maybe even along to you.

So, even though we live in a world of plenty, where, worldwide, vast amounts of food are thrown away each day, advances in healthcare can save many lives, and central banks have a license to print more money as it is needed, we may still be holding onto some beliefs like ‘I have to work hard for everything I want, I’m not deserving of a better life, or, there is never enough to go around.’

Luckily, WE ARE NOT our thoughts and beliefs!

Our self-defeating beliefs are often buried so deep in our subconscious minds that we may not even be aware of them. However, they are still having a profound impact on the quality of our lives. To begin the process of changing our lives for the better, it’s critical for us to understand that, WE ARE NOT OUR THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS!

Our thoughts and beliefs are just programs that we have acquired…… they are not set in stone and we can change them any time we want! Therefore, our future does not need to be a continuation of what we are experiencing today.

Want more money- Healthy wealthy happy and wiseWe have the power to over-write the beliefs that do not benefit us in the same way we change an old pair of clothes, just by replacing them with new and updated ones.

But first, we need to identify which aspects of our life we wish to improve. Do we want to attract more: money, freedom, love, friendships, confidence, health, etc…… It’s up to us.

In what ways do you want your life experience to improve? Take a minute and think about this because it’s really important!

It’s important because: We cannot get to where we want to be by continuing to think the same thoughts and doing the same things that got us to where we are now!

How do I find out which thoughts are limiting me?

Up to ninety-five percent of what we think every day is unconscious- so our conscious mind is not actively involved in generating these thoughts. They are just a regurgitation of information that is already stored in our subconscious minds….. including our inherited beliefs, stuff that may or may not be true, and any self-limiting and self-defeating thoughts we have picked up along the way.

How often have you caught yourself saying stuff like:

  • Pure Natural Manifestation Free eBookI can’t afford that
  • I’ll never be as good as them
  • I can’t do it
  • What if they don’t like me
  • I’ll never get a good job like that
  • I’m too old, young, stupid, fat, thin, lazy, and clumsy…..

This type of negative self-talk is common and is a knee-jerk unconscious response based on our core beliefs. It is these unconscious thoughts, (which make up about ninety-five percent of our thoughts each day) that are creating the content of our lives.

Our thoughts and feelings are not physical things, they are energy, and all energy vibrates at specific frequencies. We know this by the different ‘feeling’ we receive when standing with a loving person compared to someone who is angry and hateful. The ‘vibe’ (vibration) we receive from the two is very different.

Our feelings emit a vibrational signal that acts as a magnet to draw circumstances that exactly match that signal back into our lives. So, our current life circumstances are a direct result of how we have been predominantly thinking and feeling about life and ourselves throughout our life. The Law of Attraction says that we will receive in the exact measure the vibration that we are emitting into the world. It simply cannot be any other way!

Therefore, all we need to do to find out what self-limiting thoughts are lurking in our subconscious minds is to take a good look at our current life circumstances.

Do you have as much money, freedom, love, friendships, confidence, health, etc…… that you desire? If not, then you have some self-limiting beliefs that are invading your mind when you are living in auto-pilot mode, (not consciously thinking, but just reacting based on your subconscious beliefs) and these un-beneficial thoughts are vibrating and attracting to them results that match the thoughts. Is this what you want for the rest of your life?

How can I change my self-limiting beliefs to create a better life for myself?

So, we are as we are, here and now, for better or worse. Let’s get on with it!

The good news is this: We do not need to remain a victim to any of our limiting mind programs. As mentioned, we are not this collection of thoughts and beliefs……

Our thoughts are just tools (energy) we use to create the content of our lives. And if we are not happy with certain aspects of our life, we can direct this energy, through focused awareness of our thoughts, to actively create any future life that we desire.

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The Brain Evolution System will Reprogram you for success, love, and happiness. Click here to learn more….

We all do this already, to varying degrees, as we grow and change throughout our lives. We all know people who have changed their probable futures, i.e. some people born into poverty become wealthy, and some who grow up lacking confidence grow to be great leaders…… They have overcome their limiting mind programs, and so can we!

WE CAN ALL CHANGE WHAT WE THINK ABOUT, AND THEREFORE CHANGE WHAT WE ACHIEVE AND RECEIVE.

And change begins with self-awareness.

Our incredible minds will work for us once we learn how to use them properly.

Presently, for much of each day, most of us are having so many conflicting and confusing thoughts that our powerful mind is unable to determine what we actually wish to achieve.

Thinking positive thoughts towards our dream future for five to ten minutes a day will not cancel out the energy created when the other ninety-five percent of our thoughts are about: did I turn the dishwasher on, what’s for dinner tonight, does this outfit make me look fat, or I hope I will not embarrass myself in tomorrow’s meeting.

Sure, we have stuff going on in our lives that requires our attention. The kids need to be fed, we need to answer the phone, go to work, and pay our taxes. There is no denying that THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE ATTENDED TO ON A DAILY BASIS THAT KEEPS OUR FOCUS AWAY FROM OUR GOALS AND DREAMS.

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Click here to learn how The Medici Code can help reprogram your unconscious mind toward successful outcomes!

However, our minds are amazing and are capable of ACHIEVING MUCH MORE THAT WE GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR. There are always choices available that will lead us closer to our goals. However, if we are unaware that we have choices, we will continue to think the same thoughts over and over again and therefore continue to attract similar circumstances to what we already have!

Our incredible mind is doing the only thing that it is capable of. It is following the programs that we have acquired throughout our lifetime. And if our circumstances are not what we want, it is only because we have not re-programmed our minds to achieve them!

Most people seem content to accept a limited life experience ‘just as it is,’ including those that programmed you, and this is why we have never been taught how to re-program ourselves properly to achieve our goals and dreams.

Solutions: How to achieve your goals and live your dream life

I have written many posts on this website that go into detail about how important it is to reprogram our minds if we wish to achieve better outcomes in our lives. To begin creating a better life for yourself and those you love, check out some of my posts listed below or view the main menu for more great solutions.

Learn how to meditate:
https://healthywealthyhappyandwise.com/what-is-the-real-purpose-of-meditation/

Learn how to reprogram your subconscious mind to work for you:
https://healthywealthyhappyandwise.com/how-the-medici-code-helped-me-change-my-life/

Learn how to raise your vibration:
https://healthywealthyhappyandwise.com/what-are-the-three-best-ways-to-raise-your-vibration/

Learn how to use The Law of Attraction:
https://healthywealthyhappyandwise.com/the-law-of-attraction-and-its-effect-on-reality/

Learn how to become more mindful:
https://healthywealthyhappyandwise.com/what-is-mindfulness-how-will-i-benefit-by-practicing-to-become-more-mindful/

I wish you all the best on your journey through life. Why not choose to make it the best life possible?

Shared with the hopes of making the world a better place, one soul at a time 🙂

Andrew

12 thoughts on “Why Do We Think The Way We Do? How Can It Be Improved

  1. Hi Andrew,

    Yet another fantastic read, so thank you for that.

    I actually recall not too long ago having a discussion with a friend about some of the ingrained beliefs that we have and where they first originated. It was done in a jovial and humorous way more than anything else, but it certainly opened my eyes to some of the things I feel sometimes hold me back in life.

    Possibly the most absurd is certain “facts” that we can’t actually explain, or give a good reason why this is a “fact,” but it’s simply something we have heard along our journey in life, and now quote as gospel. I’m talking about things that people often quote as factual and truly believe, but when questioned they have no evidence to back up what they’re saying.
    A very silly example that I was discussing with my friend was why we eat certain meals at certain times of the day. There are no specific “rules” stating that you can’t have spaghetti bolognese for breakfast, or bacon and eggs for supper, we simply eat the way we do through leaned habits.

    Talking of habits, and going back to what I mentioned above, how many people will quote “21 days” as being the time it takes to create a habit? When asked for evidence to prove this, they can’t, but they’ll still stick their guns, although they’ve never probably tested this for themselves. Through my own research into this subject it turns out that a plastic surgeon stated that on average it took an amputee 21 days to get used to not having a limb – and somehow from this, we have created “it takes 21 days to form a habit”, which people quote over-and-over again.

    I must admit just reading some of your articles makes me question many of my thought processes (which is a good thing by the way), and I’m often at a loss to explain what I think certain thoughts or act the way I do in certain situations.
    I totally agree that none of this can be solved in just 10 minutes a day. I mean we’ve spent 30, 40, 50, or more years creating these thought processes and following them, so it’s highly unlikely that we’re going to see a shift by only working on our inner-selves for a short period of time.

    As always Andrew, very thought-provoking and enlightening.

    Partha

    1. Haha, yes I have to agree that we are full of ‘facts’ which more often than not are not actually facts! And what’s interesting is the lengths we may go to, to defend these so-called facts. Fights, arguments, broken relationships, etc. occur just because we want to be ‘right.’
      I like your idea of having a jovial and humorous discussion, and open-mindedly trying to decern what is true and what is not. Congratulations, it’s a wise and mature option 🙂

      I’ve read different theories on how long it takes to create lasting habits. And as you say, is there any evidence to support these theories?
      My take on it is: If you want to do it, you will do it from day one because you enjoy it or because you know it is for your benefit. If you don’t enjoy it and it doesn’t benefit you, you’ll stop it….. whether it be one day or 30 days later, and who cares because you weren’t enjoying it anyway! So if we identify something that is really good for us, if we can find a way to enjoy it, it will easily become a new habit.

      Yeah, as I keep repeating in my articles, there are no quick fixes, and if there was, life would be very easy, and very boring.
      It’s the journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment that is the impetus for living, and I for one, am realizing that the more I learn and grow in experience, the more fun and exciting life becomes.

      I also wish you a fun-filled and exciting journey, my friend 🙂
      Have a great day
      Andrew

  2. Very interesting.

    I’ve been shackled by many limiting subconscious beliefs. It wasn’t until my 30s when I started exploring the notion that I am a product of my thoughts.

    But hey, once I’m trained to notice the thoughts that have been limiting me, I become aware when they are trying to shape my decisions.

    I went through sessions of hypnosis, energy healing and other courses, to rewrite some of these beliefs. I think I’m at a better position now as an individual compared to where I was in the past.

    Cheers,
    Kenny

    1. Hi Kenny. Great! You became aware of limiting thoughts and set about to change them. I applaud you for making the effort to do this.
      I know that your life is better now than what it would have been if you did nothing about your limiting beliefs.
      So, is that it, or are you still on the journey to discover more about yourself and how you can create a better life experience for yourself.
      In my experience, once we have developed a certain level of self-awareness, there is no going back! Life just becomes a big adventure and we never want to give up exploring our potential.
      I wish you all the best on your journey, my friend.
      Andrew

  3. I had to read this article today, since I have been a bit negative over the last few days, due to some unforeseen changes in my life that I had not anticipated. The changes are good, though, and although I accepted them from day 1, it still had some effect on me. Strange, isn’t it, how the mind still reacts as if it went through a loss when the “loss” in fact provides a long term win?
    This morning I meditated, and in the afternoon I read two chapters of Napoleon Hill’s book “Think and Grow Rich” in which he also stresses that we control our minds and that we create our reality with our thoughts. I am going to work more on thinking positive thoughts. It is true that much of how we think has been programmed into us by our family. I remember, though, sticking to my own beliefs as a little girl and being ridiculed for it sometimes (I was, and still am, very compassionate with humans and animals). Thankfully, their ridicule never got that compassion out of me. 🙂

    1. Hi Christine. Yes, I can relate to what you say. We can still morn a loss even though we know the outcome is for our ultimate benefit. I think this is OK, and we should not beat ourselves up about it, because any change means a loss of aspects of ‘who we were.’ The future then becomes uncertain, and perhaps there is a little fear in us about the unknown?
      ‘Think and Grow Rich’ is a great book. However, like ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Bryne, it left me, and many other people frustrated by our inability to actually change circumstances in our lives by using positive thinking alone. My twenty-eight years of personal development exploration have lead me to understand that it is our ‘feelings’ that the universal mind responds to. Our thoughts create feelings within us, and if we can amplify the feeling state of how we want to be, we will vibrate at this frequency, and the universe has no choice but to give us that which matches our vibration.
      So, if we wish to attract more wealth into our lives, we must feel as if we already have it, and we must stop offering contradictory thoughts that serve to retain our current circumstances.
      This is why children born into wealthy families generally become wealthy themselves. Because they are born, surrounded by this vibration, and it becomes part of who they are. They don’t know any other way or how to have contradictory thoughts, so they will naturally receive according to the vibration they give out.
      I know it’s easy to sit here and type these words, but changing our deep-seated beliefs is a whole different ball game.
      However, it is possible and my post (How to change your thoughts to change your world) gives solutions that have worked for me, and I’m sure will work for others- if they commit themselves to the process.
      I wish you all the best on your journey.
      With much love and respect,
      Andrew

  4. As a man thinks, so is he. What happens in your mind will happen in time. That is why it is important not to conform to the patterns of negative thinking, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind, reflecting on that which is positive, creative, and refreshing.

    Thanks for this wonderful post, Andrew! I really enjoyed reading it! Top-quality!

    1. Hi, and thanks for your input. “What happens in your mind will happen in time.” So true!
      We are very fortunate to be conscious beings, however, I know not everyone agrees with this. So many people are struggling with life and seem to just go from one negative experience to the next. If only they knew that it does not have to be this way!
      Our powerful minds are capable of creating our experience anyway we wish it to be, and if they could just grasp this concept, they would be able to turn their experience up-side-down just by changing the way they think towards being more positive, creative and loving.
      It continues to amaze me, that children are not tought at school about the importance of their thoughts in relation to creating a fun and happy life. Instead, their young impressionable minds are filled with facts and figures which can be found uning any simple technology these days.
      Maybe the next generation will get it right?????
      I wish you all the best,
      Andrew

  5. Absolute love this article. Becoming self-aware is so important.
    Psychologically, many people fear change, which is the reason they are unable to reprogram themselves. But also, at certain times, perhaps they may be unsupported by their current environment or situation. Association and support play a vital role in helping one to achieve that elevated change in their lives.
    But of course, ultimately, it begins with the person themselves to take action. Thank you for sharing this. I’m sure this will help many people!

    Cheers.
    SAM

    1. Hi Sam. Thanks for taking the time to read my article. You are so right when you say that support, for us, when we want to change, is vitally important. However, it’s not always given. The reason is that the people you associate with now know you as you are, and if you start changing aspects of your personality, they won’t know you any more. You will no longer be their reliable and predictable, friend, family member, work mate, etc.
      They will have to learn who this new person is and how to behave around them. They may even be forced to self-reflect on their lives and begin to question who they are….. This is scary, as you say, for many people, and they would rather remain comfortable and ‘stable’ and carry on with life as normal.

      Sometimes, if real change is desired, it’s easier if we leave our current environment behind and go somewhere we are not known, so we can actually immediately begin ‘being’ tohe person we want to become. And this is how we will come to be known and accepted by the new friends we make.

      If we begin now, being who we wish to become, acting as if we already this new and improved version of ourselves, by The Law of Attraction, we will attract people into our lives who are supportive and accepting of this new us.

      I wish you all the best on your journey 🙂
      Andrew

  6. Andrew,

    So true! I’ve seen a lot of people that are always telling me that they can’t do something. My kids are especially notorious for doing this. I recall the first time my daughter was trying out jump roping. She didn’t get it right away, started throwing a fit, and went and cried in a corner.

    It took me forever to tell her that we’re not born knowing something. How often did she see babies jump roping? “Never.” Ok, so why would you think you’re born knowing this? You have to learn it kiddo. And you’re going to fail, I promise. But you get back up and you try again. And every time you get back up and try again, you succeed.

    I’ve never been stuck with being in the rut others are in. Sure, I get down on myself, but then I remember that that doesn’t help me and I get back up and try harder!

    Great information! Love this!

    Katrina

    1. How often have you seen babies jumping rope….. Never! Haha, I love this approach 🙂
      If you are able to teach your children that it’s ok not to know everything and to be able to do everything, and that it’s the journey that is important, you are setting them up for a life of fun filled exploration and adventure.
      If we were born knowing everything and able to do everything, then what is the point of living? Life is all about the growth and progression from wanting something to actually achieving it. The fun is in the journey, and the more we can embrace each and everything about our journey, the better our life experience becomes 🙂
      Many thanks for sharing.
      Have a great day 🙂
      Andrew

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