We must continually be questioning our beliefs and behaviours, especially long-held ones. When we stand too firm, we miss potential blind spots in our thinking. When we are young and our minds are changing rapidly we learn what beliefs and behaviours to embrace in many ways through connotation and association.

When you saw people die, and everybody around you started weeping and making a fuss, and then you learned from that that dying was terrible…You learned it from a concept - Alan Watts (2)

When a family member is ill and the adults around us become anxious, we learn that illness is something to be anxious about and therefore we become anxious about becoming ill. When a family member dies and the adults around us become sad, we learn that death is something to be sad about and potentially feared. If the adults around us cherish what they have, we learn to be grateful for what we have but if the adults around us continually buy new and exciting things, we learn that we should always be looking for something else because what we have is never good enough. If the adults around us come home in a good mood, we learn that whatever they came home from is good; work, the gym etc.

All of these learned behaviours and beliefs, whilst they are unconsciously learned, are not permanent and so ask yourself: what behaviours or beliefs did you unconsciously learn from the adults around you ? Do they serve you well or is it high time for change?

Keep On Struggling,

Gregor

Film I Enjoyed - The Guilty

“A demoted police officer assigned to a call dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a kidnapped woman” (3). This was a gripping watch and Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance was electric. Watch The Guilty on Netflix now.

Band I’m Enjoying - Sweet Crisis

Punchy blues and rock riffs, strong vocals and catchy choruses come from this English rock band from Cambridge. I’m currently loving their album Tricks On My Mind.

Your Struggle Short For The Week

WATCH HERE

Quote to Ponder

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage - Anaïs Nin

References

1) Image Credit - RawPixel

2) Alanwatts.org - Zen Bones

3) The Guilty Image - IMDB

4) Sweet Crisis Image - Norman Records