Are your opinions and beliefs just mindlessly following the crowd?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers some interesting questions to help you question the validity of your opinions or beliefs. The more you do this, the less likely you are to appropriate and accept other people’s opinions as you own, and gain a deeper understanding what you actually, objectively think, without the influence of others.

I share this because many people are mired in beliefs put forward as expected or indoctrinated by family, socioeconomic backgrounds, religious circles, or political assumptions, that may not reflect their genuine, authentic stance, if they stopped long enough to consider it without the bias of where they come from.

And since I think our thoughts govern our experience, and being aligned with our most elevated sense of authenticity makes us healthy and thriving, this self examination is important.

I have personally done a lot of this kind of work. It has taken me from an atheist to a believer in a God I had not even imagined, from the stifling gender roles modeled by my parents to my equal partnership with my husband, I became a vegetarian 43 years ago, and switched to a different political party from the one I was raised in. I am so grateful I did not take anyone else’s word for what I thought and have done (and continue to do!) the demanding but more satisfying work of figuring it out independently. I highly recommend doing this, even if your sincere answers differ from mine.

Challenge your beliefs, opinions, and assumptions with these questions:

• What evidence is there to support your thoughts about this?
• What evidence disproves or contradicts your thoughts about this?
• Do you need more information to evaluate this?
• Are your opinions getting in the way of facts?
• Are there any facts that you’ve overlooked or ignored?
• Can you think about this differently?
• Is your mood impacting the way you are thinking about this?
• Have you ever felt differently about this?
• Are you likely to change your opinion about this over time?
• How does believing this idea make you feel good?
• How does believing this idea make you feel bad?
• How will you feel if you continue to hold on to this belief?

Let’s not fall into sloppy thinking and believing the way other people do without a careful examination. When you’ve done this soul-searching, you can better contribute to and uplift society, as well as feel more secure and happy yourself.