When you question your beliefs you also question yourself, who you are at the core level, you understand why you are where you are right now.

The only way to make a spoilt machine work again is to break it down, work on its inner system, and fix it again. Screw out the bolts of your life, examine and work on yourself, fix your life again and get going.~ Israelmore Ayivor

How attached are you to your beliefs, and if you did rely on them too much, would you even be aware of it? It can be hard to separate fact from fiction, especially in your own mind.

But your beliefs are just that – beliefs. They’re not facts. The tighter you hold onto them, the more you risk cutting yourself off from others and creating a distorted view of the world.

Question Your Beliefs

When you allow your beliefs to go unquestioned, it can lead you to dissociate from reality. You need to be willing to take responsibility for your thoughts.

Many of them aren’t your own but are adopted from your peer group and the result of other environmental influences. You take them on without thinking and often out of the fear of rejection.

But there is no harm in going against the grain and even admitting that you may have got some things fundamentally wrong. In fact, it’s good to have a healthy sense of skepticism – especially where the ego’s concerned.

If you want to get to the bottom of whether your beliefs are limiting your ability to see things from an alternative perspective, try asking yourself the following questions:

When did you first start believing in [insert belief]?

Who did you pick this belief up from?

Did you take on board without question, or did you vet it from multiple angles?

Have you ever tested this belief in conversation, and would you be comfortable doing so?

7 Reasons to Question Your Beliefs

Here are seven reasons why it’s good to good to question your beliefs and yourself, and in the process become a better, kinder, more loving and understanding person.

1. You Can Let Go of Things That Don’t Serve You

Your thoughts give rise to your beliefs, which dictate your actions and, in turn, become your habits. In short, your beliefs are either working for you or working against you.

When you direct your attention towards separating facts from assumptions, you can see how your decision-making process has been influenced and why you’re in your current situation.

By doing this, it allows you to rid yourself of anything that’s holding you back.

It changes your outlook on life and helps you realize you have far more choices than you imagined. You can make positive steps forward in your personal development, as it gives you permission to try things that you might not have done otherwise.

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.~  Ann Landers

2. The Willingness to Be Introspective Makes You More Humble

When you’re able to ask tough questions of yourself, it provides perspective. You can step back and re-evaluate your position. But more than that, you acknowledge that you’re not perfect.

It humanizes you.

There is no longer any desire to look for – or manufacture – ways to confirm your beliefs. You instead, become open to constructive criticism from others. You accept your flaws and take ownership of them.

Not only that…

But you actively seek out advice from others and value what they have to say. It’s a powerful tool to have in your arsenal.

When you speak, what repeat what you already know. When we listen, we learn something new.~ Dalai Lama

3. You Can Empathize Better with Others and Show Compassion

When you improve your ability to self-analyze, you adopt a more flexible attitude. You’re not restricted to linear ‘A to B’ thinking but can accept a range of possibilities from other sources.

As a result of this “adaptive mindset,” you become less judgemental.

That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone. But it does enable you to move away from prejudice and become more expansive in your thinking. You can place yourself in other people’s position and truly empathize with them.

It builds character and helps you develop a deep sense of compassion.

You become fairer minded and a better person.

Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.~ Alfred Adler

4. It Increases Your Ability to Rationalise and Be Objective

The ability to be self-critical is a skill. And like any skill, the more you practice it, the better you become at using it. Being able to rationalize is a trait that enables you to make better life choices.

You become a better thinker.

However, this isn’t limited to examining your own circumstances. You can apply your objectivity to other situations that require problem-solving and critical thought.

When you become your own greatest critic, you cultivate a keen sense of intuition that allows you to see through falsehoods and distinguish right from wrong.

Over time, it creates a value-system grounded in your experiences.

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.~ Aristotle

5. You Become Less Defensive

There’s a difference between speaking from a place of passion and being outright defensive. The latter is borne of a need to share, while the former is rooted in a sense of righteousness.

If you’re willing to question your beliefs and let go of them voluntarily, it no longer becomes an issue when people disagree with your opinions.

You can respond instead of reacting.

When you have nothing you’re trying to protect, it makes your interactions far more pleasant and improves the quality of your relationships.

Your conversations become less ‘ego-centric’ and more about the mutual sharing of ideas.

The ego is the false self-born out of fear and defensiveness.~ John O’Donohue

6. Your Identity Becomes More Fluid And Authentic.

Your beliefs are at the very core of your identity. In many ways, they are you. However, when you’re constantly referring to a fixed set of ideals, you risk becoming unable to relate to others. You can give off an air of abrasiveness.

But the act of self-appraisal puts a stop to this.

By judging every situation on its own merits, there is less of a need to prove your way is the right way. It puts you at ease and makes you a more pleasant person to be around.

It bypasses your ego.

You stop trying to pass everything through your “belief filter,” and the need to outwardly judge falls away. It simply doesn’t matter. You emanate a quiet confidence that people naturally gravitate towards.

You exude a natural charm and charisma.

Authenticity is more than speaking; Authenticity is also about doing. Every decision we make says something about who we are.~ Simon Sinek

7. You Look for Oppurtunities to Challenge Yourself.

If you refuse to look outside of yourself, you become stagnant. You risk being left behind as the world evolves while you hold onto a fixed world view.

Change is inevitable.

But you can be the one who drives it. When you develop a mindset of curiosity, your life becomes less about what you can give to ‘it’ and more about what you can learn by remaining open to new possibilities.

You actively seek out new challenges and will intentionally place yourself in situations that challenge your core values. By placing yourself in the role of student, it helps keep you remain current and even ahead of the curve.

If your beliefs don’t match your reality, you simply change your thinking.

And by doing so, you become truly self-realized.

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