3 Powerful Mindset Ideas That Can Help You See the World Differently
For the most part, you and I can choose to live life the way we want. Life gives us choices and we get to decide. We can choose to go to work or call in sick. We can choose to stay in a relationship or chose to leave it.
We live in a new era of enlightenment and today even more than ever you hear “I believe only what can be proven through science”.
We look to our social network to affirm what is right and we hear that there is no wrong way because things are relative to the person.
Some say that we reject religion because it just wants to control us. It is outdated, flawed, and filled with hypocrisy. It is a harbor for pedophiles, and it is wrong about God — and that’s if God really exists.
As I said, we have a choice. I try to coexist with others and I try to be respectful and inclusive of other’s beliefs and opinions. I don’t have a problem with that. In fact, I find it refreshing.
There are two sides to a story. For example, some believe that the storming of our nation’s capital on January 6, 2020, to attempt to overturn the election, was patriotic.
I, on the other hand, was shocked. I cried. I felt that the democracy and freedom I so admired and cherished was crumbling before my eyes — not by laws but by hatred, fear, prejudice, special interest, and a politically motivated mob.
This felt like the time, as a boy in grade school when I saw the American flag drop to the ground. In my tender innocence, my world stopped for a moment. I was paralyzed because I could not get to the flag in time to stop it from touching the ground.
Where was my choice? Where was my voice in all this?
Well, I chose to tolerate. I chose to do nothing because, after all, what could I do to change things? I chose to be afraid and in doing so, I chose how much hatred I was willing to stand for how much injustice I was willing to allow how much violence I was willing to tolerate.
I’ve read how life was in the first century during the time of Jesus. There were choices you could make in that time too. I’ve read how a soldier could press a citizen to carry his load for a mile and the consequences if you didn’t.
We see how Rome methodically tortured and crucified citizens for speaking out against the government. So, your choice was not to go against the government and to do what you’re told.
Jesus saw and understood this. His very first words as he began his ministry speaks of a lighter burden.
Jesus spoke about “Metanoia” — a changing of the mind. A much gentler and different way of looking at the world. Another way of doing things that brings peace and happiness to life.
What Jesus is saying is ‘Change the way that you look at life and believe in the Good News because God’s world of selfless love, non-violence, and peace is available to you (Mk 1:15).¹
How liberating! How refreshing this change in mindset is for me and for you too, if you choose.
Looking at the world with different eyes
The things that we value: family, friends, faith, achievement, wealth, education, status, appearance, become part of us because of the values passed on from our parents and the events in our lives that have shaped us. We get bombarded by ideologies that deliberately influence us through marketing, influencers, politics, and so on.
These values can be empowering or they can make you fade away into pop culture to the point that you are no longer you but you become what culture wants you to be.
Personally, I will not let Tik Tok or Instagram tell me who I am. I will not let movies tell me who I am and I will definitely not let political parties tell me who I am and what I should believe.
I will not limit myself by the ideologies that Internet influencers and talk show hosts so entertainingly preach.
Can science prove love and beauty? Can science prove why we have a thirst leading us to chase after life’s meaning and purpose?
I have the God-given right to choose and so do you.
Open your heart and your mind to verify the truth
Misinformation and disinformation are being used as weapons, to “undermine trust, create divisions, and foment chaos in our country” (Gray 2017, LexisNexis)
I heard things during my life that sounded profound and that I adopted as part of my values. One was from the novel Deliverance by James Dickey. One quote in the beginning of the novel read, “IL existe a la base de la via humaine, un principie d’insuffisance”.
It meant that at the very core of humanity we are always unsatisfied — we always need more. I grew up accepting this belief so I pursued wealth, status, and power incessantly and, guess what? — I was still wanting more wealth, more status, and more power, and I was so unhappy doing so.
Dickey’s quote is true — those things did make me feel insufficient but perhaps I wasn’t pursuing the right things. Things that give meaning to life.
I’m sure you’ve also heard or been told things that sounded real and that you’ve adopted into your way of thinking: “don’t read other author’s work because it will influence your writing”. “Religion was created to control you”. “Democracy will be lost if you don’t vote republican [or Democrat]”.
Statements like these may sound reasonable at the time but can alter the way we live our lives for many years until we realize that these statements aren’t so reasonable at all.
Developing a truth-finding mindset can help you make decisions based on sound critical thinking.
3 mindset ideas to help make choices that are right for you:
Mindset Idea #1: We need to become better at verifying the truth
This section demonstrates 4 methods you can use for fact-checking
1. Test to see if the statement is wholly true or partially true.
Let’s examine the statement: Religion is used to control people
The statement has you assume that there is only one use for religion — to control people.
Karl Marx saw religion as a tool of the ruling class to persuade people to accept being poor with a promise of heaven². That is certainly one misguided use of religion and no doubt, it was used then and is being used today.
However, there are other uses of religion.
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, renowned psychologist and author of the best-seller, 12 Rules for Life says that religion provides an alternate perspective. “[religion] is a form of differing philosophy — it is a call to religious action [rather than] an evil action”³
Therefore we can conclude that even though religion can be misused for control, it also has beneficial purposes when used as intended.
2. Gut Check
If the statement or story seems unbelievable then check your facts using different sources.
3. Check for Credible and Authoritative Sources
Self-interest groups can make up a story and cite authoritative sources when in fact what they mention is not contained in the source.
Check the source of information and then check other sources.
4. Check your own bias
Many times you want to believe things that aren’t true. You need to honestly check yourself to see if your bias is leading you to believe a lie and then spreading it along.
Mindset Idea #2: When you read the Bible, do it with help of Theologians
Do you subscribe to news, sports, and weather? And do you also subscribe to dogs and cats on Tik Tok? Then carve out some time to learn more about your chosen faith.
Read the Bible with help of respected theologians. Theologians are experts in the field of the Bible and explaining God and God’s creation. Theologians devote their lives and education to research and study of sacred scripture.
Just like a good teacher helps you understand math, science, and literature a theologian can help you make sense of the Bible and facilitate your journey to finding a connection with God and to find meaning and purpose in your life.
I’ll leave a list of authoritative theologians at the end of this article to get you started.
It is only when we know who we are that we’ll be able to find our purpose and accomplish the mission that Christ has given to us.
Mindset Idea #3: Develop a mindset of prayer
Take the time to have friendly conversations with God every day. We are all wired for God. We just need to open our hearts. To listen to that which makes us feel at peace. That which empowers us with love.
Jesus in the New Normal
More and more of us give up because we see violence, injustice, and people getting away with lies and half-truths. We stay silent because we think that there is nothing that can be done — that the world is too far gone and that this world of violence, injustice, and deception is the new normal. We believe that this kind of life is so deeply rooted in our culture, in our society, in our neighborhoods, and in our political system that it can’t be changed.
Jesus tells us that we do have recourse. We can change the world. We can make a difference. And, we can find meaning in our lives by realizing that there is a different way to view the world.
Consider reading the Bible with help of these theologians.
Note: I am not affiliated nor am I compensated in any way by the resources listed below.
Robert Barron https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bishop-robert-barrons-sermons-catholic-preaching-homilies/id75551187
Word on Fire https://www.wordonfire.org/
Scott Hahn https://stpaulcenter.com/studies-tools/sunday-bible-reflections/
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Sources
- Barron, Robert Bp (2002). The Strangest Way: Walking the Christian Path. Pgs. 33–34. Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY 10545. Kindle Edition.
- Peterson, Jordan B. PhD. 1999. Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief. Chapter 5: The Hostile Brothers: Archetypes of Response to the Unknown. Page 252. Taylor and Francis Books.
3. Swarthmore College. 2021. IV. Religions and Society. Why Religions Facilitate War and Why Religions Facilitate Peace. Retrieved on 07/13/2021 from https://www.swarthmore.edu/friends-historical-library/why-religions-facilitate-war-and-how-religions-facilitate-peace
