I was on the couch drinking my morning coffee when Nathan, my grandson, woke up and came out to sit with me. He is seven years old now, but at the time was just learning to talk. He pointed to my coffee and said “hot coffee.” I said, “no it isn’t hot anymore. It is just coffee.” He repeated “coffee.”
Now what just happened? Have you thought about the implications for your life. Something as simple as that can be causing your disagreements as an adult.
I had just programmed Nathan’s brain to associate the liquid in the cup with coffee. What if I had told him, it was chocolate? Imagine a conspiracy to have everyone around him tell him that coffee was really chocolate. He’d go to a restaurant someday and order chocolate expecting to get coffee. Would he be happy? I’d venture that an argument might ensue.
Let me give you another example. I was working early in the morning, and it was still dark outside. The lights were on. Mandy, my wife, came out and opened the blinds. I was upset. I said something that I immediately regretted. I went to the bus for my hour trip to the office. As I sat down, I realized that I was still upset. I questioned myself. Why am I still upset? I remembered my mother teaching me to close the blinds when we turned on the lights so people couldn’t see into the house. I was upset with Mandy, because she wasn’t following my mother’s programming! I was in my 60’s. That program had lasted at least 50 years. I realized that I was being ridiculous and began opening the blinds for Mandy.
Notice that by questioning the programming, I was able to change it. I got control of myself. How much of the time are we allowing the brain programming of our parents, teachers, preachers, advertisers, etc. to control our lives? How many arguments are caused by brain programs fighting each other with nobody questioning them with reality?
Action: Watch your thoughts. Question your beliefs. Search for truth. I find it makes me happy and more popular. I think you will too.