Get rid of beliefs that do not support you
It might sound strange, but the way you live your life is built on several beliefs. It's like your personal rulebook that tells you how to act every day. If you don't take a step back once in a while, you might not realize how simple this concept is. Your daily routines and actions are all tied to these beliefs you carry around in your head.
Let's break down what beliefs are: they're like ideas or opinions you're convinced are true, and they shape how you act. For example, if you think you need to earn a lot of money, you'll find yourself working hard, maybe starting a business, or hanging out with others who want to make money too.
But what if you paused for a second?
Just take a little time to look at your life from a bird's-eye view. You might start to see patterns, like working late, spending quality time with your family, or staying up to watch movies. All these habits are linked to your beliefs. If you never stop to think about it, you'll keep running your life on autopilot, following these beliefs without questioning them.
Most of these beliefs come from way back when you were a kid or a teenager, passed down from your parents or picked up at school. And you probably haven't really questioned them. But sometimes, when you see others living differently and maybe seeming happier, you start to wonder if there's another way.
Here's a personal example. Growing up in France, I was always told to study hard so I could get a good job and make money. It's a common belief pushed on us from a young age. But after making a lot of money, I realized it didn't make me as happy as I thought it would. Working all the time, even on weekends, didn't feel worth it. I had to ask myself why I believed I needed to make money in the first place. Turns out, it wasn't even my own belief but one that was constantly promoted to me.
So, what I'm saying is, you might be living your life based on beliefs you've never really questioned. They might not even be in your best interest. Maybe it's time to take a closer look at what you do every day, figure out the beliefs behind those actions, and then ask yourself where those beliefs came from. Are they really you? Do they make you happy?
Once you start questioning your beliefs, you might find they don't serve your best interests. Maybe working non-stop isn't what's best for you or your family. This realization can be a game-changer. You might decide to let go of old beliefs and find new ones that better match who you are and what you want out of life. But figuring out what new beliefs to adopt, well, that's a topic for another time. For now, just start by examining your beliefs and asking yourself if they're really serving you.
Imagine you've figured out the beliefs you've been living by for years, maybe even decades. What comes next? It's not enough just to recognize these beliefs. The real question is, how do we change them? If I don't offer you a way forward, you might get stuck. For example, if you've always thought you need to make money and work hard, but realize these beliefs don't really make you happy or contribute to your well-being, what do you do next? I'll share my own story to explain.
I used to think I had to earn lots of money and own a bunch of stuff to feel secure. But I found out these beliefs didn't make me truly happy. Sure, I could buy things, but that didn't really make me feel good inside. Instead, I discovered I was happier connecting with people and being part of a community than owning a lot of material things.
Changing your life doesn't happen overnight. Unless you're rich, shifting from a life focused on money to one that values happiness and well-being can be tough. Most people are stuck in the "money is everything" mindset. But if you want to move to a People-first approach, where your happiness and well-being are what matter most, there are ways to do it.
For example, in France, many people are moving to rural areas. There, they find communities that value People over money. They trade goods and services without cash, help each other out, and focus on being part of a caring community. This shows there are different ways to live that don't require money.
We've been led to believe that you either have money and live well, or you don't and life is bad. But that's a lie. The whole idea that money is essential is a trap. Money is just a product that's been sold to us, making a few people very rich because we all buy into it. But when you take a step back, you'll see we don't actually need money to live a good life. This might sound crazy, but I've been studying and working in change management for 25 years, and I've seen it's possible to live differently.
So, what's next?
We're at a crossroads between sticking with the old money-first world or moving towards a People-first world, where happiness and well-being come first. You don't need money to have what you need in life. There are networks and communities out there living proof of this, sharing resources like food, housing, and medical care without relying on the use of money.
Money is just a product created by people who figured out how to get rich from it. But realizing you don't need money to live well is a big step toward a happier, more fulfilling life.