The way we think determines our actions and ultimately the life we create for ourselves. Unfortunately for us, a lot of our thinking is based on beliefs and ideas that we may have developed at an earlier stage of our lives; and while we are now older, our thinking may be completely out of tune with our current reality, and still stuck in the past.

With technology rapidly transforming the world we live in, it has become imperative for us to constantly review the beliefs we hold and update them regularly. This is certainly easier said than done since more often than not we aren’t even aware of what we are thinking so how can we possibly change it?

We may be holding on to old limiting beliefs such as, “I am not good with mental maths” or “I will never be successful” or “I can’t speak on stage” or “I am not tech savvy and will never be able to read e-books” which may be caused by some negative incident in your childhood, and may not be true in the present. But even though the reality may be quite different, you may still be convinced that this belief is true, and never test its validity or try out anything new. It may therefore be holding you back from achieving your true potential.

Fixed beliefs from the past are often expressed through the “shoulds”, “musts” and “shouldn’ts” that we use in our daily lives.

To live a fulfilling life, it is crucial to be aware of your current reality and to keep checking in with yourself to ensure that your thinking is valid in the present and not based in the past.

As Dr Phil McGraw, host of the American talk show ‘Dr Phil’ says in his bestselling book “Self Matters: Creating Your Life From The Inside Out”: “It’s time to start moving in a new direction that is grounded in the vibrant here and now, instead of continuing in the old direction that is grounded in a tired, outdated and irrelevant history.”