my beliefs in life essay

Essay About Beliefs: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts

To write an essay about beliefs, you need to know the different beliefs people hold; continue reading this article for examples and prompts to help!

Beliefs are a person’s perception of what they believe to be true. However, not everybody’s belief system is accurate. Beliefs are not necessarily religious or spiritual. It can also be political, philosophical, or societal. Our beliefs are formed early based on our environment – what we are told, heard, observed, and experienced. Below are essay examples to help you understand other writers’ viewpoints about beliefs.

1. Christianity Beliefs in The Exorcism of Emily Rose by Penny Silva

2. a personal believe that god does not exist by lauren trauscht, 3. my beliefs by patrick of shrewsbury, massachusetts, 4. irrational beliefs by vincent bridges, 5. my ethical beliefs by blanche allen, 1. your thoughts about the definition of belief, 2. what influenced your belief on a certain subject, 3. an experience that shaped your beliefs, 4. thoughts about the role of religion, 5. your personal political beliefs, 6. your stand on gender identity, 7. opinions about the connection between social media and suicide, 8. the belief system of millenials.

“This means that she believes it is a fact that if there is a God, there is a devil, and if there is a devil, there is God.”

Silva’s essay discusses the movie “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” – a film based on the true story of Anneliese Michel. It’s about a court case concerning the death of a girl. She was either possessed by a demon or was suffering from a severe mental illness.

Viewers of the movie are free to believe what they think happened to Emily as it demonstrates the apparition of both the devil and the However, divine. Silva believes that it’s a must-watch if one wants to understand the accurate interpretation of the works of evil.

“…how could anybody keep up on the Bible for thousands and thousands of years? The stories in there had to have gotten mixed up… if there is a God, then who created God? ”

Trauscht’s many questions about a divine existence lead him to believe there is no God. The author shares these reasons in a simple essay about his beliefs.

“ I have no stronger link to anything else in this world than my family… This belief … was something that was one hundred percent infused in me through my parents.”

The author grew up a family-oriented person, and there’s nothing more important to him than his family. He believes he is today because his parents influenced his life. His belief made him a better person.

“I can always distract myself from negative, judgmental thoughts by simply telling myself, “STOP!” Then replace my blaming, complaining, or excusing with something positive. Wisely choosing the thoughts that occupy my mind and avoiding automatic, negative thoughts that undermine my self-esteem will also help.”

Bridges shares his experience with irrational beliefs that made him think negatively, which affected his behavior and self-esteem. He also talks about how he overcame his irrational beliefs when someone believed in him until he finally started to believe in himself, turning the negative thoughts into positive ones.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about religion .

“In a way, ethics are like a set of rules that govern human behaviors and serve as a basis for right conduct principles.”

Allen argues that we have a different understanding of ethics and how we use it in our everyday lives. He says fairness is one of the ethics he applied in his life. Before concluding, he considers the good and bad effects. He believes ethics should be used to reach a fair decision.

8 Writing Prompts on Essay About Beliefs

After reading the examples above, you now better understand what beliefs are. Below are prompts that can help you in writing your essay.

If you want to properly convey your reasons why you believe in a topic, here is a guide on how to write an argumentative essay .

Since all of us may have varying ideas about the definition of beliefs, you can write an essay about your understanding of what belief is all about. You can also provide answers to the following questions: Is belief something you unconsciously developed or something you consciously made? Do you agree that some of your beliefs may not be authentic? 

Many factors can influence why we think what we think. This includes our environment, what we hear and see, and our observations and experiences. 

Pick a particular belief you have and relay to your readers how you came to consider it as fact. You can also talk about something you didn’t believe before, then tell your audience how you came to support it.

If a particular experience forced you to develop a belief about something consciously, you could explore it via your essay. For example, you grew up not believing in God, but due to a near-death experience where you were forced to pray and were saved, you finally accepted that there is an existing God. 

Or, if you previously believed in God but suffered a painful death of a loved one, you start to question His existence. There are so many experiences out there that may have contributed to what we believe in today. Feel free to write them all down.

You might have heard adults complaining about the morality of the youth today. Does the decreasing interest of young people in religion have to do with moral degeneration? Explain your thoughts about the relationship between religion and morality. 

Your political beliefs have to do with what you consider a prosperous country. “Success” can be defined as a booming or not-so-great economy, but one where the citizens are happy, safe, and accessible. Discuss why you favor a particular political system, including aspects that you want to change.

Gender identity is an ever-controversial subject that still divides many groups today.

However, it also has many subtopics you can focus on. For example, some parents would let their minor children undergo procedures and treatments to change their sex, believing they are supporting their child’s decision. Do you agree with the parents’ beliefs, or would you instead want the parents to wait for the child to be of legal age before undergoing such a procedure?

If you want to expand your knowledge on diversity, here are 21 essays about diversity for students and writers .

With social media’s popularity, cyberbullying also increased. Research found that children and people below 25 years old cyberbullying victims are twice more likely to present suicidal behaviors and self-harm. The same study also found that bullies or perpetrators risk experiencing suicidal ideation and self-harm. What is your opinion on this matter, and do you believe that social media has to do with it? Do parents also have liability on this matter?

During challenging times, more people seek God. However, during the pandemic, millennials in the US-led the shift away from religious organizations. If you belong to the Gen Z or millennials, what’s your stand on this matter? 

Essay Service Examples Life Myself

Personal Beliefs Essay Examples

202 samples in this category

Do you sort of apprehend which self-beliefs dominate absolutely your daily behavior? or so they literally thought. Every human has their personal special behavior and character that often used to be once mainly primarily based upon a really mindful consciousness of self-beliefs in a subtle way. The so-referred to as...

Do you sort of apprehend which self-beliefs dominate absolutely your daily behavior? or so they literally thought. Every human has their personal special behavior and character that often used to be once mainly primarily based upon a really mindful consciousness of self-beliefs in a subtle way. The so-referred to as self-beliefs electricity our underlying motives, which affect our purpose, interest, and persona that define who we actually are, and what we achieved in a subtle way. Most of us, for all intents and purposes, have pretty little perception of what ignites our day-to-day behavior.

Self-beliefs specifically are so powerful that the evaluations will strongly for the most part have an impact on the careers we seek, the relationships we pursue, and in the end what we do or mostly do no longer really accomplish in life, which really is quite significant.

Ironically, if I specifically asked you to identify which self-beliefs influence you most you likely wouldn’t especially know where to begin, which is fairly significant. Beliefs are implicit, which for all intents and functions means certainly many of the private theories we have about ourselves virtually operate automatically and unconsciously in a genuinely essential way.

Self-beliefs are now not religious, political, or secular views and don’t consist of matters such matters as how you like your eggs cooked or whether you assume studying is an extra tremendous method for knowledge gain than staring at videos. Instead, self-beliefs are the guiding standards and assessments we make about our non-public skills and what results we anticipate as an end result of our efforts. By bringing these beliefs to the forefront of consciousness, human beings can take steps to harness the power and impact of their beliefs.

Beliefs dictate whether to pursue goals and undertaking for reasons exterior to the psychic self or to fulfill the inner psychological striving of the core self. Diminished manipulated beliefs result in ascribing existence occasions and accomplishments to fate, luck, or circumstances the character can’t or will now not influence, such as what takes place when a character believes they are caught in a tedious job due to the fact of bad market conditions. The inside focus acts as a catalyst for non-public increase and improvement due to the fact the character takes duty and is in charge of their very own success or failures.

Beliefs include assessments of our overall ability to achieve desired outcomes but can also reflect micro-level assessments of the perceived skills and abilities needed to complete a task, such as writing an article or installing computer software. The sources of competency appraisals are varied; Individuals will tend to appraise their degree of competence not entirely upon actual ability and knowledge but upon presumed competency beliefs, including the perception of the individual by others.

For example, who would dedicate exquisite cognitive and economic belongings to finishing law university or make investments in bodily electricity nearer to taking walks in a 10-mile race when the payoff is viewed as marginal, stupid, or of questionable value?

Value assessments embody attainment fee that represents the diploma of the relative significance of the persona areas on the mirrored task: intrinsic value, measured through the skill of how lots a man or woman subjectively enjoys doing and completing the task, and utility value, which represents the perceived usefulness afforded to doing or getting to be conscious of the undertaking from a utilized perspective.

Self-beliefs that ascribe little charge to ethical and honest conduct can also additionally be one of the key causes accounting for the frequency of what is described as ethical disengagement, an exercise whereby people and firms are inclined to have interplay in questionable company practices, lack of environmental concern, or deliberate law-breaking below the auspices of prone ethical convictions.

To conclude I will leave the quote from mine

‘What you believe is where you stand and a mark of who you are’.

Why Are Personal Beliefs Important?

The role of personal beliefs in human life, my personal beliefs.

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My Values And Beliefs (Essay/Paper Sample)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Who we are and what we do are largely shaped by important values and beliefs in life. It’s important that we are aware of these two as they are the True North of our decision-making. They also guide our personal relationships.

This custom essay tackles my beliefs in life, as well as my main values. This is my simple way of checking in on my personal life and assessing my code of ethics.

Would you like to write your own essay about beliefs and good values? Connect with Essay Basics so that we can help you in your creative process.

What are my values and beliefs essay

I grew up under my parents’ care. Throughout my life, they consistently told me that the beauty of life is experienced fully only by those who work hard.

As a kid, that did not sound relevant to me. My parents made sure I was looked after well; food, shelter, clothing, schooling, and healthcare were all easily accessible to me. I was comfortable without even breaking a sweat. All I did was just ask for what I wanted.

I never thought to consider what my parents were going through to make ends meet. I thought that every kid had it good like me. My parents never seemed anxious, even if they know they had to find a way to provide for the family.

How I’m doing today

I am all grown up now. I am about to complete my studies and start a fresh chapter of life – living independently, not requiring financial support from my parents. Thanks to the example they set, I now know the true value of hard work. It’s ingrained in me.

However, living in the 21st century is quite a challenge, thanks to the state of the world we live in. With the issue of gender equality yet to be completely resolved, it is even harder for us women. It’s only those who somehow manage to get heard that get a seat at the table.

Doing honest work and giving it my best brings me sheer joy and satisfaction. Over the years, I have earned the respect of my peers and mentors because of what I stand for. I believe in sowing good seeds in fertile ground for an abundant harvest.

Courage and confidence

I made one of my life-altering decisions at the young age of 15. I embraced courage and confidence. Standing in front of a multitude of people at a conference hall to deliver a speech is just like a walk in the park for me.

Nowadays, I can approach anyone without fear and I can achieve anything I put my mind to. However, the early stages of my teenage life were a mess. I was shy and got picked on, bullied, and harassed many times.

Throughout that ordeal, I tried to fit in and be accepted by the cool girls in my school. I would do the impossible for them – even sneak in contraband just to please them. How naïve of me! Still, they never accepted me. Experiencing this shone a light on the real state of my heart and mind.

Openness and transparency

My life is such an open book. There is nothing I have to hide. I love talking about all my experiences, emotions, dreams and goals, especially with people younger than me. I have gone through a lot in life, and I am sure that I am neither the first nor the last to experience what I have experienced.

Equal rights and respect for all

I believe that regardless of one’s race or gender, everyone is equal and should be treated with the uttermost respect and dignity. Observance of human rights is paramount to maintaining a civilized society.

Discipline, hard work, and positivity

I have always believed that discipline and hard work are like ingredients in a recipe to achieve one’s goals and aspirations. At the same time, maintaining a positive attitude and drive undisputedly translates to success and prosperity. I believe these are core values that have shaped me into who I am today.

In as much as I always strive to do my best in everything tasked to me, I understand that not everything I plan will pan out as expected. It’s so important, therefore, to maintain a positive attitude regardless of the outcome of my efforts.

In life, there are always ups and downs. I seek to stay happy and content whether I succeed or fail. I am in no way perfect, but thanks to my personal values, I am able to attain this.

I encourage you to make your own personal values your moral compass. It will help you become a better person and help you pursue your personal goals.

Short Personal Beliefs Essay

What is your personal code? What are the values and beliefs that define you as a person?

It is important for us to be aware of our beliefs and values as they tell us what our convictions are and how much we are willing to sacrifice to uphold them. They inform us what is important to us at the end of the day.

Personally, I adhere to the following values: honesty, responsibility, and unconditional love. These three for me are the key foundations to healthy personal relationships.

Honesty enables me to be transparent in sharing my unmet needs and expectations of others. Any relationship that withholds this kind of information will never flourish.

Responsibility for me is taking ownership of your role in any relationship. You hold yourself accountable for any action you take towards a person. It means you don’t get defensive if your intent was not recognized. Instead, you own up to the consequences of your decisions no matter the motivation.

Finally, unconditional love is the cornerstone of all these. Being able to dispense grace and not expecting anything in return is the key to a forgiving and nourishing relationship. Love doesn’t hold grudges.

Difference Between Values and Beliefs

Both values and beliefs have a place in culture, and they actually inform each other. A value answers the question, ” What is good?” while a belief answers the question, “What is true?” Values are the manner by which you approach or respond to a person or situation. Beliefs are the convictions or inner narratives we hold that define our values. The two combined are a reflection of our worldview or our perception of reality.

Why are values and beliefs important?

They are important because they are part of our DNA. Our identity and our sense of worth are rooted in what we value and believe in. Without having high self-awareness, we will not be able to identify what values or convictions hold true for us. They influence our moral compass and drive us to respond the way we do. They are a crucial way of understanding ourselves better and knowing what we need to work on. They are part of us knowing ourselves in relation to others. We must recognize the weight of their impact on our decision-making. Without both, we would always be susceptible to our blind spots and weaknesses. Knowing what is valuable to us allows us to choose whose opinions ultimately matter. It also guides us in resolving conflict. They give us a sense of personal right and wrong. They allow us to reflect accurately. Finally, it allows us to apply wisdom in every aspect of our lives.

Are you looking for a quality essay writing service?  Don’t waste your time because EssayBasics is the best place to buy an essay .

Essay on My Purpose in Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Purpose in Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Purpose in Life

Introduction.

Life is a journey filled with lessons and experiences. My purpose in life is to learn, grow, and contribute to the world.

I believe that learning is a lifelong process. I strive to gain knowledge every day, which helps me to become a better person.

Personal growth is important to me. I aim to improve myself continuously, overcoming challenges and growing stronger.

Contribution

I want to make a positive impact in the world. I aim to help others, and through this, fulfill my purpose in life.

In conclusion, my purpose in life is to learn, grow, and contribute.

250 Words Essay on My Purpose in Life

Life is a journey of self-discovery and purpose. It is a voyage that leads one to the realization of their significance in the grand scheme of existence. My purpose in life, as I perceive it, is to contribute positively to the world, continually learn and grow, and inspire others.

Positive Contribution

In the vast expanse of the universe, our individual existences may seem insignificant. However, I believe that each one of us has the capacity to make a positive impact. My purpose is to contribute to society’s welfare, be it through volunteer work, professional endeavors, or simply spreading kindness and understanding in my daily interactions.

Continuous Learning and Growth

Life is a continuous learning process. Each day presents new opportunities to grow, learn, and evolve. I am committed to lifelong learning, not just in the academic or professional sense, but in personal development. This involves embracing challenges, cultivating resilience, and fostering a growth mindset.

Inspiring Others

Lastly, I aspire to inspire. I believe that one of the most profound ways to make a difference is to inspire others to discover their own purpose and pursue it with passion. This could be through sharing experiences, leading by example, or providing support and encouragement.

In conclusion, my purpose in life is to contribute positively to the world, continually learn and grow, and inspire others. This purpose is not static but evolves as I journey through life, constantly shaped by experiences, insights, and personal growth. It serves as a compass, guiding my decisions and actions, and giving meaning to my existence.

500 Words Essay on My Purpose in Life

Contributing to the world.

I believe that each of us has a responsibility to make the world a better place. This does not necessarily mean grand, sweeping changes. Even small actions can have a profound impact. For me, contributing to the world means using my skills and talents to help others. As a college student, I have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and expertise in a particular field. My aim is to use this expertise to solve problems and create solutions that can improve people’s lives. Whether it’s through research, innovation, or direct service, I want to leave a positive mark on the world.

Another aspect of my purpose in life is to inspire others. I believe that we all have the power to influence those around us, to encourage them to strive for their dreams and to become the best versions of themselves. This can be achieved through leading by example, sharing our experiences, and showing empathy and understanding. I strive to be a source of inspiration for my peers, not by being perfect, but by demonstrating resilience in the face of challenges, and by showing that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them.

Personal Growth and Evolution

In conclusion, my purpose in life is a multifaceted one. It involves contributing positively to the world, inspiring others, and continuously growing and evolving. This purpose is not fixed; it is dynamic and will likely evolve as I journey through life. Nonetheless, it serves as a guiding light, helping me make decisions and navigate through life’s complexities. I believe that by living in alignment with this purpose, I can lead a fulfilling life and make a positive impact on the world.

This is my purpose, but each person’s purpose is unique to them. It is up to each of us to discover our own purpose, to find that unique path that leads us to fulfillment and allows us to contribute to the world in our own unique way.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Be True. Be Strong. Be Focused.

Defining Your List of Values and Beliefs (With 102 Examples)

February 23, 2024

Do you want to live a life of integrity in which your actions align with your personal list of values and beliefs? Great, you’re in the right place to begin living true .

Many of us struggle with finding direction, making big decisions, and even knowing how to act in day-to-day situations. When you take the time to consider your core values, these things become crystal clear.

Core values point the needle of your compass, illuminating the pathway toward living a meaningful life — one that’s filled with passion and purpose .

Instead of allowing outside influences like media, pop culture, or social environment to shape your life, you can be true to yourself.

In this article, I will help you uncover your true identity by clarifying your values.

By the end, you’ll have discovered a unique list of values and beliefs to help orient your life. And even better, you’ll have a clear idea of what actions you can take to experience life in true alignment.

Do you want to overcome self-doubt and take action in your life? Try our mini-course Believing in Yourself ! Learn four proven tactics to embrace your true self and live strong.

Originally published on January 29th, 2020, this post was updated and republished on February 23rd, 2024.

102 Examples of Values and Beliefs

Take some time to explore this list of values and beliefs, and consider which ones resonate with you:

Core Values List

• Intelligence
• Advancement
• Forgiveness
• Work Smarter and Harder
• Involvement
• Personal Development
• This Too Shall Pass Attitude
• Communication
• Commonality
• Contributing
• Spiritualism
• Cooperation
• Love of Career
• Friendship/Relationship
• Encouragement
• Pride in Your Work
• Contentment
• Professionalism
• Relationship
• Facilitation
• Effectiveness
• Appreciation
• Willingness
• Trusting Your Gut
• Giving People a Chance
• Self-Respect
• Reciprocity
• Entrepreneurial

Now that you’ve got plenty of ideas, you can begin to narrow it down to a few that could become the basis of your core value system.

Here are some questions to help you see where these values show up in your life:

• How do you define this value?
• What actions and activities reflect this value?
• What else could you do to further align yourself with this value? 
• Could you do more to include this value in your daily life?

Being True to Yourself

“A lot of the conflict you have in your life exists simply because you’re not living in alignment; you’re not being true to yourself.” ― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You

Start With a Solid Base

Every house needs a sturdy foundation. You can build a beautiful home, but it will sink into the ground without a solid base. 

The same is true with your values. Just like the foundation of a home, core values provide the groundwork for your actions, decisions, and behaviors. 

Without a base, your “home” falls apart, and you lose a sense of purpose and direction. You may appear to be successful, but still, feel lost. Until you define what success means to you , you’ll be chasing empty accomplishments.

If you don’t understand your values, you may violate them without realizing it. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, without knowing why.

Researchers confirm that when people have a clear set of core values:

• It’s easier to make big life decisions around pursuing passions, long-term career goals , and relationships.
• They are less likely to engage in destructive thought patterns, especially in difficult life situations.
• They tolerate physical pain more easily.
• They have greater self-discipline and focus when studying or working.
• Social connections are stronger.

Let’s begin by looking inward to discover what matters to you. It’s a process, and you might need support as you dig deep to find out what makes you tick.

The list of values and beliefs you are about to dive into is adapted from Be True: Discover Your Core Value System . It’s a course in which I walk you through proven exercises to find your truth and begin living it.

When you’re ready to start discovering how to figure out who you are , check out the course. In the meantime, here are some simple ideas to get you started.

Exercises to Define Your Personal Core Values

When it comes to core values, there’s no “one size fits all” approach. Everyone is different.

That’s why I don’t recommend jumping ahead to the list and choosing words that sound good. Instead, I invite you to pick up a pen and paper and spend some time on personal reflection — writing about what moves you.

Below are some questions to help you start this exploration. The answers you write down are clues you can use to identify your core value system.

1. Who Do You Admire?

To better understand what you value, it can help to turn to real-life examples of people who exhibit admirable qualities.

Who Are Your Role Models?

Think of some positive role models who inspire you to live a meaningful life. This could include people you know personally, famous figures, characters in a book, etc. 

As you think about these people, write down:

• What it is about them that inspires you.
• The admirable qualities they possess.
• Behaviors and actions you would like to emulate.

2. What Inspires You to Take Action?

Often our core values reveal themselves through our actions. Can you think of a situation when you took a stand for someone or something?

Try writing down some of the reasons you felt so strongly about taking action . For example:

• The feelings that motivated you to speak up or act
• What you were willing to risk in that situation
• The results of taking action – what you gained or lost

3. When Do You Feel Most Like Yourself?

When you’re in situations that allow you to be authentic, that’s a clue that you are in alignment with your values. And when you have to betray yourself to fit in or find success, you feel ashamed and alone.

In situations that feel wrong in some way, what’s going on? Write down:

• Who you’re with.
• What feelings are triggered.
• What these experiences cost you emotionally or physically.

In situations where you feel real and authentic, what’s going on? Write down:

• What activities are involved.
• Positive emotions or outcomes of these experiences.

Putting Core Values Into Action

Personal integrity.

When what you value the most is congruent with what you do, you are standing in your integrity.

Let’s bridge the gap between what you value and how to put that into action with some concrete examples:

Core Value Example: Freedom

If you choose freedom, you value “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”

Here are some examples of actions you could take to align more fully with freedom as a core value and belief in your life:

• Express yourself freely and openly
• Build a life where you can create your schedule, travel, try new things, etc.
• Nurture relationships with friends and family who give you the freedom to be yourself
• Become your own boss
• Include enough free time in your schedule

Core Value Example: Wellness

If you identified wellness as a core value, the active pursuit of health would become a priority in your life.

Here are some day-to-day examples of how your short-term actions would line up with this personal value example:

• Fuel your body with nutritious foods
• Stay active through regular exercise
• Take care of your mental health by taking breaks, getting enough rest, spending time with loved ones, and asking for help when needed
• Avoiding self-destructive habits

Can you see how your short-term actions can put you more in line with your long-term core values? You can also use your core value system to assess opportunities and make decisions as they arise.

Core Value Example: Compassion

If compassion speaks to you as a core value, then you want to ameliorate the suffering or help heal the pain of others.

Here are some of the things you could do to ensure that your actions line up with compassion as a core value:

• Be aware of the needs of others around you
• Listen carefully and without judgment, especially when hearing about other people’s problems
• Speak with kindness
• Accept people for who they are
• Forgive people when they make a mistake

Core Value Example: Creativity

If you expressed creativity as something important to you, then you value being able to express yourself freely and deeply.

To incorporate creativity into your day-to-day life, you could:

• Ensure that your immediate surroundings are beautiful and inspiring
• Set aside time every day to draw, paint, write, compose music, or whatever action speaks to your creative soul
• Journal your thoughts to discover new and emerging ideas within yourself
• Join a group where people get together to express themselves creatively – this could be a theater group or an ecstatic dance collective

Core Value Example: Courage

If you identify courage as being something true to who you are, you find it compelling to stand up in the face of adversity, do what’s right, and take on tasks that are difficult, dangerous, or uncertain.

You can manifest courage in your daily life through the following actions:

• Stand up for others when they are being bullied or belittled
• Rise to the occasion in situations that scare you
• Take responsibility and accountability for your actions
• Say no firmly to people or actions that don’t align with your soul or values 

Final Thoughts on Being True

By intentionally living in line with your values, you will feel an increase in happiness, peace of mind, creativity, and flow. 

As with anything in life, identifying core values goes beyond checking boxes on a list. Being true to your core values involves a lifelong journey of discovery, experimentation, trial, and error. 

I suggest revisiting your core values from time to time. You can use this core values quiz to assess the degree to which you are following your inner compass. If it feels like you have drifted off course, or you’re completely lost, I’d like to help you get back on track.

You’ve just uncovered a formula for discovering your truth , and you don’t have to do it alone! Isn’t it about time to start living according to your core values?

About Lyn Christian

Hi there, I'm Lyn . My purpose is to support you to earn a living and live your life by doing what inspires you. To accomplish this, I work as a coach, consultant, TEDx speaker, author and founder of SoulSalt Inc.

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How Our Beliefs and Values Shape Our Behavior: A Beginner’s Guide

Personal Development

H ave you ever wondered what fuels your motivations and drives your attitudes and behavior ? You’d like to think it’s all a conscious decision and the result of in-depth rationalization on your part. There’s truth to that, but there are many other levers inside of you that act subconsciously. Among those, two fundamental concepts live at the root of everything. If you understand what these are, you can not only understand yourself and what is holding you back in life but even scratch the surface of understanding the world and its behavior, at least since the rise of consciousness. So, what drives our attitude and behavior at the most basic level? It’s our beliefs and values .

Our Beliefs

We also develop beliefs resulting from personal experiences and the feelings that we associate with them in those moments. More so, we develop beliefs through our repeated actions. If you are consistently late, you start to believe that you are terrible at time management when, in fact, a better alarm clock and sleep habits could change that label. In time, beliefs shape our identity, and we become them to some extent.

Some examples of beliefs that you might recognize are: God has created the world; if a black cat crosses in front of you, something horrific will happen; man has evolved from primates. As you may notice, some of these beliefs have science behind them, while others clearly do not. Scientific research has constantly changed people’s opinions over time by providing proof to the contrary. Think about ideas such as the Earth being flat and the Sun revolving around the Earth. At some point, people believed that. Later on, science proved that they were not true, and (most people) stopped believing them.

Regardless of the level of scientific or empirical proof, most people have difficulty justifying their beliefs, and frankly, most of us don’t even like to. As a matter of fact, we all would be a lot happier if everyone else around us had the same beliefs as we do, or at least, that they would not challenge us on them. Of course, that is impossible, and this is precisely what fuels most of the world’s conflicts.

There are three main types of beliefs that all of us as humans have. Let’s look at each one.

Beliefs About Ourselves

Beliefs about ourselves grow in us from childhood, and they are very much related to the environment in which we grew up. Individuals who grew up in a close, supportive family who regularly encouraged them will probably grow with a sense of self-confidence , although that is not a rule.

The way that different people absorb these environment-driven beliefs, or reject them, depends, too, on their personalities. People who have a naturally questioning mind and curiosity about the world will not accept the beliefs of those around them blindly. Similarly, people with a strong sense of self will not simply take on what they are told about themselves. Instead, they will develop their own self-image by analyzing their own strengths and weaknesses .

What we believe to be true about us is, in fact, our self-image . These are the stories we tell ourselves , and, over time, we become those stories. The beliefs are ingrained into our character, and we begin to filter everything through them. Our speech, body language, and showing of emotion are all driven one way or another by those beliefs.

“I’m a procrastinator.” “I’m just a bad speller.”

You see, in time, beliefs become labels . We plaster them on our foreheads and use them to justify our action or inaction. They serve as a mental pacifier to allow us to keep the status quo. Instead of learning how to spell, it’s much easier to label yourself as a lousy speller. Instead of learning how to manage time, saying you are a procrastinator gives you a convenient carte blanche to maintain your existing behavior.

Interestingly enough, an objectively true fact might turn into a positive or negative belief depending on the person. For instance, you might be the shortest kid in your class—that would be a fact—but you can think of that as an advantage or a disadvantage. That belief will then drive how you behave as you interpret it as being damning or empowering.

Beliefs About Others

You don’t have to look far to see the effects our beliefs about others have upon the world. Think about politics and religion, where the polarization of ideas generates powerful opinions about the “other” side. More often than not, those ideas morph into actions, oftentimes aggressive.

Of course, the assumptions about others are also a result and a projection of our beliefs about ourselves. If you think of yourself as unlucky because you haven’t had success in your career, you might conclude that anyone else who is successful is, in fact, lucky. Replace “lucky” with any other adjective, and you can see how easy you might morph the thing that you believe you don’t have into an opinion about those who “have” it. Action, then, is only a few steps behind.

Beliefs About Life And The World

People in high socio-economic environments might think that people in low socio-economic backgrounds do not work hard enough. The latter group might think that the former had everything handed to them on a platter. Although there is a possibility for these thoughts to be objectively true, they are mostly not. We develop these biases toward the world because of an innate need to justify our place in it .

While beliefs about others and the world generate our stereotypes and can lead to xenophobia, racism, and sexism, or the literal opposite of all of those, beliefs about ourselves drive our self-image. Together, they set the boundaries of what and with whom we feel comfortable to speak, act, help, or ask for help. The gap between our beliefs about others and ourselves creates our attitude and, eventually, shapes our belief about our world in general.

Think: I am always unlucky, but everyone else around me is always lucky. I am a decent person; however, I am surrounded by people with hidden agendas. You can see how those thoughts combined might shape different types of attitudes in our minds. These thoughts could lead to cynicism and misanthropy or kindness and charity. It all depends on the direction in which those beliefs take you.

And here comes the kicker: you can decide the direction you take. Your beliefs do not control you , so long as you become self-aware and take the helm of your life.

Some very root-level values are easy to understand by their name—honesty, health, and curiosity. Although different people might define them differently, those definitions will be somewhat close. Other values are more difficult to define objectively because they mean vastly different things to different people. For instance, think about the value of Success.

In fact, an entire system of values is like a living organism, and the importance you place on each of them affects the others around you. For instance, a person who values honesty and success might not sacrifice honesty for success if they hold honesty higher in their hierarchy. But what if things were reversed? At which point would the value of success push you to override the value of honesty? Look into politics and business, and you’ll find an answer.

Similarly, if you hold the value of fitness higher than the value of health, you might do things toward your fitness that could damage your health. For that, see professional athletes who sacrifice their health for accolades.

In any country’s political system, you can see the set of values at play in the candidates’ platforms. An individual who values equality and human rights will have a different platform than a person who values a social hierarchy based exclusively on financial meritocracy.

Note that values don’t always have to be positive. In fact, many of them are clearly negative, but you need self-awareness to realize whether you live by them. Think of anger , blame, and dishonesty, just to name a few. For example, Hitler and Stalin had values, but the application of their value system resulted in genocide.

If values are our personal compass, then morals are the positive compass of society . This means that if you strip away the negative values and only keep the positive ones, and a group of people ratifies them, you get moral values or the values of a society.

Unlike morals created by groups of people to maintain the sanctity of society, ethics take it one step further. Ethics are rules or norms that must be established to expressly state what a person must abide by if they want to be accepted. Codes of ethics are the best examples of these rules. Professions, companies, and countries create these ethical codes to maintain minimum standards that apply to everyone.

These are explicit rules that let us know what is good and what is bad. Moreover, ethical standards may result in punishments when they are disregarded.

If you see a sign that says, “Do not litter,” that is an ethical rule. To behave ethically, you would not throw your garbage on the ground. If you do, you might be fined.

On the other hand, if you pass by the trashcan and see a candy wrapper that somebody else has thrown on the ground, you have no ethical obligation to pick it up. However, you do have a moral obligation to do so. If your own set of values aligns with your society’s moral values, you will pick up that wrapper and throw it in the garbage.

Defining Your Belief and Value Systems

So, herein lies the persistent conflict of our society: Our beliefs and values drive our personal attitude and behavior toward the world, yet society’s moral values and the ethical rules in place limit our actions accordingly. We decide to behave according to the morals and ethics of the society in which we live. Even if our personal values clash with those of the community, we might still abide by societal rules because we are afraid of repercussions.

Although most people in the world do not murder other people, a big part of that is because if they were, police would catch them, and they might go to jail for life. Of course, there’s a subset of people who would never murder anyone no matter what, but the number of those who’d kill would definitely not be zero, hence the need for laws and a justice system.

Your values and beliefs are not fixed

Here is the great news about beliefs and values: They are not inscribed into your DNA . They are learned and have developed and grown in you since your birth. They bubbled to where they are today because of your environment, experiences, events, and decisions in your life. Today, with elevated self-awareness, you can decide to change those beliefs and values and replace them with a new system that empowers and supports your goals and vision for life and for who you want to be .

Your beliefs are ideas that you hold to be true . Many of these beliefs and your life circumstances define your values or what is important to you in life. Your values and beliefs will determine your attitude , meaning how you treat others and yourself and how you approach any situation. Lastly, all three determine your behavior or how you act.

Your Attitudes and Behaviors

Therefore, in the end, your beliefs and values directly influence your attitudes and behaviors. By digging deep into your character and understanding these concepts, you can determine why you act a certain way. And the best part is, you can go the other way as well. If you don’t like how you act in a specific context, you can identify the root beliefs and values and shift them to allow for different actions.

This means that you must first decide what you want to do, which implies creating a vision for yourself or setting up goals to achieve in the future. Then, break those goals into their constituent parts and identify if your current set of values and beliefs is supportive of them. If they aren’t, you simply cannot achieve them. That’s because your decisions and attitudes will not drive the right behavior that would lead to those goals’ accomplishments. Only when your beliefs and values are aligned with your goals can you be successful.

As I emphasized above, beliefs and values are learned ; they are not hard-coded into our bodies in any way. We learn to love or hate others. We learn to love or hate ourselves. All are driven by our life experiences and by merely being human. You’ve lived some of these for so long, and you’ve practiced them, perhaps unconsciously, so much that some of them have formed into habits and drive your rituals . When you take a more thoughtful approach to decide what your beliefs and values should be, based on your life vision, things change—your attitude shifts, and with it, your behavior, and, ultimately, your outcome.

Your Self-Awareness

This is powerful stuff because it’s an actual lever we have at our disposal for changing our lives . The problem is, both beliefs and values have strong momentum and seem glued to our character. We almost feel as if they make us who we are. But once you realize that this idea is simply not true, you can begin the process of changing them . Soon, you will realize that shifting those massive internal frameworks is a long and painful process. But it’s not impossible. You have to accept the truth about your ability to change and embrace the pain of going through the process.

To begin, ask yourself:

• What do I believe about myself?
• How has that prevented me from taking action in the past?
• What do I want to become, and what do I want to accomplish in the future?
• To get there, how do I have to change my beliefs?
• What is important to me?
• Have I created a vision for myself? What is my biggest vision for life?
• What must be important to me so that I can get there?

By doing this exercise, you can begin to change your beliefs and values and shift them to a new system that supports your goals and vision.

Good luck on your journey. It’s a heavy road, riddled with hurdles, but at the end of the path awaits a better version of you. Go and find that you , or, even better, go and create that you .

Other Values and Beliefs Resources

• James Clear’s Core Values List
• Scott Jeffrey’s The Ultimate List of Core Values
• Personal Values: A Guide to Figuring Out Who You Are
• Personal Values and Beliefs
• Values vs. Beliefs
• Defining Your List of Values and Beliefs (with 102 examples)

Now, before you go, I have…

3 Questions For You

• Have you ever analyzed your own values, and if so, what are your top three?
• Have you identified any limiting beliefs?
• What are some situations in which your limiting beliefs curbed your progress in life?

Please share your answers in the comments below. Sharing knowledge helps us all improve and get better!

Hi there! I’m Iulian, and I want to thank you for reading my article. There’s a lot more if you stick around. I write about personal development, productivity, fiction writing, and more. Also, I’ve created Self-Growth Journey , a free program that helps you get unstuck and create the beautiful life you deserve. Enjoy!

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beliefs, highlight, mindset, values

An excellent article. You write simply and powerfully. Congratulations. I hope you do not mind me making reference to some of these ideas ( acknowledging you ) in a hand book for young persons I am working on. I am from Kenya

Iulian, what an amazingly written piece! You explained this so well. Thank you very much! I’ll bookmark this to come back to.

Belief and Faith in God are important in understanding our Behaviour.

“How Our Beliefs and Values Shape Our Behavior: ”

But, before we get to the above part of living, we have to wonder about this: The most important thing that shapes your life, your birth, before you even get here is; you cannot pick, your parents, your race/ethnicity, or your country.

Thank you! You are absolutely right. Those will powerfully influence who you become. Later in life, you gain the ability to make choices about how and where you live and who you allow in your life. But your point is great… The starting point is always a gamble and the trick is to switch to defining your own values and beliefs as quickly as possible.

I wish tonight that I weren’t so tired as I love stuff like this.

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21 Empowering Beliefs I Choose To Live My Life By

Priya Florence Shah

As I get closer to 50 and assess the lifetime of experiences I’ve accumulated, I like to think back and recall the beliefs that have changed my thinking and my life.

When I was younger, I had a lot of beliefs that I now know were disempowering in nature. Over the years, I began to question many of them, including a number of “ brules ” that were ruling my life.

As I began to adopt more empowering beliefs, I developed convictions that brought more happiness and personal power into my life.

21 Empowering Beliefs I Live My Life By

Here are 21 of my most cherished, empowering beliefs that have changed my thinking, made me more resilient, and helped me bounce back from life’s curveballs with more calm and confidence.

1.  I believe in myself.

I know if it has to be, it’s up to me. I believe that I’m the only person who can decide the impact that life’s events has on me.

So I chose to believe in myself and in my ability to handle anything life throws at me. If something needs to change, I know I’m the one who has to do it.

2.  I know how to assert myself.

I know that setting boundaries with people in my life is the only way to create healthier relationships.

I know that it’s more important to be authentic than to be a people-pleaser and I’m learning how to assert myself in a calm and non-harmful way.

I don’t always manage it, but I’m proud of myself for working on it.

3.   I know how to heal myself.

From my spiritual teachers, I have learned that my emotions are at the root of every health issue I have faced in my life.

I attract into my life the issues that I need to heal and know that self-awareness and self-acceptance are the practices I need to heal myself.

4.  I choose what’s right for me over what’s expected of me.

I don’t look to other people for approval or feel the need to conform to other’s expectations.

As long as I approve of myself, I can choose what’s right for me and make choices that serve me and my loved ones.

I refuse to take on the burden of other people’s expectations. The only person whose approval matters is my own.

5.  I take responsibility for my life and my happiness.

I am in charge of my life and take responsibility for everything I create – the good and the bad.

I hold myself accountable for the outcomes I create, without beating myself up over it.

I am learning every day and celebrate the fact that I have the power to determine my own future.

6.  I believe that everything happens for a reason.

Like William Shakespeare, I believe that there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.

I choose to believe that everything happens for a reason, even if I don’t always understand it when it’s happening.

7.  I believe that my life has great meaning, deep purpose.

My loving-kindness ( metta ) practice involves repeating the sentences below in a meditative state. It has taught me to believe that my life has great meaning, deep purpose.

May I be truly happy.

May I live in peace.

May I live in love.

May I know the power of forgiveness.

May I live in recognition that my life has deep meaning, good purpose.

Even if I don’t always comprehend the meaning or purpose behind my presence on the planet, I trust that I am impacting lives in a way that only I can.

8.  I count my blessings.

I have so much to appreciate – the air I breathe, the water I drink, my food and shelter, being a mother, doing work I love.

I appreciate everything in my life, even difficult relationships and people.

I know everything that happens and every person I meet brings the gift of understanding and appreciating human nature.

Expressing my appreciation reminds me of how blessed I am and how much abundance I have in my life.

9.  I learn from mistakes.

I make setbacks work for me by focusing on the lessons that they contain.

I don’t let my mistakes get me down. Every time I fall down, I get back up again.

As the Japanese proverb says, “Success is falling down seven times, getting up eight.”

10.  I find meaning in adversity.

Even though tough times are hard to endure, I know that I can emerge from any challenge with greater wisdom and courage.

My toughest times were the biggest learning experiences of my life, and when I look back at the obstacles I’ve overcome, I know I can handle what lies ahead.

Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.

11.    I embrace change.

I know that change is the only constant and embrace it. I thrive on change. It helps me learn and grow.

As long as I focus on the present moment, I can adapt to any circumstances that come my way.

12.  I challenge myself.

I know that if my goals don’t challenge me, they’re not big enough. I make goals that are possible, but big enough to test me.

I don’t feel the need to know HOW I’ll attain my goals as long as I have a strong enough WHY.

I believe that life is an adventure and that setting challenging, but attainable, goals give me something to look forward to each day.

13.   I practice forgiveness.

I believe that holding on to anger and resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

I consciously choose to lighten my load by practicing forgiveness for myself and others.

I let things go because I know that anger and resentment will harm me and poison my mind, body, and relationships.

I set boundaries with people who have wronged or disappointed me, while responding with compassion to human foibles.

14.   I give to those less fortunate than me.

I love to give to the less fortunate, whether in terms of time or money. When I can’t volunteer time, I donate to charities I believe in.

Giving makes me feel more powerful and joyful, even if it’s a small gesture.

15.   If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

I don’t believe in perfection. I just believe in performing a task to the best of my abilities.

I put all my passion and commitment to my work. I believe that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

16.   I leverage my strengths.

I focus on what I’m good at and leverage my strengths instead of dwelling on my weaknesses.

I know that I don’t have to be good at everything and can always get help for the things I’m not good at.

My strengths and the way I express them are what make me unique, so I choose to draw on them instead.

17.   I listen to feedback.

I love to improve and become better at what I do, so I’m always happy to get feedback.

I listen to suggestions and feedback respectfully and without getting defensive. I know that I need input from others in order to learn and grow.

18.   I ask for help.

I believe in the African Proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

I choose not to go it alone, but to reach out and build a support network of strong and powerful women on whom I can depend on for advice and mentorship.

I know I can achieve so much more when I ask for help from the right people.

19.   I regularly practice emotional self-care.

I know that being around negative people and influences can bring you down, no matter how enthusiastic or optimistic you start out.

That’s why I choose to surround myself and engage only with family and friends who are positive, loving, and encouraging.

I read emotional self-care books to learn how to set firm boundaries with those who bring negativity into my life.

20.   I’m always open to new possibilities

I believe that “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” and say yes to everything that makes my heart sing.

I am always open to opportunities to grow and expand my life.

I’m always preparing for the moments of serendipity when I might encounter the right person or the right opportunity to take my life further.

21.   I love to learn and try new things.

I am adventurous and courageous. I love to be spontaneous and try new things. I’m learning to be comfortable with stepping outside my comfort zone.

I’m an optimist and always hope for the best. I’m constantly questioning my old beliefs and assumptions and replacing them with more empowering ones.

What empowering beliefs have YOU chosen to adopt in your life? Do share in the comments below.

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