I’ve been there. Yup, I was dead set on beliefs that later I came to believe were invalid…several times. Over the course of my life, I’ve held many beliefs about many different things. From spiritual concepts to philosophical thoughts and theories, I’ve studied, explored, experienced and I have now come to yet a new belief, and here it is…in the past I held on to concepts that were needed in my life at that time, but as I lived more, learned more and grew more, certain concepts lost their validity causing them to become non-applicable to my life.

So when I began to realize this, I did what any soul-growing sista on a journey would do…I simply discarded the old beliefs as the old me passed away. And as I discarded, I embraced! I embraced the new beliefs as the new me emerged. It’s not being fickle or flighty; it’s simply being open to your own personal growth and development. Do I have a solid foundation of principles and values that remain? Of course I do, but I choose to no longer limit my experience on this earth by holding on to concepts and beliefs that cease to be conducive to personal growth.

If we are ever evolving beings that are continually learning and growing, then what may suit you this year, may not suit you five years from now. I’ve learned this from experience. Don’t get me wrong, I think that it’s good that a person has beliefs, a set of values upon which to make decisions. I think it’s even better when that person consciously chooses a belief by way of exploration and experience, rather than by unconscious default like family tradition. I also think that it’s good to be loyal and devoted to whatever you believe in. But I do not think that it is good to hold on to it so much so that you completely close yourself off from learning new things. As you live, learn and grow, certain beliefs that you held on to yesterday may not serve a purpose in your life today.

The more you seek to learn and grow as a person, the more your views may change…because as you grow, it’s impossible to see things the same way. In conclusion, I have no conclusion, everything just is. Life and its contents are ever evolving, ever changing. As vast and as complex as the universe is, we’ve got to know that there is so much yet to be discovered regarding the deep things of life. Explore and experience. And as you do, you’ll find that’s there’s always more! –love, sj