Life Lesson: The Ugly Truth

My mom is sneaky. Wait, creative is more accurate.

When I was quite young we lived in central Iowa. Our holiday celebrations generally included getting together with extended family, most of whom lived about 100 miles north. At Christmastime I enjoyed decorating the tree, eating Christmas cookies, wrapping (and especially unwrapping) gifts. I remember leaving cookies and milk out for Santa on Christmas Eve. The next morning I’d get up early and open presents with my immediate family. Afterwards, we had something to eat before we got in the car and headed for my grandparents’ house. Once we arrived, we’d get ready for the Christmas Eve church service, come back for dinner and gift opening with aunts, uncles and grandparents. The next day we’d spend Christmas Day with the other side of the family. We did this every year and I found it a great way to honor the season.

It wasn’t until quite a few decades later that I realized the ugly truth. My mom had lied about the calendar. As it turns out, the night I left out the cookies and milk, the night Santa delivered to our house, that was not Christmas Eve. When I awoke the next morning to gift opening with my family, that was not Christmas Day. It was actually Christmas Eve. That’s why we could then travel north and enjoy Christmas Eve and Day (again!) with extended family. My mom provided me with a belief that helped me enjoy the holiday. Though this belief disagreed with the facts, it was this belief that made my experience of the holiday the best it could be. Seems a decent payoff.

Funny thing, beliefs. We tend to see them as something hard and fast, immutable, the truth. Beliefs are what we base our lives upon. But beliefs are really nothing more than thoughts we keep thinking. The real power of beliefs is clearly not in their veracity but in their power to frame and influence our lives.

I can hear some of you saying, “Wait! I don’t want to base my life on falsehoods. I need to know what’s true. I need to know the facts.” The tricky bit is in figuring out what the facts are. Someone once said that lies are lies even if everyone believes them and truth is truth even if no one believes it.

The Ugly Truth

We all believe things every day that aren’t true. When it comes to facts I sometimes wonder if there really is such a thing. What was once taken as fact (the earth is flat, the sun revolves around the earth, lobotomy is an effective cure for mental illness) is so often shown to be untrue. It makes me wonder which facts of today will be proven false tomorrow.

The point I’m trying to make is that your beliefs determine how you live your life and that you’re free to believe anything you want. Beliefs will either limit what you think is possible or inspire you to greatness. What you believe determines what you pursue and how you experience that pursuit. Why not choose beliefs that support and energize you?

My favorite quote attributed to Henry Ford speaks to the significance of beliefs.
“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”

The belief I had about which day(s) were Christmas made it possible for me to enjoy the magic of the season longer. This belief didn’t harm me, it supported me. The question is, “What do you believe?” Your heart knows the greatness of which you’re capable. The still, small voice emanating from your spirit believes in you and points the way to thoughts that support you. (The busy, loud voice in your head? Not so much.)

Don’t let apparent facts get in your way. They don’t really matter. What matters is whether your beliefs limit or encourage you. What would be the most inspiring belief you could have right now? How would that belief change the way you live? Will you own that belief?

People do the impossible every day. Why not you?

In the comments below, tell me the belief that would most inspire you. Then forward this post to the friend you know is needing inspiration to be all he/she can be.

© 2018 Paul Boehnke