Where do our core beliefs come from?
Some of us may be prone to develop negative core beliefs based simply on the genes we inherited a significant
part of the tendency to experience negative emotions.
What personality researchers call neuroticism depends on our genes.
And research has shown that core beliefs are tied to our levels of neuroticism.
It's unlikely that genetic differences account for the specific core beliefs we hold.
These particular beliefs depend on our life experiences.
Sophi constantly battles feelings of being not good enough in some way.
She's had this feeling for as long as she can remember and recalls a similar feeling from as early as
get through Gartin.
She had struggled with ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a child and although she was
very bright, had been late learning to treat her parents, had her in kindergarten when she moved school
districts to give her a chance to catch up with her peers.
Sophie's little sister, Claire, in contrast, was reading before age five, and her parents frequently
praised Claire for her calm behavior and success in school as an adult.
Now, looking back, Sophie suspects her feelings of inadequacy are based in part on the disappointment
she sensed from her parents and her belief that they loved Claire more than they loved her.
A single event of parental disapproval or mild teasing is unlikely to leave a lasting mark.
However, a general pattern of treatment will probably shape the way individuals view of the world and
themselves.
If the event is sufficiently traumatic, even a single episode can shape our beliefs.
For example, one assault can shift our views.
How Save the World is just as a single betrayal can alter our ability to trust others.
We can also develop core beliefs based on things we observed as we were growing up.
For example, if we witnessed our father being constantly stressed out about finances, we may have
developed a core belief about economic scarcity or our if our mother was continually were warning us
to be careful, we could develop our core belief about the world as a place of constant threat.
Some of the beliefs we developed earlier in life may have made sense at the time, but are less useful
now.
For example, a boy who grew up with an abusive parent might have learned that standing up for himself
only led to more abuse.
As a result, he developed the core belief that I am helpless, which reflected the powerlessness of
his situation.
Decades later, this belief may persist, even though he's no longer helpless.
Child takes some time to think about your own history.
Are there any events that stand out as possible contributors to your core beliefs?
What were the predominant family dynamics as you were growing up?
What were you told earlier in life?
And how might these experiences have affected your views of the world?
Other people and yourself take some time to write, to write your thoughts in your journal.