The Stories We Outgrow: How Changing Beliefs Shape Who We Become

Question and Thought for the Day March 16, 2025

Thought of the Day: It isn’t possible to change your behavior and still be the same person you were before. Epictetus

Question of the Day: What is the craziest thing you believed as a child?

As kids, we believe in some wild things. Maybe you thought swallowing a watermelon seed would make a vine grow in your stomach. Maybe you believed the floor was lava, and leaping from couch to couch was the only way to survive. Or maybe, like me, you thought quicksand would be a much bigger problem in adulthood.

But then you grew up. You learned. You changed.

You Can’t Change Your Behavior and Stay the Same

Epictetus once said, “It isn’t possible to change your behavior and still be the same person you were before.” It’s a simple truth we don’t always acknowledge—change, real change, reshapes us. It’s not just about learning new habits; it’s about becoming someone new.

Think about something fundamental you once believed that you don’t anymore. Maybe it was a childhood superstition. Maybe it was an idea about what makes a person successful, or happy, or worthy. When you stopped believing it, you didn’t just discard an old thought—you became a different version of yourself.

What We Believe Shapes Who We Become

We hold onto ideas because they feel safe. But growth means questioning those ideas, recognizing when they no longer serve us, and replacing them with something better.

Ask yourself:
– What beliefs do you hold now that might not serve you in the future?
– What ideas are keeping you stuck?
– Who would you become if you let them go?

The craziest things we believed as kids make us laugh. The craziest things we believe as adults hold us back. Maybe it’s time to start questioning them.

Now, I want to hear from you—what’s the wildest thing you believed as a child? Drop it in the comments, and let’s reminisce about all the strange stories we’ve outgrown.