What you believe is what you get.

There are things about belief that are reassuring to us. The things we believe can be a comfort to us in a life that is sometimes quite painful and dreary.

The problem with beliefs that comfort us is that we must approach everything with skepticism. We must be willing to change what we believe in order to keep from being enthralled by them.

Too often, a belief can become an obstacle or barrier to us, when it should more reasonably be something that aids in our way through life.

Being hindered by our beliefs is an all too human condition. We fall for some pretty weird ideas, generally, and have the amazing power of being able to believe something with no evidence in support of it, except word of mouth.

And this condition of ours is not black and white. It isn't just those who are gullible or easily fooled who fall for this human trick. I know many rational and enlightened folks who adhere to certain beliefs, not because they cannot see them for what they are, but because the choose not to.

Sometimes our beliefs not only comfort us, but they reinforce other beliefs we have, helping us to stay in a comfortable place, mentally.

However, comfort is not something that we're guaranteed, in this life.

As we go forward, daily, it helps to keep a close watch on our beliefs. Are they helping us, or are they hurting us? Are we free to ask tough questions of ourselves about our beliefs? Are our beliefs reinforcing other convenient beliefs?

You see, if I believe that the government is putting chemicals on jets that are being sprayed over the nation to keep us complacent, that's one thing. But if that belief is reinforced by another that lets me believe we are living in a police state, or that the government is coming to get our guns, or that aliens are really in control, etc. I get caught up in a rather nice net of my own making.

The real trouble then begins. It is when we are faced with evidence contrary to our strongly held beliefs that we have the choice, either to accept what we see at face value and change our position, or continue in self delusion.

Sadly, we aren't likely to seek out things that challenge our beliefs at all. We search out those things that reinforce what we hold most dear.

And so it is that each day, we must be willing to let free our grip on those beliefs, so that we can pare away those that prevent us from experiencing life at its fullest. We must be willing to change our minds, in the face if compelling evidence, rather than refusing to and becoming ensnarled in the web of delusion.