[Beingist]

Originally Posted by Angela

[PDSP means]Personal Development for Smart People forums!

Oh, right. Duh.

Well, a very basic one would be my beliefs that protect me and keep me alive and well -- for instance, if I were to fall off a very tall building, I believe it's likely that I'd croak. It's not absolutely and unquestionably true that I would croak if I fell off a very tall building, but it's a belief that has me taking certain steps to prevent myself from falling, when I'm very high up.

Other operating beliefs are things like the presuppositions I use -- like the one you mentioned earlier, that everyone's doing the best they can with the resources they have available. That's not absolutely and unquestionably true, but it's a belief that, when I use it, it supports me in having access to things I like to have access to, like forgiveness and flexibility in conversation. Like that.

And of course, there are VERY basic beliefs, like the belief that there is food in my refrigerator and I will be able to walk over and prepare some of it for dinner, easily and effortlessly. That I have a bed to sleep in tonight. That the sun will come up tomorrow morning.

And pretty much everything I ever say in the forums is an operating belief -- something I've noticed works well and I'd like to share it with others, if they'd like to access it.

The purpose of these operating beliefs is to support what's important to me.

Okay, cool. I'll no doubt be chewing on this in days to come.

Otherwise, FYI, the "everyone's doing the best they can..." thing is something that I fall back on regularly. Since it was something of yours I really resonated with some time ago, I have you to thank for that.