Have you ever changed your mind about a deep-seated belief you had for great part of your life? How did that change happen? Was it a slow gradual process? or was it all of a sudden?
We tend to be dogmatic about many deep-seated beliefs that have been transferred to us by society, by our friends, our families, the media, etc.
When I was a little kid, I was taught to be homophobic.
I am from South America, where there is a macho culture where to have sex with many women was encouraged and where to be gay was a disgrace to the person and their family.
Society and the Catholic church insisted that gay people were perverted sinful people who were out to convert everyone into homosexuality.
I was taught to be homophobic.
I remember with great shame, one time when I was about 14 years old, I fought with another kid because he was considered to be gay.
Yes, I acted as a bully and to this day that memory haunts me. I wish I could see that kid again to say how sorry I am.
The change came about when my mother became good friends with her hairdresser, a gay man called Ricardo.
Ricardo would come over my mother’s house and do her hair. He was so nice to me and my brother that he began to shatter my belief that gay people were evil.
Later on, when I started one of my first businesses, one of my best clients was gay. This was the beginning of a long term business relationship that allowed me to break away from my homophobia.
My change of belief was gradual, but today I am a defender of gay rights.
How about you? Did you ever have any deep-seated belief that you have discarded for a new set of believes? Please share it in the comment.
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