Let's Talk About...Strong Beliefs Loosely Held

Ok. Do you remember when you believed that consuming anything with fat was bad for you? How about when eggs were "the perfect food?" And we all had a friend who wouldn't give up their Blackberry because it was superior to anything else on the market. And don't get me started on Betamax.

Well, we all know what happened to those beliefs. Fat became a necessary part of nutrition. It turns out eggs have a lot of cholesterol (well, the yolk anyway). And those Blackberry users now have iPhones. I don't even need to talk about the fate of Betamax.

We all have strong beliefs or convictions at times. But sometimes they need to be loosely held.

You might think that makes a person wishy washy. I prefer the term "flexible." Things change over time, tastes change, and scientific discoveries rock many beliefs. Yet, holding on to old convictions because one feels strongly sometimes just doesn't make sense.

Do you believe the world is flat? Until Aristotle and many others came along, this was a firmly held belief. Everyone knew that if you sailed across the ocean, you would eventually fall off.

Similarly, people also strongly believed the sun circled the earth. Well, that belief collapsed in the face of Galileo and science. And, later, photography.

Don't tell me Pluto isn't a planet.

So how firmly should you hold your beliefs?

Many take great pride in their firm religious beliefs, medical beliefs, and political beliefs. Yet, sometimes in the face of experience and circumstances, those beliefs shift. And sometimes they do a complete about face. For example, you may have been a fervent believer in Scientology but later weren't so sure about Xenu. So, your Scientology beliefs began to crumble.

Didn't everyone try to adhere to the food pyramid for a long time? Remember, where you were told to eat more breads and grains and minimal fats? That changed to believing fats were essential to health and breads and grains sure had a lot of carbs. Meat was just meat in the pyramid. So, hamburger and tilapia were treated the same. Until they weren't.

You were sure Jane Fonda's workout where you "made it burn" was going to make you look like Jane Fonda. Until it didn't and you went back to yoga.

Sometimes in the face of new information, convictions loosen up.

However, nothing brings out stubborn convictions strongly held like politics. Once people set their mind on a policy or candidate, that decision seems set in stone. But is it? When a differing view may affect you personally, there always seems to be wiggle room. Or room to make a big flip flop if perhaps becoming Vice President is a possibility. Or running for President. Suddenly, a person's firm beliefs can suddenly become quite loosely held.

For me, my firm belief not to eat processed meat because it's terrible for your health moved to "loosely held" on Christmas morning when the smell of bacon was wafting through the house.

Do you feel strongly about how often you wash your hair? Every day? Every week? How often should you wash your jeans? I say after you wear them. My husband says after a week. Why does he believe that? Because Anderson Cooper said so. He should know, I guess. Do we all know right from wrong?

Have your beliefs changed over the years?

I bet they have.

Sometimes black and white are just many shades of grey.

So firm beliefs should be loosely held. With new information and after testing your convictions, pivoting can be a real strength.