"The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this because we're afraid." --Richard Bach
Humans have a natural tendency to create delusions in which we submerse ourselves out of pure necessity. Some delusions, like the belief that everyone is inherently good and should be given the benefit of the doubt, are harmless. Hence, the "innocent until proven guilty" concept within our criminal justice system.
Another example, children believe their parents are infallible. This delusion is generally dispelled during a certain stage in the child's development and the parents are exposed as normal people who make mistakes, like everyone else.
Delusions become troublesome when our inability to recognize the truth prevents us from experiencing positive change. A young wife, may believe her husband is completely committed to the marriage and resistant to any possibility of infidelity. This is a necessary and beneficial delusion for most marriages, otherwise we would all be paranoid and obsessively jealous partners. If a time comes when evidence to the contrary surfaces, then continuing to prescribe to the delusion becomes hazardous.
We often create these beliefs as a method of defense against potential pain or suffering. It's far more pleasant to believe that world peace is an idea worth pursuing, than to spend your life convinced it's unattainable, so why bother.
We are constantly prompted with messages telling us that anything is possible if we only believe, despite the fact that there are indeed some tasks which are actually impossible. Just try and make two objects occupy the same space, on an atomic level of course. I dare you. It's not Physic-ally possible.
So which delusions should we rebel against? Those which paralyze us, stunt our emotional or psychological growth, or imprison us.
Change is inevitable, an undeniable fact. To belief differently is paralyzing. If we believe our current status, (i.e. I'm popular. I'm invisible. I'm rich. I'm poor. etc...) is a permanent state of being, we become complacent or discouraged, depending on the perception of the status as being positive or negative, to take action to affect change.
Immortality is not a human characteristic. All things end, the good and the bad. Does this mean we shouldn't enjoy the good while it lasts? Absolutely not! Cherish the happy moments, Treasure the blessings in life. Make note of the wonderful memories. If we keep a realistic and honest outlook, accepting that at any moment something wonderful could come to a sudden halt, we are more likely to thoroughly enjoy and remember the pleasant moments. Growth comes with experiencing something new and adapting, adjusting, or making modifications in order to move forward.
No one has actual control over anyone else. The belief that others control our lives in some way, is a common unhealthy belief. There are those who have a significant amount of influence or "power" over others, but control, in and of itself, is an illusion. Choices may be limited sometimes and there are those who live in extreme circumstances which feel as if others are very much in control. Even then, we all have choices about what we think, what we believe, and how we react. Choices come with consequences, and we often choose to believe that the potential consequence for a given action is an unacceptable risk. It is in these moments we become imprisoned by our delusions and become convinced we are powerless to change our lives.
What delusions exist in your life that are holding you back?
You are not powerless.
You have the choice to hope when others may try to convince you that something you want or need is an improbable or impossible outcome.
You have the choice to be courageous in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles when others might be crippled with fear.
You have the choice to believe in yourself and your ability to affect positive change in the lives of others and your own when the negative forces around you appear to be unstoppable.
Are these delusions? Well, a delusion is a strong belief one holds, which is contradictory to fact or overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Short answer, yes, these are technically delusions. However, they are helpful, positive, and in my opinion, necessary delusions.
