MINDFULNESS

PRACTITIONER
COURSE

LEVEL I, II, III &

MASTER

COMMON MINDLESS
ASSUMPTIONS
 COMMON MINDLESS ASSUMPTIONS

'If you can get the inside right, the outside will fall into place' - Eckhart Tolle.

The very first step in becoming more aware of the mindless assumptions that guide and
influence the decisions we make in life is to start paying attention to ourselves, observing
our thought patterns and our habitual responses. Once we've mastered this, we can start
responding differently (from how we would habitually react), not as slaves to our thoughts,
emotions and habits, but as masters of ourselves.

When a thought comes to mind, we are then able to identify it as just a thought and let it
go, without being restrained and defined by it. We all have a series of irrational thoughts
that we've gathered on our journey throughout life; such thoughts are highly personal and
can be about ourselves, other people or anything else. What's common to all of them is
that they're irrational, and they guide and influence our actions and our habits.

For example, it may be a thought about how worthless we think we are or a thought that
suggests we should be afraid. It could be a thought about how heartless we believe
everyone is or a simple belief that we have to get everything 'right,' to avoid pain.

These thoughts can really influence our actions in life - for example, if we think we should
be afraid, we may try to avoid certain situations. Or say, we believe that whatever happens
to us in life depends on how well we perform - every time something happens that hurts
us, we end up blaming ourselves and putting ourselves down.

If we begin paying attention to what we're actually thinking, we start seeing how these
thoughts influence not just our feelings, but our actions too.

Irrational thoughts are real only in our minds, and there is nothing in reality to support their
validity. Once we begin recognising them, we start to see that we don't need to hold on so
tightly to something that isn't even true.

Take a few moments to read through this list of common mindless assumptions and use
the following questions as a self-reflection exercise:

- Do you recognise any of these mindless assumptions in your own thinking?

- What evidence exists to support their validity?

- If you were to let go of these mindless assumptions that have influenced your life up until
now, what would that now mean about you?
 COMMON MINDLESS ASSUMPTIONS

'I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of
changing is oneself' - Aldous Huxley

1) 'I must be loved or approved of by almost every significant person I know.'

2) 'I must be competent, adequate, and achieving in all areas for others to consider me a
worthwhile person.'

3) 'Some people are just evil, and they should be blamed and severely  punished for their
wickedness.'

4) 'It's awful and disastrous when life is not easy, enjoyable and going the way I want it to.'

5) 'I don't determine my happiness and have little or no ability to control how I'm feeling.'

6) 'If something is dangerous or potentially dangerous, I must worry about it and keep
focusing on the possibility of the worst scenario happening.'

7) 'It's easier to avoid than to face certain challenges and responsibilities in life.'

8) 'I need someone stronger than me to rely and depend on.'

9) 'The things that have happened to me in the past have made me who I am today, and I
can't change beyond this'.

10) 'I should be upset over other people’s problems and frustrations.'
 COMMON MINDLESS ASSUMPTIONS

'The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones
who do' - Steve Jobs

11) 'I must get everything right'

12) 'My worth is determined by how well I perform and this is also true for other people.'

13) 'Other people must treat me with kindness and respect.'

14) 'It's not OK to get angry, and I must suppress this feeling.'

15) 'My happiness is the main priority in life.'

NOTES: