We all hold a number of beliefs that underpin how we live our lives. Some of these beliefs can become fixed even though they’re not true or a fact, and are not supported by evidence. We can hold the conviction in the truth or actuality of some idea even though it’s not a fact.

Beliefs can come from our experiences in life or from someone talking with authority. They give us comfort, purpose and a connection with others e.g. religions. We can also take a belief and treat is as a fact.

They can also get in the way of problem solving as they both prevent us from seeing the facts and encourage us to jump to conclusions without fully considering all options.

To find new solutions to our problems we need to increased our ‘psychological flexibility’. This means we can recognise those beliefs we hold that might not be facts or evidence based so we can withhold judgement.

A useful way to solve problems is to think about values based action – what principle do we hold that might be relevant.

In Rethinkly you’re invited to notice the beliefs you bring to a situation and assess whether it might be supporting or getting in the way of finding a solution.