How to Embrace Different Beliefs and Expand Your Mind

Welcome to Authentic Living Coaching
I’m Linda Codlin, Transformational Life Coach.

Welcome, My Friends.

What do you do to re-centre yourself when life feels topsy turvy?
Being human can feel so HARD.
We have so many things demanding our attention, vying for our energy, and pulling in seemingly opposite directions.

Today I want to remind us, both you and myself, that we have choices, we can notice where we are being pulled off course. (The course we have set for ourselves.)
I was talking to someone this morning, and they were telling me about all the doom and gloom in the world, what we apparently have to “look” forward to.

I came away from this conversation feeling angry and depressed.
Then I reminded myself.
I get to decide what I want to believe, and I want to believe the universe is on my team, guiding and leading me, encouraging me to dig deep into my authentic soul, and follow the guidance I find there.

Something I’ve been learning, is to stop arguing with people about their beliefs.
A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still. Is a quote from Dale Carnegie’s book, ‘How to win friends and influence people.’
This quote reminds me not to argue with someone about their beliefs or views, it reminds me to ask questions to understand where their belief comes from.
It helps me to remember it is not my job to shift anyone’s point of view about anything.
People will think what they want to think. They will do what they will do. And they only change their mind when the pain of staying where they are is greater than the pain of change.

I’ve been learning how to research other people’s points of view with the intention of learning and understanding.
How would I ever know if my beliefs and thoughts are ‘off’ if I don’t allow myself to investigate new and uncomfortable thoughts and views?
Also if I want to have a mature discussion about a subject, having a basic understanding of the principles of the topic make sense right?

Are you willing to expose yourself to uncomfortable beliefs, to find the common ground between the left thinkers and the right thinkers?
I am finding that by deliberately exposing myself to other ‘extreme’ points of view, I am actually pushing up against some of the unwritten and unspoken beliefs of my childhood.
Some of these beliefs are ‘extreme’ to others, and some are actually dangerous, to myself and who I am and who I want to show up in the world being.
I am appreciating these ‘extremes’, You can’t change what you don’t know about, you can’t solve a problem you’re not willing to have.

So, who do you argue with the most?
Why is it so important to you that they think like you do?
Do you need to be right?
I found when I needed to be right I was making my belief about my intrinsic worth. If I wasn’t right, then I was wrong, and wrong meant bad. And I certainly didn’t want to be bad.
Letting go of my need to be right, and realizing that being me, had nothing to do with right and wrong opinions, it was more to do with accepting me, with all my faults and flaws, with all my strengths and virtues.
Not one of us as human’s are all ‘good’ or all ‘bad’ in a moral sense, or in a societal sense.
What happens is we learn to hide, to put masks on, to sit behind a veneer, which allows us to judge others, because we distance ourselves from THEM.
What if you were them?
What if they had the very key you were looking for to solve your problem, but because you couldn’t hear what they we saying you missed it.
What if you went into the conversation with the attitude of ‘What can I learn here?’ ‘What are they really saying behind their words or actions?’
What if we were actually on the same page?
(Notice your mental chatter, have you made this person the ‘evil’ one because of their differing views or lifestyle.)
People are people, and as such deserve respect, even if their beliefs are in contrast to our own, or our beliefs are in contrast to theirs.

This the greatest opportunity for growth and understanding. We get to see what we each share in common.
We all need to feel safe, we all want to have freedom, we all want justice, and we all want to feel secure and that we belong.
These are human traits that bind us together.

Being a human can feel so HARD. However, we don’t have to do it alone.
We all want to feel connected, loved, and accepted.
Begin with your authentic self, what do you think about yourself, honestly without anyone else around.
Begin to realize that this is part of being human, we all have feelings, and we all have emotions.
Your feelings and emotions about yourself don’t get to define you. You do. You get to make a choice and follow through, then make another decision and follow through.
So Simple, and yet so difficult.

Until next time: Stretch yourself when you are feeling defensive in a conversation.
Ask what are they really trying to share? What can I learn from this conversation?

xoxox Linda.

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“Being Human Is Hard—But You Don’t Have to Do It Alone.”

We all crave connection, love, and acceptance—but so often we start by looking outside ourselves. At Authentic Living Coaching, we begin within.
Ask yourself: What do I truly believe about myself when no one else is watching?
That raw honesty is the first step toward change.

Emotions and thoughts don’t define you—you define you.
You have the power to make a choice, follow through, and if needed, choose again. It’s simple… but not always easy. That’s where support comes in.

In our sessions, you’ll:

• Explore the beliefs that shape your world
• Stretch your emotional resilience
• Learn to respond with clarity, not defensiveness
• Practice stepping into your authentic self—every day

You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to be willing to grow.

Until next time, here’s your invitation:
When tension arises in a conversation, take a breath and ask:
“What are they really trying to share? What can I learn from this?”

That’s the beginning of expanding not just your beliefs—but your life.

As a certified Life Coach, I help you to help yourself, so you can create a well lived life your way. 

If what I am sharing resonates with you, follow me, reach out, share with a friend, like or leave a message below,

When you are ready to make a transformational difference in your life, contact me for a one on one coaching session.