16 Comments
User's avatar
J. Thomas Dunn's avatar

Great post! Thank you.

J.

Expand full comment
Stacie Whitney's avatar

Such a powerful message, and made more digestible/actionable by you asking us to only do one small (yet powerful) thing and identify one belief.

This I can do! Thanks 👍🏽

Expand full comment
Kathleen Thorne RN, LMT's avatar

it all starts with our perspective and our mindset. As a registered nurse, I worked neurology and also psychology and mental health for a while and we can definitely rewire the pathways. What we actually do is create new pathways positive ones and it may take some time but it's totally worth it but as we start each day now in the present, it is our choice to how we see things I've always looked at things from multiple angles and it's helped me a lot throughout my life through the trials and tribulations through abuse and addiction and a lot has been overcome. It is a process. It is a transformationand anyone can start at any time.

Expand full comment
Andy Fenske's avatar

Kathleen, thank you for sharing your perspective—it’s powerful. You’re absolutely right, rewiring those pathways is a process, but it’s one that can lead to incredible transformation.

Expand full comment
Kathleen Thorne RN, LMT's avatar

Every time. I know research says that the negative pathways are much stronger than the positive pathways, but I choose to believe different. Who cares what "they" say 😉

Expand full comment
Claudia Faith's avatar

yes to creating the life we want 🧡

Expand full comment
Karen Langston's avatar

What resonates most is the reminder that we are not stuck with the script we inherited. The past may have written the opening chapters, but we hold the pen now. The garage metaphor is spot-on—not erasing the past, but consciously choosing which beliefs and patterns serve us and which are just taking up space.

And the idea that our brain cherry-picks evidence to reinforce what we already believe? That’s both fascinating and slightly terrifying—but also liberating.

Expand full comment
Andy Fenske's avatar

That’s the power of awareness—realizing we’re not prisoners of the past, but curators of our present. And once you know it, you can flip the script and start collecting evidence for the life you actually want to live. What’s one belief you’re ready to clear out of your “garage”, Karen?

Expand full comment
Karen Langston's avatar

What resonates most is the reminder that we are not stuck with the script we inherited. The past may have written the opening chapters, but we hold the pen now. The garage metaphor is spot-on—not erasing the past, but consciously choosing which beliefs and patterns serve us and which are just taking up space.

And the idea that our brain cherry-picks evidence to reinforce what we already believe? That’s both fascinating and slightly terrifying—but also liberating.

Expand full comment
Leah Weiss, PhD's avatar

So many powerful ideas here. Great piece.

Expand full comment
Toni Sakoman's avatar

We are, indeed, addicted to our beliefs. They are the ‘cement and founding stone’ of our mature development. How to bring them down?

💥—Deconstruction!

To write about this subject is my big passion. It’s a pleasure to discover the like-minded! 😊 Great article, Andy.

Expand full comment
George's avatar

Thank You Andy. Lots of work to be done.

Expand full comment
Andy Fenske's avatar

I appreciate George. Here’s the thing—understanding it isn’t enough. You’ve gotta act on it. Start small. Maybe it’s reflecting on one belief or habit you’ve carried since childhood and asking, “Does this still serve me?” That one question could crack the door open to a whole new way of thinking. What’s one thing you could do today to start rewriting your story?

Expand full comment
Ryan Council's avatar

Thanks Andy! I enjoyed the read.

Expand full comment
Andy Fenske's avatar

Thank you, Ryan! I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

Expand full comment
Lily, LMFT's avatar

This is such a fascinating read. I too agree and have learned that the first seven years of your life shape your beliefs, programming, etc. And with that said, I am also aware that you have the power at any age to change those beliefs and therefore behavior. If only more people knew this and took it in…

I love the quote you wrote at the beginning of the article. It’s so vital to human behavior. Thank you, Andy!

Expand full comment