Self-Reflection Work

Break this work up over several sittings if you'd like, or take a quick pass through all at once and come back to different questions for a deeper dive as they simmer in your mind.

1. How does your body react to this process of identifying and questioning your beliefs? Do you get anxious? Excited? Agitated? Hopeful? Sad? Confused? Bored? Empowered?

2. What does it feel like might be stopping you from identifying your corrupted beliefs internally? Confusion, procrastination, self-justification, denial, or something else?

3. We talked about the roadblock of "should-ing on yourself" and over-moralizing your behaviors. How can knowing what you "should" believe stop you from admitting what you might actually unconsciously believe? What could that struggle tell you about how you view God?

4. Look through the examples of corrupted beliefs from the previous lesson. Say them out loud and pay attention to how they feel in your body or what they trigger in your mind. If they feel or seem true, write them down. If it helps, change the wording to something that seems more accurate and write that down.

5. Based on what you wrote down, and the work you've done up until this point, write down any other phrases that seem like they might be corrupted beliefs that influence your behaviors. A few guiding questions that might help:

   • What did painful memories of abandonment, betrayal, humiliation, rejection, or injustice teach you about God, yourself, or others? How did they change how you trust God or people?
   • What kind of intrusive thoughts threaten your worth?
   • What does your inner critic say about you when things go wrong?
   • What judgments have you endured from others throughout your life?
   • What do you fear? What would seem like a "death knell" if it happened today?

   These don't have to be "perfect" — you'll hone in the accuracy as you go. We're just trying to get enough specificity to keep moving forward. If you feel stuck, try starting with "I only feel valuable when ___."

6. Identify 2–3 corrupted beliefs that seem most influential — like they need the most attention, or might be at the root of some of the others. Write them down on a small note card and look at them as often as you can for an entire day, every 30 minutes or so. Try to notice how influential they seem throughout the day and how they're connected to different behaviors and emotions. Afterward, report about your experience and observations.