Belief is a Skill
A reintroduction to the six-year-old version of yourself
I didn’t grow up believing in Santa Claus.
Instead my parents chose to read me a “children’s book” on the actual St. Nicholas. His secret-gift giving. His perseverance in an era of religious persecution. A patron saint who lived and died.
Not information you want a child in pre-school to comprehend. Nevertheless, I learned the hard way.
I’ll never forget the day I was escorted to the car after school by my teacher.
“Mrs. Brown we had a problem today,” she said to my mother.
“Eric informed the entire class that Santa Claus is dead.”
You can probably imagine how this scenario unfolded.
My 4 and 5 year old classmates asking one another, “What are you getting from Santa Claus?”
It was an injustice they didn’t know the truth.
I stood and yelled, “Santa Claus is dead!”
Etched in my memory is an almost exact copy of the scene in Kindergarten Cop when Arnold Schwarzenegger yells “Shut up” to all the children. I was baffled why the entire class bursted into tears.
As a child, belief in someone or something takes practice. The ever-present challenge to “use your imagination” requires learning. When achieved the universe is at our fingertips.
Tee-pees. Animal rescues. Ocean explorations. Amusement Parks. Professional sports. Everyday these worlds came to life in my backyard. They defined my childhood.
Somewhere in life we lose the wonder.
As adults we protect the imagination of our children, but lose the enchantment for ourselves.
“Use your imagination” becomes lost to the 9am to 5pm. Mystery is replaced with routine. The moment belief fades there cynicism and pessimism awaits.
A grand universe contained inside a box.
But nestled in Journey’s 1981 rock anthem are profound words that serve as a reminder to me today:
Don’t Stop Believin’
Working in the creative industry I’ve come to learn that belief isn’t a commodity. It’s a skill.
Big dreams and ideas are brought to my attention everyday. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
The truth is trust, faith, and confidence in someone or something takes practice. It’s a maze that requires trying different pathways, but trusting in the end result.
Muhammed Ali famously said, “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”
This little girl gets it:
What and who do you believe in?
There’s no question that our belief systems result in the world we live in. Our history books document endless examples of this fact.
When was the last time you were reintroduced to the six-year-old version of yourself?
Whether small, misaligned, or forgotten — your beliefs permeate the world in front of you.
A lesson my one-year old daughter is teaching me everyday:
Belief is innocence worth pursuing.
It is dishonest to believe in something and not live it out.
My mother’s words echo from my childhood,
“Use your imagination.”
Start believing again.
