Are you simply running on a program?
Are You Simply Running on a Program?
From the moment we’re born, we begin to absorb messages from the world around us. Family, school, society, culture, and even governments shape our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Over time, these influences can condition us so deeply that we start to operate on autopilot, running on a program we didn’t consciously choose. As children, our minds are like sponges, soaking up everything we see, hear, and feel. During this time, we’re especially impressionable, and much of what we absorb becomes the foundation for our worldview. Parents might unintentionally pass down limiting beliefs about money or success. Schools often reward conformity over creativity. Society imposes expectations about how we should look, behave, or even dream.
By the time we’re adults, many of these influences feel like our own thoughts. But are they?
Signs You’re Running on a Program
• You feel stuck in repetitive patterns. - Do you notice yourself making the same decisions over and over, even when they don’t serve you? This could be a sign of deeply ingrained programming.
• You get triggered easily - The is a sure sign that childhood programming is running the show, if you are getting intensely triggered. While it’s completely normal and a part of life to experience the full spectrum of emotions, when these are occurring in the extreme, it is usually reflective that the emotional response is not just a response to the current day situation, but is magnified due to a past where emotions where suppressed. These past emotions are now ready to surface and are merging with the current trigger so they can be seen. Intense triggers usually always have the same root - feeling unworthy or unloveable, or not good enough, often through feeling unseen, or unheard. Recognising these can help things begin to shift.
• You live by “shoulds” - Do you make choices based on what you think you should do—go to college, get a certain job, marry by a certain age—rather than what truly feels right for you?
• Your beliefs limit you - Pay attention to your inner dialogue like “I’m not good enough” , “That’s just the way life is” , “Life is a struggle”, “ things don’t work out for me”. These aren’t universal truths—they’re likely beliefs you’ve been taught to accept. Examine if any of your role models felt these same things or if and where you may have picked up these beliefs.
Breaking Free from the Program
You don’t have to live on autopilot. Programs can be rewritten, and true freedom begins with awareness.
1. Question Everything
Start by examining your beliefs. Ask yourself: Is this truly mine, or did I inherit it? For example, if you’ve always believed success requires endless hard work, or that you need recognition or validation from others to be good enough - consider where that idea came from—and whether it’s actually true.
2. Tune Into Your Authentic Self
Spend time reconnecting with what genuinely feels right for you. Meditation, journaling, or simply being in nature can help you tune out the noise of external influences.
3. Choose New Beliefs
Once you recognize the old program, replace it with beliefs that empower you. Instead of “I can’t,” adopt “I’m learning how.” Instead of “Life is a struggle,” try “Life is full of opportunities.”
4. Take Conscious Action
Awareness is the first step, but real change comes from action. Make choices that align with your authentic desires, even if they challenge the program you’ve been running on.
Final Thoughts
We are not robots, here only to follow the scripts handed to us by others. Each of us has the power to rewrite our programming and create a life aligned with our true selves, even though its hard and can take alot of effort and time. We are malleable beings. The process begins with self inquiry or talking through with another to determine your patterns, and then you can begin the journey of breaking free of them, and stepping into your real self, not the programmed self. As always, be patient, don’t try too hard, and keep enjoying life in the meantime. Time for everything.