From the Inside Out

     Thoughts originate in us in two ways: from the inside and from the outside.  A baby feels hunger, cries out, tastes milk, fills up the stomach, and learns that milk is satisfying.  Instincts propel the baby to crawl, walk, and talk.  The baby is using its own brain, learning and thinking from the inside.
     The young child learns to trust its parents and absorbs their thinking from the outside.  Teachers, pastors, and other "experts" also introduce thoughts from the outside.  Societies, religions, and governments depend on people to accept their thinking and opinions.  Often, people are discouraged to think beyond what the "experts" have decided.  People are seldom encouraged to think for themselves and have confidence in their own brain power.  We get the message that going against authority figures is disloyal.  We  should tow the line, follow the leader, and not rock the boat.  Often, our individuality is not valued.  All of this thinking comes from the outside into ourselves.
     Of course, we still need the helpful thinking coming into us from the outside, but we need to be able to decide what to absorb and what to discount.  We have the instincts and capabilities we were born with, but we need to mature.  To reach our potential, we need to realize that we are the experts of our own brain and that our thinking is as valuable as anyone's.  We need to gain confidence in what is inside us.  When we trust ourselves, we can share what we think to others, from the inside out.