Is Your Childhood Holding You Back?

It may be a long time ago (longer for some of us than others), but regardless of how many years have passed, and regardless of what’s going on in your life right now, your childhood may be the hidden tether that is keeping you stuck.

According to the ACE Study, adverse experiences during childhood have a more powerful impact on the life of the adult than we may realize.

From health and relationships to money and business success, childhood experiences determine what we experience as adults.

It’s Not Over

Although your childhood is over, your brain continues to hold the memories of those experiences as references for all aspects of your life as an adult.

How Your Childhood May be Holding You Back

1. From birth, every experience is interpreted by the unconscious part of your brain, and given meaning. That meaning provides “evidence” that “proves” who we are and how the world works.
2. Every new experience is filtered through the existing “evidence” and interpreted accordingly, before being added to the structure of proof.
3. The unconscious part of the brain is constantly referring to that data, and then prompting the brain and body to respond, physiologically.
4. The conscious mind sees the self, the world, and experiences through the “lens” of those physiological sensations. It then gives meaning to those feelings, and responds, based on that meaning.
5. This means all decisions, choices, views, beliefs, behaviors, and actions are based on the “evidence” the unconscious part of the brain holds from childhood experiences (implicit memories) that “proves” the beliefs — whether they are true or not.

For example:

Andrew’s childhood experiences of being bullied are interpreted by the unconscious part of his brain to mean that he’s not good enough.

Every new experience is filtered through that “evidence” from those early experiences, given meaning, and added to the structure of proof that he’s not good enough.