The most important thing to realize about programming is that we are generally not aware of it, because it is an integral part of us and it is in our subconscious—beyond the reach of our conscious mind. In our first five to seven years, we arguably learn more than we ever learn in the rest of our lives. We learn to interpret what we see in the world, we learn to walk and play, we learn about relationships, we learn language, we are taught a religion, perhaps, and more. All this information is absorbed wholesale; we are like a sponge, absorbing everything that is delivered to our senses and our brain without judgement, discrimination or assessment. Much of it is very useful and practical and the subconscious is the best place for it. We don’t, for instance, have to think about how to walk or do thousands of other things once they are embedded in the subconscious. It is only as we grow older that our powers of discernment develop and we start to make choices of our own. However, by then the information we have absorbed from our parents, religious leaders and others in our early years has become an integral part of our identity. As far as we are concerned, it is the truth about us and we may defend it aggressively if it is challenged. However, it is not the truth about us, as we shall see in Lesson 3.

For now, let’s look at programming, and what it looks like. If you're feeling upset, depressed or confused, that's your programming. If you're fed up with the relationship you're in or with not having one at all, that's your programming. If you don't like your job or you feel as if you've got no direction, that's your programming. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the crises in our world and unable to maintain control of your life, that’s your programming.

All of these conflicts are caused by your programming, which creates a division between your installed beliefs and your instinctive, natural self. Your programming causes you to think and act in one way, pushing you in one direction, while your true self has a different, instinctive understanding of a situation and pushes you in another. The challenges, conflict and emotional tension resulting from those two opposing forces are designed to forge you into the person you're meant to be.

Your negative programming can prevent you from:

• developing a strong sense of self
• discovering, knowing or actively loving/accepting yourself
• making choices ...and making the right choices for you
• being emotionally complete and self-sufficient
• fully expressing and standing up for yourself
• having healthy, fulfilling, enlightened relationships
• connecting with or trusting your intuition
• realizing your potential, thriving or living your dreams
• finding peace, happiness and fulfillment

As part of your programming, you are told:

• what to believe, what to expect, what to fear
• what’s possible and what’s not
• how the world works
• what others expect from you
• how un/worthy, un/important, un/acceptable, un/lovable you are
• to be ‘sensible’, not to dream or have ‘unrealistic’ goals
• what you must do to survive/succeed and to be safe and acceptable

Your programming also teaches you:

• There’s a price to pay for putting you first, being self-ish or not meeting other people’s needs.
• It’s not safe to make waves, speak out, go against the majority or rock the boat; you might be harmed, rejected, disapproved of, ridiculed or ostracized.
• You’re too insignificant/unimportant/powerful to be heard/make a meaningful difference.

This programming leaves you:

• wanting, needy, self-doubting
• incomplete and under-developed in key aspects of self
• insecure, diminished, distorted, off track
• living reactively, rather than proactively
• mistrusting—of self, of your intuition, of your power, of others
• emotionally conflicted and compromised
• a magnet for problems, conflicts, challenges, struggle, rejection, financial issues, etc

It may also leave you feeling:

• flawed, damaged
• guilty, ashamed
• panicky, vulnerable, powerless
• depressed, defeated, hopeless, suicidal

Transforming your negative programming changes everything. It enables you to:

• discover, express and be your true self
• communicate consciously, powerfully and authentically
• heal old wounds, become emotionally complete
• resolve conflicts, challenges and crises
• attract what you really want—even if you don’t yet know what that is
• find personal, professional, emotional, financial, creative fulfillment

Transforming your negative programming is the most powerful way to create the life you want.

That's a daunting list, and you can probably relate to many of the points made. So, how do we go about transforming our programming? First, let’s get a better idea, in the next lesson, of how this whole devious, slippery mechanism works.