I was working with a mentoring client recently who is talented, quick-thinking and highly motivated, but also feeling miserable, frustrated and stressed.
It didn’t take much probing to discover that an out-of-date belief of “life has to be hard work” was causing much of the problem. And this person didn’t even realise they were running that belief… Fortunately getting it sorted was
A belief is like a filter in your mind. It impacts what you notice – what you’re aware of – how you experience life.
Not knowing how to handle your beliefs can lead to you feeling stuck and at the whim of life. If you have had enough of that and you’re ready to take back control, then the techniques in this article will help you move things to the next level. Are you ready to set yourself free?
What we believe is what we get.
Let’s use an example to illustrate this:
Imagine that Fred has been working on a report for his boss. He knows it’s a good report, but he also believes that his boss will criticise it and make him feel bad. After all, it has “always been that way”.
What kind of mood do you think Fred is in, when he goes into his boss’s office? That’s right – tense, nervous, a bit stressed, perhaps ready for a fight.Click here to share on FacebookHis boss reads the report and sees that it is really good. He and Fred have a discussion about it. The boss acknowledges the good stuff and makes one or two suggestions for improvement.
Instead of leaving the office feeling upbeat and motivated, how do you think Fred is feeling? That’s right – cross, hurt, annoyed and generally fed up. Why? Because his belief – the filter – didn’t spot the good feedback. He was looking for the criticism, so that’s all he experienced. He was looking for the criticism, so his mind filtered out the positive feedback and immediately started feeding stories around the bad bits – all tied in with how unfair his boss is.
Our beliefs are like choices that get stuck in time. Once we have made them, instead of setting us free, they close the doors to other choices. They limit other responses because they have such a major impact on our experience of life.
Another example:
It’s something that scientists and researchers, for example, struggle with all the time. I remember from my college days that even physical world research (conducting wear experiments on diesel engine exhaust valves!) was at risk of my beliefs.
And guess what impacted that interpretation?
You’ve got it: my beliefs – my hypothesis – about what the causes of the wear might be.
It took a “second opinion” in the form of my supervisor (who had different beliefs) to help me stay open-minded with the data, rather than dismissing the information that contradicted my theory.
But it’s not just the “bad beliefs” you need to watch out for!
It’s obvious to see how a “negative” belief can be limiting. But even a so-called “empowering belief” can restrict your choices. When things change, then that old empowering belief could hold you back from your growth and expansion! The empowering belief puts you in a box, just as much as a “negative” belief. The only difference is that the empowering belief has a longer shelf life, before it causes problems!
So if a “good” belief can do that, just imagine how much a “bad” one can do!
The great news is that we can change our limiting beliefs.
They’re far from being set in stone. Father Christmas, tooth fairies, the world being flat – beliefs can change.
And, if we’re on a path of personal growth, then spotting our beliefs and bringing them into our conscious awareness is a critical key for setting ourselves free from the auto-pilot programmes that most of us are running.
Every time you spot yourself reacting to something in a way that doesn’t make you feel good, chances are there’s a belief at play, that needs some attention. There are techniques we can use to dissolve away the old belief and choose more flexibility and freedom in our lives.
Click To Tweet This: Our beliefs impact what we expect. And what we expect is what we will see.
If you expect miracles, they will find you.
And giving gratitude for what you already have is one of the most effective ways to become a magnet for miracles.
Click To Tweet This: Beliefs, like clothes, were never intended to be worn forever. If they no longer fit, it’s time to say goodbye!
We pick up our beliefs from the most random of places – usually without even realising.
Sometimes we get them from our family or teachers, sometimes we pick them up from the media and our perception of society’s beliefs and expectations of us.
Wherever they come from, all beliefs have one thing in common:
Our beliefs either block or enable that which we want create in our lives.
How to handle a limiting belief?
One of the easiest techniques is simply to notice the problem and ask yourself:
“What is it I believe about this situation or this person? Is that the more resourceful belief I could hold?”
No? What could I choose to believe instead?
If you notice yourself doing, saying or thinking something that no longer “fits” for you today, all you need to do is catch yourself at this game and allow yourself to choose another option.Click here to share this on Facebook.
And if you really want to dive in and deal with some old, out-dated limiting beliefs, there are some ways you can make it easier for yourself:
- Make it easier to become aware of your limiting beliefs and to put that essential ‘pause’ between your thoughts and your actions by calming down your Monkey Mind with regular meditation – it’s easier than you might think.
[divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”11″]
- If you’re feeling stuck on the ‘complaining train’ you can shift the tone of your thoughts from grumpy to great – in just a few minutes a day. Here’s how.
[divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”11″]
- If you’re stuck on the emotional rollercoaster – and dealing with your beliefs feels like a distant dream, then you might want to Master Your Emotions in the next 2 weeks – in just 10 minutes a day.
[divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”11″]
- And if you really want to do a deep-dive and clear out the wardrobe of your old, out-dated beliefs, then find out how a VIP Day could change your life forever.
Have you ever spotted your beliefs holding you back? And if you get to play with today’s technique, which shifts did you notice?
How about sharing your experiences via the comments box. I’d love to hear from you.
And if you know someone who might appreciate a nudge, please do share this article with them!
With love, Namaste,
