We evaluate and scrutinize practically every bit of information that passes in front of us. But, our beliefs are held sacred. And, that’s a problem. Limiting beliefs are the geneses of almost every drawback or problem in our lives.

If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.

– William James

EXERCISE

What do you believe? What do you know to be absolutely true? Write down a few of the things that you know and are completely satisfied they cannot be challenged.

Example: I know that the sky is blue .

I know that that __________.   I know that that __________.   I know that that __________.   I know that that __________.   I know that that __________.   

If someone could prove to you that your belief was not accurate or absolute, would you continue to believe it? What would you say if you were told the sky really isn’t blue? Actually, it’s not. It only appears to be blue to our eyes.

There’s nothing wrong with having beliefs. We’re built to be protective of our deeply held convictions. But, some beliefs we hold dear were not even our own choice. They were given to us by our parents or other authority figures when we were young. They can be limiting or damaging. They can hold us back.

Here is an example. You’re a kid in grade school and it’s report card day. You open up your grades and find they’re mediocre. It is a big disappointment to you and it shows. When you arrive home, you hand the report card to your mother. Seeing you’re crushed, she tries to make you feel better. With a pat on the head, she tells you, “It’s not your fault that your grades are bad. You try really hard, but you’re just not as smart as the other kids.” At first, this makes you feel better. The pressure is off. But, those last few words stick to you like a leech in the swamp. “Not as smart as the other kids.” Now, there could have been many reasons why your grades weren’t better. But, what you will remember the rest of your life is that you are not smart. Those seven words could change the course of your entire life.

When a limiting belief threatens to sink your desires for happiness and growth, why go down with the ship? Rescue yourself by adopting a more seaworthy belief.

The first step is to identify the beliefs that may be limiting. Do any of these sound familiar?

If the goals you have set are contradicted by any of these limiting beliefs, then it could damage your ability to achieve those goals. Anytime your goals are in conflict with your beliefs, it is best to change your beliefs to match your goals. That’s right, change your beliefs. Take responsibility for your own reality. If the problem lies within you, the solution also lies within you. Out with the old and in with the new. It’s entirely up to you.

The future is not preordained. Nor does it happen arbitrarily. By simply changing your limiting beliefs, you can rid yourself of the barriers that have held you back. In fact, you can turn your beliefs from a ball and chain into a pot of gold. But I’ll remind you, beliefs are not easy to change. So, start now.

EXERCISE

JOURNAL CODE: BLF

Take a good long look at yourself and pinpoint where you’re having the most trouble. Have you been through a series of unsatisfying relationships? Is your career at a dead end? Have you been plagued by health problems? Make two columns and then write down all the deep-seated beliefs you maintain, anything that could affect those problem areas of your life. Make a laundry list in the left column.

Look for one or two of the most damaging beliefs, the ones that contribute most to your hardships. Now, go back. Cross them out and substitute them with the opposite positive, supportive beliefs in the right column. The trick is to cancel and counteract that old belief.

Here’s where the real work starts. To rewire your brain, you will have to focus on the new beliefs constantly. Five minutes every day is necessary to repeat and affirm the new beliefs. They must be tattooed on your brain and accepted unconditionally. Imprinting new beliefs is very similar to learning a new language. Lots of repetition is required. If it‘s not practiced, it slips out of your head like it was never there. Work at it each and every day. Pay attention to your new beliefs. Feel their truth. Put any contradictory notions out of your head. You must do this daily for a month or two. Seriously. You are uprooting a deep belief and replacing it with the opposite with equal conviction. It will take work for the new belief to take root and grow. If you don’t practice daily imprinting the new belief into your brain, all the work you will have done up until that point will be lost.

Why hang on to old, self-defeating behavior or negative traits if you don’t have to. Open the windows of your mind. Let in the fresh air. You can literally redesign your self-esteem.