I have to admit it; I have become addicted to watching the wonderful TV series "Lost." For me, it is simply the best thing on television this year. It has reminded about how I was when Twin Peaks was going strong all those years ago! Now, as a man with a wild and vivid imagination, I have entered all manner of debates with friends and family and colleagues about what is going on, about what they think and what we believe about it all. I have even had tales from people telling me that they have friends who know someone who knows the director of Lost and have told me what their theory was and so on and so forth. Each time someone has given me a good reason or a great thought, my brain has gone in to overdrive and my beliefs about my theory has changed. So how can we go about changing beliefs as easily as if you were changing your beliefs about a TV show? The first step in our belief changing process is to identify the limiting belief that you want to shift. Having identified a belief that you think is limiting or restrictive or causing you problems, make sure that you write it down concisely and precisely. When you get a belief down on paper and look at it in that way it then begins to dissipate already; it is exposed and vulnerable. Step Two is that as you look at that written limiting belief, think about it and ask your self what it is doing for you; how do you benefit from having that belief? What purpose is that belief serving; this must be something positive, keep asking your self what the positive intention is of that belief, believe me when I say that there is one; otherwise you would not do it would you? Regardless of the fact that it may be limiting you in a variety of ways, there is a positive intention behind it, there is a way in which you benefit from having that belief and now is the time to find that out. Step Three is to now ask your self what you would prefer to believe instead. Write down your desired belief and remember; Firstly, it has to be stated positively; remember that you want to move towards goals not move away from fears with your beliefs, ask for what you want, not what you don't want. Secondly, you must ensure that you are comfortable and happy with the desired belief, make sure that it does not harm, conflict with or upset anyone to have this belief; that includes your self! Thirdly, it needs to satisfy the same positive intention as you discovered that the old belief had. So, go ahead and write down this new belief. Also, make sure that it is worded in the present tense, by that I mean phrase it as if it is occurring now. For example if your goal were to achieve your ideal weight, a suitable new belief would be: "I am believing increasingly more in my ability to achieve my ideal weight." By doing that now, you have made the desired belief relevant and pertinent and you have gone and given it direction and energy. Step three is a wonderful process that is to recall a time when you doubted a belief. Can you remember an occasion when you doubted something that you really used to hold as a firm belief? You may wish to reflect on your life, think about the kind of beliefs that you had at certain times in your life, I know that mine have changed and altered a great deal over the years. I remember having solid beliefs about certain things when I was at college and can remember doubting those beliefs as I learned more about life and throughout my studies. When you think about that period of doubt, how did you know that you doubted your belief? Did you have certain sensations in your body? What were you thinking about? How did you think about it? What were you experiencing? Really see if you can get back into that state of doubt, psychologically and physiologically. While in that state, bring to the forefront of your mind the old unwanted limiting belief that you identified earlier and have a think about your old limiting belief that you want to shed; do this while in that doubting state. Great isn't it? Who would have thought that there are advantages to doubting things? So, as you do this, begin picking away at the old withering belief by asking your self: "What are the disadvantages of this old belief?" "Does it really fit in with what is truly important in my life?" "In the past, when was having this old belief getting in the way of my success?" "What would it be like to not have this old belief?" Before moving on to the next step, take a breather. When you sit down to run through this process, take a couple of minutes out now, think of something completely different; what shoe did you put on first when you went to work this morning? What do you really think is going on in "Lost?" Step Four requires a similar process to step three, however, as you think back through your life, just have a think about times when you have been impressionable, willing to learn, open to change and especially open to new beliefs. Remember everything about that wonderful state of receptivity; How did it feel? Where in your body were the feelings? What did you see? What internal dialogue did you have? Really run through as much as you possibly can to achieve that state again for your self right now? As you recall a time when you were open to a new belief, now really focus on and think about your new desired belief while in this open, receptive state. Now ask your self; "How would it feel to have your desired belief?" "How is it a better belief than the old one?" "What difference would it make to your life to have this new belief?" "What things would you do that you have not been doing?" "What would you be able to achieve and overcome now?" To round off this step nicely, take some time out now to evaluate the new belief. How good does it feel? Is there any tweaking to do? Can you make it even better and even more empowering? Step five is about relaxing.... Get your self nice and relaxed and breathing deeply and comfortably and then go ahead and imagine that deep inside of you exists a large furnace and if you really want to be free of the old belief forever, then imagine tossing it into the furnace and watch it burn away into nothing. Finally, step six is about taking some action. Make a choice to take some action. What can you and what will you do differently this very day as a result of having this wonderful new belief? How about you set your self a task, to achieve today, a task that is based on this new belief being true for you and your life now. Start doing things differently straight away and get that new belief firmly embedded into your unconscious behaviour patterns. When you start to do things differently, you then have physiological support and experience of the new belief and it becomes verified and enhanced with each new day. Changing your beliefs can actually be as simple as changing beliefs about a television programme that you follow, but to change them powerfully and mindfully requires some continued concentration and requires a good investment of time and energy. However, when you do change and upgrade your beliefs, this can and does subsequently open the way for a major change in your experience of life and a rapid progression towards successfully achieving your goals and enriching your experience of life. Enjoy this process, have some fun with it and get to the heart of your own development with updating any outmoded beliefs. |
