The TV Series Lost; Is Changing Beliefs That Easy?
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.