Our limitations all begin with what we believe. Believe you can't do something and you are never wrong. Question yourself when you find you have a limiting belief. Last night I realized I've been telling myself for years that I am a morning person, and as the day goes on I'm less mentally creative and therefore I never write at night. This belief limits my abilities, so I'm changing it. I now believe that I can get myself into a creative state of mind anytime of day. I'll begin practicing tonight and after a while it will be my new truth. All change starts with belief.
Are you aware of any limiting beliefs that are holding you back from your full potential?
As you become aware of your various beliefs, ask yourself if they serve you or work against you. Some beliefs work well for a time and then lose their usefulness, but because we never question them, we just keep acting on them. For example, I used to believe that I couldn't sing well at all and that I couldn't ever learn to carry a tune. So I never sang. Then one day I decided to challenge the belief, to practice singing at home and then to sing karaoke to a crowd of people. I did it. I'm not afraid to sing in public now. The old belief was limiting my self expression and served no purpose other than to back up my fear of singing in public.
Take a careful look at why you avoid certain activities and you may discover that it is an old limiting belief that has been holding you back.
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon
"Don't make assumptions." don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements
When we make assumptions about people by the way they dress, their occupation, level of education, hair styles , or any other label we place upon them, we are deluding ourselves into believing stories about them. This happens all the time. We see through the perceptions of our own limited beliefs. We might see a teen dressed as a Goth and assume that they are depressed, have evil thoughts, or are failing school. This may or may not be true.
We assume that the stereotype is the rule for the group. My son went through a goth stage in high school. He and most of his friends dressed in black, wore chains, and had unnatural hair colors and wild styles. They were the nicest group of kids. Every one of them had an after school job. Not one of them was depressed. It was just a form of self expression and promoted a feeling of belonging to a group, instead of feeling like social outcasts. Still, there were plenty of people who judged them by the way they dressed.
Become aware of the tendency to judge a book by its cover, and be open minded and tolerant of others who may be different than yourself. When we release the habit of judging others we free ourselves in the process.
Enjoy your journey!
Laura Barrette Shannon
