Do you remember being told that your gum would stay in your stomach for seven years if you swallowed it when you were a kid? I do!! It was my big brother—someone I trusted (thanks, bro)—who told me that! I was petrified of swallowing my gum!!!
Granted, the gum one is pretty harmless and likely hasn’t had a HUGE impact on me as an adult. But what about all the other things I was told as a kid that my mind has taken as fact?
Our core beliefs are the internal stories we tell ourselves; they’re powerful! They drive our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in a way we’re often unaware of… until we are. And if we don’t recognise and challenge them, they can hold us back in ways we can’t even imagine.
In this blog, we’ll explain why your beliefs might be keeping you stuck and, more importantly, how you can start changing them to create lasting, positive change in your life.
What are beliefs?
I’m a visual person, so let me paint you a bit of a picture. I like to think of the brain as a supercomputer, the physical hardware that runs everything in your body. In this example, beliefs are the software. They’re not tangible, but they control how you operate; from how you see yourself to how you interact with the world. Essentially, your beliefs determine your reality because what you believe is possible is possible. What you believe is impossible, will be impossible for you.
Remember, beliefs are not facts. They are the stories we tell ourselves based on our experiences throughout life. Some beliefs are empowering and serve us well. But others? Well, they need to be deleted, just like outdated software on your computer.
How beliefs are formed
Most of our core beliefs are formed when we’re young, between the ages of 0 and 7 (yep… that’s when my bro told me about the gum!!) During this time, our brains are like little sponges, soaking up everything around us. It's as if we’re in a constant state of hypnosis, unable to separate imagination from reality. Because of this, we absorb beliefs from the people around us. We rarely question them because when we’re kids, we see everyone older than us as some font of wisdom, an authority figure.
For example, maybe someone told you as a child that you weren’t good at speaking in front of the class for show-and-tell. They may not have even told you; this belief may have developed because you were made fun of when you got up in front of others.
Without realising it, you’ve carried that belief into adulthood. Now you avoid speaking up in meetings or presentations because deep down, you ‘believe’ you’re not good at it.
The problem is that that belief was never a fact; it was just a story. And you’ve continued telling yourself that story throughout your life, which now shows up in how you feel about speaking in public.
The good news is beliefs can be changed!
Why do your beliefs hold you back?
It’s important to know this because our beliefs shape everything about our lives. If I believe I’m not good enough, my brain will look for all the times that were true (yes, there have been times 😉) and reinforce that belief. It’s like the brain gathering evidence. Of course, there is also evidence of all the times when I HAVE been good enough. Still, my brain likes to keep me comfortable and safe, so its first stop will always be toward the negative.
This happens thanks to a system in our brain known as the RAS – The Reticular Activating System. The RAS acts like a filter, showing you things that match your focus. So, if you believe you’re bad at something, your brain will zoom in on all the moments you’ve struggled with and ignore the times you succeeded.
This is what makes beliefs so powerful and sometimes dangerous. They can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. But there's good news... beliefs can be updated just like software. You can rewrite the script to create the outcome you want! Pretty cool, huh?
How to start changing your beliefs today
You might think that if you’ve had this belief for so long, it will take ages to change, but actually, we can help you change it very quickly when we coach together.
But you can get started yourself by following these four steps:
Identify the belief: What’s the belief that’s holding you back? Maybe it’s about your abilities, your worth, or your potential.
Question it: Ask yourself, “Where did this belief come from?” and “Is it really true?” Often, you’ll find that the belief is based on outdated information or someone else’s opinion.
Take action: What’s one small thing you can do today to prove this belief wrong? Maybe it’s speaking up in a meeting or setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier to challenge the “I’m not a morning person” belief.
Bring in some humour: Beliefs can feel heavy and severe, but they’re silly sometimes. Use humour to break down the power of your belief; imagine it as a bad movie you’re watching, something you can fast-forward or even delete.
To sum up, your beliefs shape your reality. It’s as simple as that. The stories you tell yourself, whether empowering or limiting, affect every part of your life. Recognising and accepting that beliefs aren’t facts, but internalised stories, is the first step in busting them.
You create a whole new reality by questioning and reframing – and later replacing - the beliefs you’ve identified as holding you back from being the person you want to be or achieving something.
So, will you continue to believe what you know doesn’t result in what you want, or will you change your beliefs to align with a life that excites you? Ultimately, the choice is yours.
Learn more about the power of your beliefs, and how to change them, in Episode 10 of The Brain Changers™ Podcast at https://www.moonbeammonday.com.au/podcast.
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