Changing a Limiting Belief
How often have you heard yourself say such things as, ‘I can’t do that’,
‘I’ m no good at maths’, or ‘I should learn to cook properly’? These are all examples
of limiting beliefs. Your beliefs are generalisations you make about yourself
and your world. These can either disable you, holding you back, or empower you.
Beliefs are really self-fulfilling prophesies which can start off just
as a notion or a hint of an idea. They your filters (metaprograms, values,
beliefs, attitudes, memories, and decisions) begin aligning themselves like
gates to only let in those ‘facts’ and experiences that will re-enforce your
beliefs.
Perhaps you stuck to the diet for a few days but then temptation got the
better of you. At this stage you got a hint of the notion that ‘maybe I’m not
good at following a diet’. Then you tried again and failed again until
eventually you came to the limiting belief of ‘I can’t stick to a diet’.
1. Think of a limiting belief you currently hold, one
which you would like to change.
2. Think of a belief that you used to believe in but
which, for you, is no longer true.
This can be a belief such as ‘I am no longer a
teenager’. It does not have to be a limiting belief that you may have overcome.
3. Identify
the sub-modalities of the belief which for you is no longer true.
For example,
when you think of a fictional character like the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus,
you may see her over to your right, in the distance, in color, and very bright.
You may get a warm, fluttery feeling in your chest and you hear the sound of a
soft voice.
4. Think of the limiting belief and put it into the
sub-modalities of the belief you used to believe in.
5. When you think of your limiting belief, the
sub-modalities, we would guess, are different.
6. Move the picture you get when you think of your
limiting belief to the same position and distance you saw the Tooth Fairy at
and give it the same color and brightness. Then produce the same feelings in
your body and listen for the same voice.
Creating an Empowering Belief
Since beliefs are self-fulfilling prophecies it is useful to remember
that you have control over choosing which ones you want to hold onto! In the
previous exercise you learned how you can increase your choices in life by
choosing to create a whole plethora of beliefs that will enable you to ‘sing
your song’?
1. Think of a belief it would be really useful for you to
have, we’ll call it a desired belief.
It could be, for
example, ‘I deserve to be successful.’
2. Think of a belief which for you is absolutely true.
For example- the sun will rise in the morning (yes,
even behind those clouds).
3. Using the reference pages at the end of this chapter,
identify the sub-modalities of this absolutely true belief.
For example, when you think of the sun rising you may
see it in front of you, about six feet away, in pale shimmering, orange colors
and very bright. You may feel warm all over and hear bird songs.
4. Put the desired belief into the exact same
sub-modalities of the absolutely true belief.
Move the picture you get when you think of your
desired belief to the same position and distance of the rising sun and give it
the same colors and brightness. Then produce the same feelings of warmth and
listen for the bird songs.
This article is Taken form Personal Development
Written by Arshad. A
