The Power Of Believing

For years, it was widely believed that no one could run a four-minute mile in less than four minutes. However, Roger Bannister believed it was possible and set out to prove it in 1954 by sprinting to the finish line in three minutes fifty-nine point four seconds. Two months later his record was broken by John Landy, and subsequently, many others. It is now the standard for all professional middle distance runners, proving that the “four minute barrier” was as much a psychological obstacle as a physical one.

Belief is an incredible force that resides in all of us. It can work for us by identifying our potential or against us by defining our limitations. We cannot make any more money than we believe we can. We cannot lose unwanted weight unless we believe we can. We cannot truly love unless we believe we are worthy to receive it. When it comes to implementing belief, what matters is how we use it and apply it to our everyday lives. No more “same old, same old.”

Albert Einstein said once upon a time, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This means if we persist on being unwilling participants in unhealthy relationships, eat our faces off in front of the TV at night, or continue to be dishonest in different ways, nothing changes. We will have what we always had. That’s insane!

In order to change our thoughts, we have to change our beliefs. The Abraham-Hicks teachings call this process a “Pivot: To consciously change the direction of one's thought. To deliberately choose a thought that is in vibrational harmony with one's desire.” The simple truth is we can change what we believe by changing how we think.  If we continually think negative, self-defeating thoughts, naturally we are going to believe they are true. Like a toxin these self-defeating thoughts will expand and bring more adversity and problems into our lives.

We begin the transformation by becoming aware of our thoughts at various times throughout the day. We can do “self-checks” by setting up email or text reminders asking what what’s on our mind at that precise moment. If it’s a negative thought, we need to turn it around. If it’s a positive one, then rock on. Place notes in strategic locations like the inside of a drawer, cabinet, or briefcase, or on top of the coffee maker as reminders to think positive. Keep a daily journal tracking when and why you had certain thoughts at certain times of the day to see if there is a pattern.

When we first begin this practice, we may find our thoughts drifting to things we should be doing, the repercussions of a less than desirable experience, or the disappointment of what we’re seeing in our surroundings. However, as we become more aware of our thoughts, we can begin to change them to recognize the beauty of our environment, to think optimistically about undesirable experiences, and appreciate just living in the moment.

Let’s consider a couple of ordinary scenarios of how our early morning thought process could impact our day:

Scenario One:  “With all of this traffic, the crappy weather, and my late start from home, I probably won’t get to work on time.  Of course, this will probably be the day that our regional director decides to visit the office.  And, everyone will be there but stupid, late me!”

See how negative thoughts can spiral out of control?  Let’s switch our thinking by trying this:

Scenario Two: “Whoops! I know I’m leaving a little later than I intended, but wouldn’t it be nice if my timing was just right and all the green lights are waiting for me as I drive across town? Then I could find a perfect parking spot right where I need it, the rain would stop before I get out of the car, and the elevator would be waiting for me on the ground floor. An added bonus would be stepping inside and then holding the door open for our regional director who popped in for a visit.” It could happen!

Naturally, Scenario Two would be the desirable outcome, but even if that didn’t happen you (and everyone around you) would feel better overall starting out the day on such a positive note. A much better alternative than getting involved in a road rage incident that could result in a speeding ticket or worse – an accident. Remember that life is a journey and redirecting yourself back to the path you wish to be on is more beneficial than beating yourself (and others) up.

If we choose to see things as bad or feel negative about situations, then that’s what we’ll get. This is because we are resisting the “flow,” which can generate chaos and suck us back into the septic tank of life. To live in harmony with the flow of the universe we must adapt by living in the truth. In doing so, our emotions, our beliefs, and our rationale will realign and head in the same direction as our goals and desires.