Do you feel like you’re a little bit under house arrest? With the spread and concern of COVID-19, many people are being encouraged / required to stay indoors in their private residence. This situation is causing some people to feel frustrated because they cannot partake in the activities they are accustomed to or desire. This can be inconvenient and even painful for some people. And yet, there is a bigger prison that most people live in that no vaccine can alleviate. That is the prison that exists in our minds; the prison of limiting beliefs.
Most of us have limiting beliefs in one way or another. They come in all sorts of fashion. Some of the most popular ones are, “I’m not good enough,” and “I’ll never have what I want.” Some of the less popular ones are, “Life is supposed to be fair,” and “Money is the root of all evil.” These beliefs, whether conscious or subconscious, have a huge influence on our mindset and color everything we experience. Due to these beliefs we can inadvertently sabotage ourselves or withhold effort and energy towards our pursuit of those things that we want. If we believe “I’m not good enough,” then we may not ask for what we want or work towards a relationship with a “quality” person.
Most beliefs are subconscious and affect us subconsciously in a series of subtle ways that lead to significant results
The thing about these beliefs though is that most of them are subconscious and affect us subconsciously in a series of subtle ways that lead to significant results. They set us down a path that continually reinforces itself because we not only take actions according to them but also see the results with a confirmation bias that further cement the beliefs. It becomes a vicious, self-fulfilling prophecy. We get stuck in these loops and patterns and create a less than ideal world for ourselves.
One of the beliefs that had a long term effect on me when I was younger was the belief that life is easy. I had developed this belief due to the fact that I was pretty smart for my age. I would score in the 95th percentile on the standardized tests in school and for the most part, school was easy for me. Due to this experience, I developed a fixed mindset and a belief that life was easy. However, since I’m not a genius, life got harder as I got older and when I turned 25, I was hit with the reality it takes quite a bit of diligence to be successful. I had to rewrite my belief and accept that I was not “strong” enough to be successful, which really meant I hadn’t developed the right tools to be successful. After I rewrote my beliefs and developed some new skills, I was able to engage in life in a much better manner and hence create the life I desired.
Prisons exist in the world and we may be limited at times due to circumstances, but the biggest prison that affects us continually is the prison of our mind. Though many of us have been limited by the effects of the coronavirus, we still have amazing opportunities if we allow ourselves to see them. Learning has never been more accessible, entertainment has never been as plentiful, connecting with loved ones through voice and video from afar has never been more doable. We still have so much we can do if we only allow ourselves the freedom to look beyond what we have done before and that which we have been accustomed to. Practice freeing your mind today and see what you can do.
What beliefs are holding you back?
3D graphics image by Quince Creative: https://quincemedia.com