The Myth and Power of Beliefs

Once during my school days, I entered our sports room and saw our sports teacher playing chess with one of my friends. My friend was losing the game, so my teacher kindly allowed me to intervene and play on my friend's behalf. The game changed entirely in the next 7-8 moves, so much so that we won. Of course, the teacher was amazed, and my friend was thrilled. But more importantly, that experience led me to believe that "If I am committed, I can change things around". It has been my personal belief throughout my life. Is it true? It's hard to say, but one thing is sure: our beliefs can shape our reality.

"Truth, when believed, is a lie". Is this quote from Buddha, Zen philosophy, or stoicism? If I ask you to believe it to be from Buddha, then it is a lie because we have to believe only those things which are not true. You don't have to believe the air around you because it is there for you to feel and experience. You can also feel its absence, and so can any other animal. We only believe things we are unsure if they are true or real. But, the moment we accept that belief, it becomes real to us. And that's both liberating and empowering because now you can create any belief that works for you. It also gives you access to catch all your disempowering beliefs and eradicate those.?

Empowering beliefs propel us towards growth, success, and happiness. They encourage us to take action, face challenges, and learn from our experiences. Examples of empowering beliefs include:

"I am capable of achieving my goals."

"I can learn from my mistakes and grow as a person."

"I have the power to create positive change in my life."

On the other hand, disempowering beliefs hold us back, instil doubt, and hinder our progress. These beliefs often stem from past experiences, societal conditioning, or negative self-talk. Examples of disempowering beliefs include:

"I am not good enough."

"I can't change my circumstances."

"Success is reserved for other people, not me."

The self-suggestibility concept highlights our beliefs' power in shaping our reality. When we repeatedly expose ourselves to specific ideas or beliefs, we internalize them as part of our worldview. It means we can create a more positive and fulfilling life by consciously adopting empowering beliefs and challenging disempowering ones.

Here are some practical steps to harness the power of empowering beliefs and minimize the impact of disempowering beliefs by unlearning:

1. Identify your beliefs: Reflect on the beliefs guiding your thoughts and actions. Be honest with yourself and recognize any disempowering beliefs holding you back.
2. Challenge disempowering beliefs: When you notice a disempowering belief, question its validity. Ask yourself, "Is this belief based on facts or assumptions? Are there alternative explanations or perspectives that I could consider?"
3. Replace disempowering beliefs with empowering ones: Replace them with a more empowering alternative once you've challenged a disempowering belief. Then, practice repeating this new belief to yourself until it becomes internalized.
4. Use self-suggestion: Use techniques such as affirmations, visualization, and journaling to reinforce empowering beliefs and make them integral to your thought patterns.
5. Surround yourself with positive influences: Seek out people, books, and experiences that support your empowering beliefs and help you challenge disempowering ones.

My childhood experience with the chess game taught me about the power of commitment, understanding the power of beliefs and embracing the principles of NLP and self-suggestibility can pave the way for personal empowerment. By identifying, challenging, and replacing disempowering beliefs with empowering ones, we can take control of our thoughts and actions, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and successful life. Just like that decisive moment in the chess game, our beliefs can be the catalyst for turning the tide in our favour, and with commitment and self-awareness, we can reshape our reality for the better.