What do you believe in?
Does it propel you forward or keep you trapped in the past? Does it gift you joy or lock you in pain? Does it let you take desired action or paralyse you with fears?
Understanding about beliefs, how they affected me and changing my limiting beliefs was one of the key transformative tool for me. That was about 8 or 9 years ago? And to-date, it remains an important tool for inner awareness and change.
Your beliefs are like the operating system to your brain. They are one of the primary filters that determine what you delete and what you pay attention to. They determine how you perceive and interpret your experiences.
Beliefs act as self fulfilling prophecies. They act as permissions as well as blocks to what we can do. They have to be acted on if they are to mean anything; therefore beliefs are principles of action, not empty ideals.
Non useful beliefs are called limiting beliefs eg “I am stupid”, “I am a failure”, “I’m lousy at Maths”, “Life is painful/ difficult”, “I’ll always be a failure”, “I suck at relationships”.
Beliefs are never absolutely true. For every belief, there is always a counter belief.
A client of mine held a limiting belief that he does not make a good partner after his ex-wife decided to leave him. As he went on a healing journey of awareness, change and action, he formed new powerful beliefs for a new phase of life. Today, he is happily remarried with a beautiful daughter.
Another client of mine could not see herself progressing in her career and felt that she could only be a sales executive. After a change of mindset and beliefs held, she is now a GM. A position she would never have dared to dream about when she held onto her limiting beliefs. The change happen within a short span of a few years. A big transformative (and I would happy!) leap for her.
Awareness of the beliefs you consciously or subconsciously hold is a great start to understanding yourself better. And a key to making any changes desired.
There are many literature available on change work involving beliefs. Or you might find it useful to engage a coach or therapist to journey with you.