Day 5 August 21, 2009
Limiting Beliefs can inhibit the way we live our life. Beliefs are something we believe in spite of the lack of conclusive evidence. Our belief in God for example. These are things we “can’t” do and they hold us back. They often have a self-fulfilling prophecy about themselves.
Change the belief to success because success begets success.
One limiting belief is that weight loss is hard. No, it doesn’t have to be. Maybe it has been that way but that doesn’t mean that we can’t change it to where it is easy. Eventually we think like naturally thin people and it will become that way. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work and invest the time but that doesn’t mean that it is difficult. There have been times where I’ve had to do work, not difficult work but work nonetheless. And we can make it fun. We are going to eat anyway, so why not make it fun and enjoy this journey.
Inner conflict is what makes it hard. The body is holdoing onto the weight for some reason. There is something inside of me that won’t let it go. Inner alignment can make it easy and fun. There is a positive aspect to every action. We do the things that we do in an attempt to enjoy ourselves and for pleasure. Eventually, all actions can be boiled down to trying to get something positive for ourselves. Substituting another non food behavior for this will find me releasing the weight. I’m sure of it.
Ask the following the question to determine WHAT your limiting beliefs are:
- Is this goal desirable? Is it worthwhile?
Is this goal worth the effort that it will take to obtain it? Of course, sitting at my laptop it’s easy for me to say that it is. It’s when I’m about to make the wrong choice that I forget how much it means to me.
- Is it possible for others?
Of course it is. I’ve seen many people lose and keep it off. They have made the necessary lifestyle choices to make the changes permanent.
- Is it possible for me?
Of course it is. I’ve been at goal before. I’ve also been at a healthy weight and have exercised regularly. So I know I can do it. It’s just a matter of making it a routine yet again.
- Is what it takes to achieve this goal appropriate and reasonable?
Will I do what it takes? Believe that this is too hard? No, it really isn’t. If I imagine that eating 1300 calories a day is enough (and it really is if I make the right choices) then I need to be happy. Believe it.
- Do you deserve it? Well, this is the kicker isn’t it? If you don’t feel like you are worth anything then how can you justify allowing yourself to get healthy, or living a good lifestyle. The pressure to continue to be successful proves to be too much sometimes and then you fail. Self sabotage.
If you tell yourself that this is going to take forever, or that it will never happen, then this is what you believe. This is what you will have happen then.
Learned helplessness is also another limiting belief. Like the elephant tied with a chain. He doesn’t believe he can get free, and so he doesn’t. Just like me and stopping eating at night. I don’t believe that I can do that. That I have these habits that I always do and therefore can’t change, and therefore they don’t change.
Genetics are only about 20% the reason why we are overweight. I can control the other 80%.
I am 40 and this makes it harder to lose weight. I am ONLY 40. I have a lot of life to live and I don’t want to waste time with this struggle for the next 40 years. I need to be grateful for the struggle and learn and use the positive aspects of it. Enjoy the journey, but know that I can control some aspects of it. My eating at night and my fat rolls have been coping tools for me. Once I find other coping tools I can and will release the weight.
Three steps to changing limiting beliefs
Identify the belief (above questions)
Question the belief. As I did above as well. One thing to keep in mind is that I must be satisfied with what is while I reach for what can be.
I deserve a treat statement. Well, what’s that treat going to do for you? If it is going to keep you fat (yes, I say the fat word) then is it a treat?? Is it going to be in the terms of keeping you fat and therefore making it harder on your knees. That isn’t much of a treat.
Third step…change the belief. Identify the new belief. Visualize yourself in the new you. Being naturally thin is easier than carrying around those extra 25-30 pounds now isn’t it. Losing weight isn’t hard, being this weight is hard. State your intent and your new belief in the positive.
Try on the new you for size. Imagine you as you want to be. Eventually it will become your reality.
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