If you haven’t noticed we’re focusing on the emotional and psychological factors that make it difficult for someone to change, trying to get a handle on changing the things we think about — and the ways that we think.
Today’s thought is about how all of us have a psychological comfort zone. We all have beliefs about ourselves (both good and bad) about who we are, how we should be, what we should have, what we deserve. These beliefs ultimately define and (more importantly) limit how successful we will be in achieving anything.
- How many people have you known who have lost a lot of weight only to gain it back — and then some?
- Haven’t you heard stories of lottery winners who lost it all in the blink of an eye?
- What about people who got their lives together after issues with substance abuse only to relapse and end up right back living the life they had fought so hard to leave behind?
Why does this happen? Well, many experts believe that we all have a pre-determined comfort level about what we are supposed to have and who we are supposed to be.
When something takes us too far out of that comfort zone — even (and sometimes especially) when it’s a positive something, people do something to self-sabotage. Folks will deliberately undermine themselves and all that they have gained to go back to a place where they feel more comfortable, a place that’s more familiar — even if that place is a pretty lousy place to be.
How do we stop this? We need to take a hard look at what we really feel we deserve and make sure that those beliefs are ones that support us — rather than sabotage us.
Thought for the day:
The biggest obstacle to creating a wonderful life is self-limiting beliefs. A self-limiting belief is an idea you have that you are limited in some way, in terms of time, talent, intelligence, money, ability, or opportunity - Brian Tracy
Today’s Action Challenge:
Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women. Lose weight and look great — 90 Day Money Back Guarantee!!
- Be willing to take an honest look at what you really believe relative to your goals. If it is a financial goal — do you REALLY believe that you deserve abundance? A relationship goal– do you believe you deserve to be loved and are lovable? A fitness goal - can you imagine yourself thin, fit, healthy?
- Consider what root beliefs (probably from your childhood) might have shaped any negative beliefs.
- Write down what you truly believe relative to the goals you want to achieve. What are the old beliefs that might be holding you back? Write them down in detail, even if the more evolved part of you knows they are ridiculous, give vent to them. Or hash them out with someone close to you. These beliefs are usually not rational, they are emotional and primal.
- Tony Robbins says to replace the old limiting beliefs with something new and empowering and in-line with your goals. Usually this is just a matter of stating the opposite of the negative belief. So perhaps “I’ll never be able to lose weight” becomes…”There is no reason in the world that I can’t lose weight and keep it off for life. Millions of people have — and so can I!”. Try to repeat your new empowering beliefs every time the old thoughts creep pulling you off course.
- And lastly…and I think this is a really powerful one… remember as Tony Robbins says “the past does not equal the future”. In other words just because you weren’t able to do something in the past, doesn’t mean there is any reason you can’t do it now. Think of all of the things in your life that you never thought you would do, be or have…at one point in time many of those things seemed unimaginable or unattainable, but now they’re here! Your 2009 goals and dreams can be the same.
