You know the saying “I’ll believe it when I see it”? Well, how could your life be different if you could see it because you believed it? Our beliefs are so ingrained into all of us that we instinctively expect things to unfold in accordance with what we believe to be true. We are so accustomed to these beliefs that we just accept them as truths about ourselves and what we are capable of. Our beliefs are so powerful that they alone have the ability to push us forward or to hold us back.
The thing is that our beliefs are not necessarily based on fact. Our beliefs represent thoughts that we are so used to having over and over again that they become our truth. Our beliefs are shaped by our experiences and information about life as we interpreted it at the time. But just because we perceive something a certain way does not make it factual. If we believe something to be true, it precludes what we deem to be possible or attainable. Indeed, it is the power of belief that allows us to do those things that have never been done before.
Many years ago, it was believed that it was dangerous and physically impossible for the human body to run a 4 minute mile. In 1940, the mile record was pushed to 4.01 and this remained the record for nine years. In 1954, Roger Bannister broke the record and ran a mile in 3:59.4 minutes. Within a year other runners were able to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. Once that barrier was broken, people had no choice but to change what they believed was possible because they now had proof that it could be achieved. Since then, thousands have been able to break the 4-minute barrier. Roger Bannister had no proof that this feat could be accomplished, instead, he was able to believe that it could be done without having proof that it had been done.
Beliefs represent thoughts that have been practiced so often that they form the basis of what we believe to be possible. Whether the beliefs are a result of what you have been told, what you have observed, or what you are telling yourself, they have the power to lift you up or to shrink you down. Take a moment to think about the way you would like something to be or to feel. Now, observe the thoughts that come to you as to why things are not as you would like them to be. Then, instead of focusing on those thoughts, think about how good it will feel when you have those things or accomplishments. There’s a feeling of hope, excitement and bliss that rushes through your body when you can feel what it would feel like to accomplish your dreams. It is this feeling, this rush that will charge you and push you to reach for the impossible.
Many years ago, when I was in a wheelchair, I was told that I would probably never walk again. This prognosis was not what I wanted to hear and it left me feeling hopeless. Still, there was a part of me that did not believe this was all that was possible for me. In fact, when I dreamt, I was walking and running. When I closed my eyes I could feel my legs walking, unassisted. I held on to this feeling, because it felt better to believe that I could have what I wanted, my freedom. I don’t know for sure exactly how I was able to regain my physical abilities, but I do know that believing it was possible was essential to making it reality.
“If your beliefs make you feel good on the inside, make that your priority and watch how effortlessly things on the outside begin to work out.” – Dr. Julie Doobay
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2019
