Shorcuts to Happiness: Part iv.

The impact of the beliefs we hold is profound. The ramifications can be devastating, but conversely, they can be empowering and liberating. If I think something is wrong with me or that I am unlovable, I will probably have corresponding feelings associated with such beliefs – sadness, isolation, and impotence. My actions will follow from that vision of myself.

I might leave a relationship or bury myself in my work to find some meaning or to make some sense of self-worth. Ultimately my body will reflect my mind set with sluggishness, a suppressed immune system, vulnerability to disease and viruses and, perhaps, make myself sick. We can indict ourselves and feel guilty or, in contrast, use the power of beliefs to determine more consciously what happens to us. With such a realization there comes hope, strength and an opportunity to create ourselves anew.

How many of us in the past were taught the value of discomfort as a means of growth. “No pain, no gain.” Some religious teachings offer a vision of suffering as a method of purification. We use unhappiness to motivate ourselves and others. We use fear of cancer to induce others to stop smoking and yet ironically there has never been so many cigarettes sold. We hate our fat bodies and we tell ourselves that we are ugly to encourage ourselves to diet; yet there are more people overweight than ever before. Children are spanked and abused to ‘teach them lessons’ and we express anger to our spouses and loved ones in the hope that we can change them but this only leads to resistance rather than compliance. We arm millions of soldiers around the world to keep the peace, but there are more wars than ever before.

Never the less we push on! We teach misery as a sign of caring (if I am unhappy, you should be unhappy to show me that you care) Is it any wonder we see people looking as if they are carrying the ‘weight of the world’ on their shoulders.

Once we have articulated our beliefs, some of them seem quite bizarre and self-defeating. This is why reviewing them provides us with a wondrous opportunity. Change the beliefs and we change the attitudes, thoughts, feelings and behaviors that come from them. Even after exploring our beliefs, if we choose to keep some of them, we would do so with strengthened conviction. Either way this becomes an altogether healthier situation. People can change at any age. Where there is life there is possibility. Even ancient beliefs can be overturned or replaced in a matter of moments.

We can observe our bodies and learn much about our beliefs. Physical symptoms can help make our wants and concerns more apparent. Thoughts occur body-wide; intelligence exists everywhere in our system. When we think we create new and distinct electromagnetic impulses and chemical substances throughout our entire body. When we say that we've changed our mind, we have made a statement of fact. Our minds as well as our bodies change physically each time we change our belief.

Remember that decision is ours, as it always has been!!

We are the river.......