How to Create New Beliefs

How to Create New Beliefs

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” ~Henry Ford

I used to tell people I was never going to get married or have kids.

That was a belief I held about myself.

My belief wasn’t informed from a place of not wanting to get married or have kids or an inability to commit to someone.

Rather, it was formed from an insecurity that told me I wasn’t good enough to have those things that started from a young age.

So, I believed those things were impossible for me, and it became easy to tell people I wasn’t going to get married or have kids.

I spent most of my life single (SINGLE-single-I barely even talked to guys) and had a few ill-fated relationships with guys who (not surprisingly) had no desire to marry or have kids.

My belief about myself created those results.

Then I entered my 30’s.

I reached a place where I thought “maybe” marriage and kids were possible for me.

The possibility was something I started to explore as I was maturing and growing into the next decade of my life.

Fast-forward to October, 2014.

A small group bible study I was hosting had just adjourned, and I was alone with my thoughts, thinking about what we’d discussed.

It had to do with belief, and that God gave us the authority to believe anything we wanted.

I decided that night I believed I was worthy of marriage and children.

Like, actually believed it was true.

This new belief hit me like lightning.

The following month, I met my husband.

A man who was all-in with me from the start and made it clear he saw us getting married and having kids.

I never saw any of this coming.

But it all started with a change in what I believed.

What I want you to understand from my story is, I had to change my belief about being worthy of marriage and children for it to become my reality.

When I didn’t believe this was true, I created more of the same.

You have to create beliefs that line up with the outcome you desire to see it come to fruition.

Seeing your dreams come to pass starts with the belief that they will.

Whether you believe that they will or they won’t, you’re right either way.

You must be your biggest cheerleader.

But first, lets talk about why creating new beliefs matters.

Why Creating New Beliefs Matters

Before you can accomplish anything, you have to start with believing it’s possible.

Take a moment and think about the components of your life.

Your job, health, relationships, place of residence, goals.

How happy you are (or aren’t) with the way things are.

Now, brace yourself for this truth-bomb:

The results you have in your life right now line up with what you believe about yourself.

I don’t say this to sound harsh or make you feel bad.

Remember: I believed marriage and children weren’t an option for me, and I created results in line with that until I shifted my beliefs.

If you believe you can’t do better than what you’ve got now, you won’t.

Examples of negative beliefs:

I can’t lose 20 pounds. It’s too hard.
Earning six-figures with my online business is impossible.
I’m not capable of building a website.
Owning my dream home is never going to happen because I’ll never be able to afford it.

Now, turn those examples into positive beliefs:

I’m capable of losing 20 pounds to reach my goal weight.
Earning six-figures with my online business is entirely possible for me.
I don’t know how to build a website, but I have the capacity to learn.
Owning my dream home isn’t out of the cards for me because I attract money and I’m saving up.

Getting what you want in life starts with having the belief you can.

Understanding that the beliefs you hold about yourself are directly correlated to the results you have in your life will motivate you to shift what you believe.

Belief Mistake: Waiting for Proof

You don’t need proof, validation, or evidence before believing what you want to believe.

It’s like the woman who gets a dramatic hair cut and then posts a photo on Instagram, looking for comments to prove to herself she looks good with her new ‘do.

Your beliefs should never be wrapped up in what other people think.

I believed what people said to me as a child and into young adulthood and it informed my beliefs about marriage and children for the first 30 years of my life.

As a direct result I had a few sub-par relationships and long bouts of singledom.

If you want to quit your unfulfilling job to start your own business and you believe you have what it takes, do it.

Don’t listen to your friend Negative Nancy telling you it’s not a good idea or that you don’t have what it takes.

If you believe you have what it takes, guess what?

You have what it takes.

So tell Negative Nancy to keep her ignorant opinions to herself and go take a hike.

People will always have opinions all day long and the only one that truly matters and that should inform your beliefs is yours.

If you need more encouragement in warding off the opinions of others, I suggest you check out Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis.

This book is a pep talk of sorts, and she breaks down the lousy excuses people use as to why they can’t achieve their dreams.

There is a whole chapter on what other people think, but the whole book is based around letting go of everything that makes you believe you can’t live your dream life.

Believing Ahead of Time

Don’t wait until you get the result you want to believe it’s possible.

You may be waiting forever if you do.

The reason you need to believe ahead of time is because when your brain believes something to be true, it subconsciously looks for evidence or proof to confirm its beliefs.

I changed my beliefs about marriage and children before I met my husband, not after.

Whatever you’re striving for, you have to believe it’s possible first.

You have to see yourself 20 pounds lighter.

Envision that successful small business you own.

Or see that beautiful website you had no idea how to build, but now it’s done and looks just like you imagined.

And you have to believe you’re capable of attracting money and saving for your dream home.

Now let’s talk about how you create new beliefs to get what you want:

Affirm What You Currently Believe

In personal development circles, there’s an exercise called a “brain dump.”

You write down everything you’re currently thinking.

I want you to do this, targeting the beliefs you have regarding your circumstances.

What you do believe about your job, long-term career, home, relationships, goals, money, etc?

I’m going to use money as an example.

Let’s say your current belief about money is this:

“I’m always struggling with money. There’s never enough. I’ll never make enough money to be able to save and live comfortably. These are just the cards I was dealt in life.”

Grab a pen and some paper or your journal, and just write out all of your beliefs regarding your life circumstances.

Decide What Your Best Self Believes

Let’s go back to the example with money.

What does your best self believe about money?

If you could believe anything about money, what would your best self say?

Your best self might say this:

“There’s always enough money. I’m not making the amount of money I want to make yet, but I am fully capable of making my desired amount. I have the capacity to attract money and live comfortably.”

Practice This New Thought

Now that you’ve identified the thought/belief your best self would have, start practicing it.

Get comfortable with it.

Envision what your life would look like with this reality.

Get the Result

As I mentioned earlier, when you practice a new belief, your brain will subconsciously seek and attract based on that belief.

I started practicing the thought I was worthy of marriage and children, and a month later I met my husband.

My attitude was in line with my new belief and I attracted what I believed was possible.

Now, I’m happily married.

And it all started with a shift in my beliefs.

Before You Go

Getting what you want in life all starts with the belief it’s possible.
When you start from a place of unbelief, you must first change what you believe.
Identifying the belief your best self would have regarding your desired result and practicing that thought is how you shift your beliefs.
Only then will you attract what you desire.

Do you have an example from your life where you had to shift your beliefs to see your dreams come to pass?

I love hearing from you and I respond to every comment, so tell me about it in the comments below!

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