CHANGE THE STORY
It is not a simple thing to let go of a whole reality about life. We’re
comfortable with it, because it’s known. It might not always be what we
prefer, but it feels real. To some degree, this creates a reluctance to
let go of it. Most of us would love to live in a world without fighting,
drama and suffering. But we often hear, ‘I’m only one person, what can I
do that will make a difference.’ The answer is to work on ourselves and
increase our light vibration. Instead of thinking we have to completely
change, which can seem overwhelming, a few simple steps can shift us
moving toward a new life for ourselves and the world.
One of the things that keep us tied into the old way of suffering and
division is the many beliefs we’e accepted as true. They've become so
much a part of our thinking, we don’t notice they’re there. Many are
traditions handed down through generations or picked up from
family, friends and society. These can continue to influence our
thinking and behaviour, even when we’ve never actually checked if
they’re true.
It is easy to see that some beliefs can have a major impact, and can
influence our decisions for years. We may even know some people who have
these beliefs, like, I have to do it myself to do it properly, I need to
stay busy, I’m a failure, the world is unsafe, I can't trust anyone,
nothing ever works out, I’m not good enough, I don't deserve good
things, I have to stay in control, I’m too old, too young, too late or
too inexperienced, I have to keep everyone happy, life is a struggle.
Many of our beliefs are below our conscious awareness. People think
they’re describing reality, when really they’re viewing life through
past experiences, other people's beliefs and a lot of conditioning and
conclusions formed along the way.
Look how often we hear, ‘I can never find a parking spot’. If we believe
that, we usually only notice every time it happens, and overlook all the
times we found one easily. If we really believe we are ‘bad
with computers’, we’re likely to panic and give up the minute a screen
pops up with an unfamiliar message. And people who say, ‘I’m always
late,’ or ‘I never win,’ are creating self-fulfilling prophecies.
Even smaller beliefs influence our behaviour more than we realize. In
fact, we have thousands of them, some are so much a part of our life, we
rarely question them. We just accept things they’re right, such as the
belief that food is safe to eat if it’s picked up off the floor within
five seconds, that humans only use ten percent of their brains, that
cracking knuckles causes arthritis or eating carrots dramatically
improves night vision.
An interesting example is the belief that goldfish have a three-second
memory. Many people assume goldfish wake up to a brand new world every
few seconds. In reality, goldfish are far more capable than most people
realise. Scientists have trained them to navigate mazes, recognize
shapes and sounds, and remember feeding routines for many months. That
might sound like a silly example, but it highlights an important point.
If we believe goldfish have little awareness or memory, we may be less
concerned about their care and wellbeing. We might provide a poor
environment in their tank, with the wrong temperature, no water plants
or places to seek shelter to rest (or escape from other fish!) because
we assume they don’t notice or remember. Sometimes we even ignore
evidence to the contrary. We’ve often seen goldfish swim directly to the
feeding area when it hears a familiar signal, but still think it forgets
everything within seconds.
Sometimes a simple exercise can reveal just how many hidden beliefs we
have. To give us an idea of things we believe that mightn’t be true, try
listing your beliefs about the weather. You probably have far more than
you realise. I will start you off. Grey days make me depressed; I can’t
think straight when it’s hot; winter is miserable; summer is the best
time of year; you can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day. Some of these
beliefs contain a grain of truth. Weather can certainly affect comfort,
safety and practical decisions. The interesting part is when an
observation becomes an unquestioned belief. ‘It is raining’ is an
observation. ‘Rain ruins the day’ is a belief. One person sees rain and
cancels their plans, while another puts on a coat, enjoys the fresh air
and carries on. The weather is the same, but the experience is
different.
I will start you off. Grey days make me depressed; I can’t think
straight when it’s hot; winter is miserable; summer is the best time of
year; you can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day. Some of these beliefs
contain a grain of truth. Weather can certainly affect comfort, safety
and practical decisions. The interesting part is when an observation
becomes an unquestioned belief. ‘It is raining’ is an observation. ‘Rain
ruins the day’ is a belief. One person sees rain and cancels their
plans, while another puts on a coat, enjoys the fresh air and carries
on. The weather is the same, but the experience is different.
The point is that belief patterns influence a large percentage of our
lives, and most of the time we don’t even realise it. If we want to step
out of the rat race and create a happier way of living, we need to start
with ourselves. As we change our beliefs, we change our experience of
life, and that helps change the world around us.
Love,
Sandy Stevenson
4.6.26