art and magic of believing ebook - writable.pdf

DEDICATIONThis ebook is for all curious and driven fellow travellers...

who are looking for and using tools to expand consciousness. Its a companion for our miraculous journey, reminding us how we came

to believe what we believe, that it can be healthy to upgrade beliefs, as well as being a testament to the power of our beliefs.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe brightest and most vibrant colours inspiring this ebook...

have come from two dynamic way-showers: Christopher Howard.. no, I wasn't excited about jumping up and down

and making noise at his Breakthrough to Success seminar, but I'm so glad I did. I gave myself over to his methods for a weekend, and am ever grateful for the

insights that came out of it. And Bruce Lipton... his scientific findings, and his layman explanations absolutely

light me up. This is the stuff prophets have been saying for centuries and our scientific methods are now able to explain at least some of how this works!

Cover Photo kindly provided by h.koppdelaneyThanks to morguefile.com for photo's used to create internal images

Inspired Personal Development, 2010By Cathy Johnson Campbell. All Rights Reserved.

Art and Magic of Believing

I think this eCourse is brilliant. It opens up new vistas into oneself. Eric

This is one of the most important pieces of literature I have received in my life. You surely make a difference in people's lives. I wish you all the very best.

Thanks a lot, may god bless you.Suresh Kumar

This course is so good. Anything a person does to create harmony at the level of energy is doing it for all, including the earth.

Maybe I think I know these things but becoming aware of and being responsible for every thought is a journey with no end. Thank you.

Vladimir

It contained so much of value and things I never realized about my beliefs. I appreciated all the practical exercises as well. Thank you so much for this gift!

Blessings, Cathi Bee

Thank you for this powerful e-course. Thank you very much.Blessings, Patricia

I went through the first part and got hooked - wishing I had the time to go through the entire class now :)

Cyndi - evolutionezine.com

I enjoy the newness in the program which has led me to a new way of Being in the world.

Regards, Ronaye


Table of Contents

What Are Beliefs?........................................................5

Developing Your Belief System..................................17

The Magic of Believing..............................................29

Power Of Belief .........................................................39

Actively Changing Beliefs..........................................47

Methods To Change Core Beliefs..............................57

Perfect Personal Affirmations.....................................66


What Are Beliefs?

inspired-personal-development.com 5


Congratulations, you are one smart explorer to further your personal development by discovering more about your beliefs.

Ready? Let's get into looking at what beliefs really are. Best to thoroughly understand them as they're possibly the most important guiding force in your life. One of Tony Robbins great sayings reminds us:

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.

Of course you know your beliefs are the views and opinions you hold about every little thing (and big thing!) in your life and world. (Mmmm... 'opinions'? Are beliefs any more than that?)The detailed view uncovered in this first module reveals:

How you can identify beliefsHow your unique window on the world affects what you believeDo you see the truth?What 2 main categories of beliefs impact your life?The first hints of limiting beliefs you splash on your canvas of life

There are five exercises for you to explore through this first chapter... have fun baring your beliefs.

How To Identify What You Believe

Some people might think, well that's easy, just ask me and I'll tell you what I believe. Easy sometimes. Other times there are many interesting little nooks and crannies in our belief systems.Here's an example:What do you believe the 'little tasks' (ie. Picking up dry cleaning, returning video rentals, grocery shopping, etc) mean in your life?As written on the What Are Beliefs web page, two very different answers might be:

1. They are an intrusion into my time.2. They are a valid life experience for me, as full of value as doing anything

else.



What is your own answer to that question?

Let's consider the first answer, "the little tasks are an intrusion", and look a bit more closely at other thoughts that may accompany that idea. Here are some possibilities:

1. These menial tasks are suitable for people with low level qualifications

2. If you are doing these menial tasks, you are saying you have low level qualifications

3. Doing menial tasks is not helping save the planet4. If you are doing these menial tasks, you are not adding value to the

world5. You do not have much worth if you must do these tedious tasks

This is a typical example of how significant meaning and impact can be buried below the surface of everyday events. Such simple beliefs affect multiple areas of your life... your relationships, your happiness, and your success.

Exercise One - Everyday Beliefs Impacting YouThis eBook course is for you to gain further awareness of what your beliefs are... not to judge them as good or bad. Your beliefs are what they are. You've adopted them for reasons that seemed to suit you well at the time. (Reasons are delved into later.)

Think about your activities today and simply ask yourself, "what do I believe about these aspects of my life". Write your thoughts down here:

The importance of my job role.

The food I eat to nourish myself



The amount of time I have to pursue leisure activities and hobbies

The state of my physical fitness

Beliefs Are The Precursor To Emotions'What you believe' comes first, and this leads you to what you feel. But sometimes your feelings are more obvious.

Feelings can be a great tool in uncovering your beliefs, as we'll see. Think about feeling exasperated about those menial errands we talked about earlier, 'taking up your valuable time'.

As contrast, think about the emotions of a person who sees those tasks as valid life experience. It's reasonable to consider a person with this second attitude would have manoeuvred through those same errands with calm and appreciation.

Any negative emotions you experience in life (sadness, fear, anger, anxiety) are eye opening hints about what you believe. It's obvious when these feelings hit, they are telling you there's something you don't like and/or don't agree with. It's common to want to eliminate whatever seems to be causing your disruptive state. But... is elimination the most enlightening approach?

Exercise Two - Emotions Point The WayAnswer the following questions with the first things that come to your mind. Let yourself recall whatever you might, whether it's a subconscious thought or a vivid memory. Just let it roll off your mind and onto the paper. If no idea comes to mind for one item, simply go on to the next.

I feel angry when...



My patience runs out when...

I get overwhelmed when...

Deep sadness descends on me when...

I feel disappointed when...

Embarrassment hits me when...

It's probably easy to look at your list and imagine your life would be better off without these things 'bringing you down'. The reality is, these things are in your life.

Certainly you can often make change in the world in order to enjoy a more positive experience. (ex. Hire someone to run your monotonous errands for you). But often you cannot make the world change because you do not have total control over the universe (ex. Replenish your bank account with a snap of your fingers).

The great thing is, uncomfortable emotions can illuminate your understanding if you look closely. You'll see that what is 'bringing you down' is the meaning you attribute to these situations.

Take the first item above, anger, for example:

When people feel angry it usually relates to feeling threatened in some manner. They might believe their intelligence, power, pride, or security is under attack.

If you can pinpoint what it is for yourself, you're a step closer to lessening the negative affects of anger in your life.



Although you can't always change the world around you, there is something you are in control of changing... that's your beliefs.

But, how can you decide whether or not you should change your beliefs? What if your beliefs are all true, even if they do make you feel terrible and cranky (?!).

Well just hold that question, because that's exactly what we're going to consider next... do your beliefs reflect reality?

Do You See Reality?With your first breath you begin to construct a belief system to give your life meaning and order. If you cry in response to an empty tummy, and those cries are repeatedly met with loving arms and warm milk, you may quickly come to believe that you will be taken care of when you are in need. You may have an older brother who also sees you cry, and then get fed. The meaning he allocates to that event may be very different than your own.

Everyone is graced with a unique window into the world. With this personal view, you have a perspective unlike any other.

You take in information and process it according to this perspective.

Your perceptions, although masterful in that they are yours alone, also represent an innate bias due to this very same subjective nature. Your limited view and limited knowledge mean that you examine the world within boundaries. Everyone constructs their belief system biased by the boundaries of ones own unique life viewpoint and experiences.

"It is the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perceptionis also the limit of all there is to perceive."

C.W. Headbeater

This bias points to an important truth about beliefs... beliefs are not necessarily based on reality. Rather, they are based on your distinctive perceptions. When you have enough knowledge and experience of an idea so that it gives you a sense of certainty about it, you have a belief. That belief then takes the role of an 'assumed truth' in your life.

Once a belief is established in your mind, it is common to develop tunnel vision around it. Since you believe 'it is the answer', you tend to rule out other possibilities and fore go any imagination on the subject. In this way, beliefs can act as an obstacle to more complete understandings.



"We are boxed in by the boundary conditions of our thinking."Albert Einstein

None of us have a monopoly on truth. Each of us are biased by the things we see, taste, touch, hear, smell, and sense. And no two of us have experienced the exact same things, have we?

It's wise to reflect on this when we're convinced we know the truth, as well as when we're considering another person's point of view.

Topic Specific And Global BeliefsWhat are Topic Specific and Global Beliefs?Your personal belief system is made up of these two primary types of beliefs:

1. Topic specific beliefs -This type of belief relates to a specific topic, event, ability, or person in your life. The topics presented in Day 1 of this eSeries were all specific beliefs. Other examples include:

The Vietnam war should have never happened. Global warming needs our undivided attention. Global warming is a farce. Susan is a lovely person. I am a very good pianist.

2. Global beliefs -These are things we believe about how our world operates. They are ideas about core principles of life itself, and they underlay the structure and primary understanding of our lives. They form our big picture paradigm.

Anyone and everyone in the world will have their own global beliefs around universal themes such as:

The existence (or not) of God Monogamous relationships War in general

It doesn't matter where you live, what government operates in your country, how educated you are... everyone will establish some of their own meanings around these 'big picture' ideas.



Exercise Three - Your Primary ColoursFollowing are some 'big picture' phrases for you to complete. Finish each sentence with as many endings as come to mind. Write quickly and you will not be so likely to judge or censor your remarks. Listen to what you are saying:

Life is...

God is...

People are...

The world is...

Dreams are...

is truly worth living for.

Your answers glimpse some at primary beliefs that colour every day of your life.



Now take a step back from your personal involvement with your answers. Imagine someone just walking in your door today who holds all those beliefs.

Ask yourself: Do you think they would be happy or grouchy? Would they be cynical or looking to understand? Would they be kind and considerate, or mean and inconsiderate? Would

they be that way to everyone, or just a select group? Would they be optimistic or pessimistic? Do you think they would work hard toward their goals and be successful, or

would they give up and settle for what's easiest?

Next you'll compare your global beliefs to those of someone else. Mmmm... I wonder who?

Step Into Success Do you spend any time wondering what other people believe? Well that's exactly what we're going to do now.

Remember the exercise you just did? You completed phrases about 6 different Global Beliefs you hold... about Life, God, People, The world, Dreams, and What's worth living for. Then you distanced yourself and considered what a person holding such beliefs would feel, and how they'd act.

Now it's your chance to consider someone entirely different from that person.

Specifically, someone extremely successful... how would they think about these topics?

Exercise Four - Success Suggests Empowerment

Think of someone very successful who you admire. Imagine what some of their empowering global beliefs might be around these 5 topics, and list them here.

Life is...



People are...

The world is...

Dreams are...

is truly worth living for.

Of course you can't be certain what an individual like Oprah, or Ghandi, or the specific person you hold in high esteem believes about these topics unless you ask them (sorry, I don't have enough pull to arrange any interviews :).

But, you can likely determine that Oprah for example is not ruled by a belief that "Life is impossibly difficult", or "People are all out for themselves". Do you see what I mean?

When we think about successful people, most of us intuitively know they are an open minded group who look for solutions... because they believe solutions can be found. Your answers to the above questions will hint at these traits.

When you consider the mindset of success, it's easy to imagine why mentoring with someone you look up to is so helpful, isn't it?

Next is another exercise for you... to help you create your future as you want it to be.



Building Positive BeliefsTime for a little bit more self reflection. You'll be asked what you know about yourself, and... what more you can imagine.

As Einstein says: Imagination is more important than knowledge!

Exercise Five - Create Your FutureList at least 3 empowering beliefs you hold about yourself. This can be related to any aspect of your life, including your character, work, social setting, family, friends, etc. You can use positive things other people have said about you, as long as you believe them.

Now, list 3 empowering beliefs you can see value in adopting.

You create yourself with your beliefs every moment of every day.

Your broadening understanding of what beliefs are and how they work in your life is an excellent foundation for moving towards to greater self empowerment, more creativity and greater success.



Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Here is a poem to reflect on, in aid of empowering yourself.

"Because I am the person I will have a relationship with all of my life, I will:Love myself the way I am now,

Always acknowledge that I am enough just as I am,Love, honour and cherish myself,

Be my own best friend,Be the person I would like to spend the rest of my life with,

Always take care of myself so that I can take care of others,Always grow, develop and share my love and life."

Anonymous



Developing Your Belief System



In this module you are going to look more closely at how you've adopted your beliefs, and how they stand up to a bit of scrutiny.

This chapter will answer your questions around:

Where do beliefs come from?Do you learn what to believe?Why do you hold beliefs?Why do some actions appear inconsistent with what someone apparently

believes?

Two exercises, and a challenge await you.

How Do Your Beliefs Form?A belief develops as you gather enough experiences and ideas to support it. The support in your mind must be strong enough to create the certainty of attitude that represents 'believing in something'.

Imagine a bridge, held up by solid supporting structures, and taking you from one side, to the other. Beliefs are like bridges in your mind. We collect material to support our idea, and when it is strong enough, it becomes a link to new experiences of thought, emotion and action.

Every 'reason' you believe something strengthens your bridge with more steel support.



Yes, our beliefs are reason based, even if they are not always rational (and we shall see later that they are definitely not always rational!).

Here are 2 great examples illustrating that your beliefs have their grounds in reason:

1. You believe the earth is round. Now someone tells you that you should believe it's flat. There is no way you can just suddenly drop everything you have accumulated in your mind, and simply believe it is flat. You can't because you don't 'choose' what you believe. You learn your beliefs.

2. Think of something that you would not do, no matter what the circumstances. Now imagine someone asks you to do exactly that. You can't and you wouldn't. Your beliefs would have to change in order for you to decide to do it.

Inconsistency between Beliefs and Action?Sometimes there appears to be a discrepancy between what a person knows and how you think they should act based on what they believe.

Their actions clearly show that there is an inconsistency or incongruity between the information they have been given, and the way they have integrated beliefs into their life.

Children misbehaving are a perfect example of this. When a child misbehaves, the interested parents' response is "why did you do that?!" Because the parent knows that there are reasons behind why the child acted as they did.

The parent may be frustrated because they have taught the child the 'right' way to act. They gave them reasons, and still the child didn't hold the same belief as the parent about what was important. That's because the child had different 'priorities' than the parents. They may have held the same primary beliefs, yet because their priority was different, their actions were different.

Both parent and child may have the same beliefs around 'the child riding their bike':

1. it's fun

2. it gives the child a mode of independent transport to the nearby park

3. the bike is nice and needs to be taken care of

4. there are safety rules to be obeyed when riding

The child's priority list around riding their bike may be in the order of the above list, whereas the parent's priority list is in exactly the opposite order!



For the child to change their priorities, they will need more good reasons to do so. This is just as true for adults manoeuvring their way through life.

As you add and strengthen beliefs in your bridges, take note of what you prioritize, and where you place it in your structure.

Exercise One - Prioritizing BeliefsA) Think of 5 of your beliefs around having a happy family life.

B) Prioritize these 5 beliefs from most important for you, to least.

Number 1 should be extremely compelling to you. It points to something you are at least 100% committed to have. By the time you get to number 5, it shows something that you believe is an asset, although at this point in time it doesn't take precedence.

Have a close review of that list and notice how it reflects the life that you have created around you. It can be quite an eye opener when you notice what is most imperative to you, and what is least so, out of these 5.



Now, to shine more light on the picture, ask someone in your family to do this same exercise. This could be your partner, child, parent or sibling. Anyone who you think you would benefit from further understanding what drives and motivates them.

Perhaps you'll see some enlightening differences in these lists. Remember, no one is wrong... it's just what you each believe, through what you have learned to be most important in your life.

Belief Building MaterialsYou may be surprised by the wide variety of information that is used to build the bridges of beliefs. It may be:

real

imagined

accurate

inaccurate

your own experiences

the experiences of others that you have seen or heard about

consciously analyzed

subconsciously adopted

interpretations of painful and pleasurable experiences

misinterpretations of the past, or of information passed on to us

inappropriate generalizations

gathered through the 5 senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste

perceived through the 6th sense of intuition

As you can see, development of beliefs does not depend on the reliability of the information. Rather it depends on your personal interpretation of the information. And you have your own reasons, based on your unique life interpretation, that do not necessarily rely on reality.



Despite all of this questionable input, your bridges of belief become incredibly strong supports which you build your life upon.

Here are the 5 main reasons you believe the things you do:

1. Evidence: Cause and affectBuilding bridges when you have scientific evidence showing that one thing causes another, appeals to the analytical part of your mind.

Beliefs established with this method are very rationale and based on the use of logical thinking.

There is another experience of evidence based believing also. That is when you have personal experience of cause and affect in your own life. For example:

You feel more alert when you have coffee

If you drive over the speed limit and a police radar sees you, you will likely get a speeding ticket

2. Tradition The family and culture you grow up in are a large influence to the beliefs you adopt. In this environment we are continuously fed information on 'the way things are, and the way things are done'. It is common for many people to accept these traditions without rigorous questioning.

A prominent belief that has become ingrained in much of western culture and society, and that is at the root cause of stress for many people, is centred on success. We all want success of one variety or another, and that's great.

However, society has been huge on promoting the version of success that says:

'go for it, and attain it' or you are a loser

keep up with the Jones

by achieving skills, goals, or position and status, you prove yourself worthy

This becomes a problem when you believe your self worth is related to your success!



If you do that, and don't succeed, you are basically saying you are not worth anything. Can you see the problem here?

Think of anytime you felt like you somehow failed in your life. Possibly when:

You failed a subject you were studying

You were turned down for a job you thought you were perfect for

A boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife left you

You had a plan to invest money to make money, and ended up losing all your investment instead

How hard you fall during setbacks like these indicates whether your self worth is aligned with 'external things', or with your own innate value. The truth is, you are innately valuable and no one and nothing can take that away from you.

Consider two 10 year old boys. Both are precocious and full of life. One of them is a violin virtuoso. The other has just failed his music lessons.

Does one have more value than the other? Of course not.

The rampant rise in depression in western civilization is linked to people not recognizing their own self worth. For a happy life it is a crucial and empowering step to embrace your own personal value. If you cannot come to see this clearly on your own, ask a life coach for some guidance.

"Personal worth is like a gem, a diamond inside of you. It's a hard beautiful diamond. It cannot be taken away, nor broken."

Media and Culture

The reason media and culture are worthy of a special note is because they represent a mix of belief building materials;

Tradition - media and culture can spread traditional ideas (of course media and culture can also spread new popular culture ideas)

Authority - it can seem the media is 'all knowing' and therefore hold considerable influence (see further explanation of Authority below)

Association - according to media broadcasts it might sound like 'everyone' is doing whatever it is they are promoting, so you might be more likely to think you should too (see further explanation of Association below)



And, the combined force of media and culture is more powerful now than it ever has been.

Only 50 years ago, without world wide internet and television, it would have been unheard of that more than a community of people would be aware of the same slogans.

Now these catchy marketing lines lines are known in far corners of the world:

Just Do It - Nike

Be the first to know - CNN

The Power to Be Your Best - Apple Computers

Don't live a little, live a lotto - Lotto Advertising

Ideas promoted by the media now travel through society like wildfire. The power and influence of such messages is able to broaden and deepen the influence of beliefs it is promoting.

Who are you listening to in the media and which messages are they promoting? There are wonderful messages coming through as well and it's up to us to be selective.

Just this week I saw a television program broadcasting a show of a wealthy family that went undercover into a very poor neighbourhood rife with crime, to see what needs those people have.

They witnessed people who have great needs, yes, but.... also have tremendously rich hearts in giving of their caring, their time and effort.

The wealthy family gave tens of thousands of dollars to good causes within that community. It was a heart touching story showing the compassion of humanity, and spreading hope that we will more and more people helping one another to live safe and healthy lives.

3. Authority People or institutions in positions of power play a large role in the beliefs that individuals assume. The view is often that they must be right because they are in control. Looking around at some governments, we can surely see this is not always the case.



4. Association Everyone subtly influences everyone else that they come in contact with. When you habitually associate with a particular group of people, it is natural that you will sway one another in the ways you look at things. Start assessing just what it is that your friends believe. Some of these beliefs will be obvious through their actions, and some they will blatantly speak to you. Remember you can identify yet others by watching their emotional reactions to events.

5. Revelation When you have a 'revelation' about something, you mind becomes privy to information you didn't know you had at your disposal. It is like a thought appears from no where. Some other names for this include; intuition, gut feeling, minds eye, and Albert Einstein's favourite..Imagination.

"Imagination is the preview of life's coming attractions."

Another reflection on 5 methods for forming your beliefs: building your belief system

Exercise Two - Where Have Your Beliefs Come From??1. Think of a few beliefs you hold:

i. Something you have believed for as long as you can remember

ii. About the driving skills of people of some other nationalities

iii. What your idea of God or the Creative Energy is

iv. About whether coffee or chocolate are good for you



2. Reviewing the 5 major building blocks of beliefs, ask yourself what sources may have influenced you in forming each of the preceding beliefs?

3. Decide whether each of those beliefs is based in logic or emotion for you, and record your answer here.

4. Write down why it is important to you, to believe each of the above statements.



5. Ask, are each of the beliefs empowering you, empowering others, and empowering the world, or are they limiting?

6. Can you imagine that each of the beliefs may be incorrect?

Is Anything Worth Believing?When we look back and scrutinize the reliability of our beliefs, it seems fairly easy to see that they are often built of flimsy shadows.

It's been said that beliefs are not to be trusted and the wisest thing is:

"Don't believe anything. Regard things on a scale of probabilities. The things that seem most absurd, put under 'Low Probability', and the

things that seem most plausible, you put under 'High Probability'. Never believe anything.

Once you believe anything, you stop thinking about it." Robert A. Wilson



Once you adopt a belief and tie yourself into 'knowing', you forget it is merely an interpretation. You treat the information as reality. And this can be very misleading.

So, why believe anything??

Well, for an extremely good reason.

When you believe, it seems you align with a wondrous creative power. There is a power and magic in believing.

"Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe." Mark Victor Hansen

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." Anatole France

The secret is to believe wisely.

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been

handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with

reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." Buddha

Take It To The Streets!By working through this module and understanding where your beliefs come from, you have taken an opportunity to see your life with more clarity.

Well done for taking a closer look!

Continue at it on a daily basis. When you find yourself thinking about the way you will handle something, ask yourself where your belief behind it was founded.

Next chapter we'll look at the incredible magic that believing creates in your life.



The Magic of Believing



Last module you developed a good idea of where you adopt your beliefs from, and you began to question whether they have a solid basis, and are supporting you.

In this chapter, you are going to begin to look closely at the magic that happens when you believe.

Some of the aspects you will consider include:

Further explore how your beliefs make you feel.Can your beliefs help to reveal opportunities for you in the world?How a persons beliefs and actions are related.Why you can get an idea about what a person believes by looking at their life.

You're recommended to do the three exercises in this chapter as you reach them.

Hope you have fun learning more about why you see what you see, and why you do what you do!

The Magic of Believing How is it that miraculous things of creation seem to be born and grow from a simple belief? It seems like magic because so much power and momentum can come out of such a small invisible seed. As you give beliefs focus and strength, they absolutely sprout and might seem to take on a life of their own. Whatever you believe affects:

how you feel

the opportunities you notice in your world

the kind of action you take

and therefore your results

This trail, leading from your belief to your results, takes time. How much time it takes can depend on how you plant, tend, fertilize, prune, and generally nurture that belief.

"No thing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig.

If you tell me that you desire a fig,I answer you that there must be time to let it first blossom,

then bear fruit, then ripen."Epictetus 50 -120



"The thing happens that you really believe in;and the belief in a thing makes it happen."

Frank Lloyd Wright

"Size of your success is determined by the size of your belief." David Schwartz

Are you ready to cultivate empowering beliefs?!

Your Belief Affects How You FeelYou open your eyes with a clean slate. As soon as you take in what is happening around you, you begin to assess it. Then you look at the information you gathered and assess it again according to what you think should be taking place ie. what you believe is right.

You judge reality against your beliefs (keep in mind that it might make more sense to judge your beliefs against reality!). Emotions that correlate with the beliefs you hold are then triggered. This all happens subconsciously at the speed of light.

You can know for certain that it's not the 'event' that makes you feel the emotions, because a number of other people may also experience the event, yet they feel different emotions (based on their beliefs).

Taking a wrong turn in the car may make you angry, yet not make your partner angry at all.

Waiting in a long queue may upset some, while others are standing there laughing and joking.

Extreme examples are victims of war or debilitating accidents who feel beaten, yet others seem to rise above it and even excel because of it.

Beliefs are crucial to the way you feel:

If you believe you are as good as everyone else, you will feel confident.

If you believe life is supporting your existence, you will feel relaxed and secure.

If you believe you always act based on your own priorities, you will feel empowered.

If you believe others are on 'your side', you will feel connected to others, and that they support you.



These messages are telling us loudly and clearly that it is what we believe between our ears, that will give us angst or peace in our hearts and minds. The path to peace is indeed within us.

Your Belief Reveals Your OpportunitiesThis is where the magic of believing really begins to shine. You basically wear 'belief glasses' through life. Your view is coloured by your beliefs and this is a big determinant in the opportunities you spot! (Learn to look for opportunities best aligned with your personal strengths.)

Imagine you are asked to pay attention and notice everything you can about all of the red cars you see when driving the next 5 kilometres. You watch carefully and look at the number, shape and size of all the red cars. At the end of the drive, you are asked how many grey cars you saw. What! You were looking at red cars and didn't even notice the grey ones.

It is the same type of sorting you do when your 'belief filters' are operating! Whether you believe that people do appreciate you, or do not appreciate you... that is who you will see! When you focus on what you believe, your mind looks for correlating information that will support you in your belief.

That is an example of consciously looking for something. Much of the time your beliefs operate at a subconscious level. When you consider the power of the subconscious at work, it becomes even more spectacular!

The subconscious mind is a million times more powerful than the conscious mind. It is like a supercomputer juggling millions of bits of information behind the scenes, compared to the limited conscious awareness keeping just a few documents open and running at any given moment.

Imagine your subconscious, vociferously devouring information, searching for correlates to your beliefs. It is constantly filtering and asking 'is this a match', 'does this support', and then either immediately rejecting the info or delivering it to your conscious mind.

Imagine you are hoping to find a job as a computer programmer. You are focusing on being a computer programmer and all that lifestyle entails. When you open a newspaper, your subconscious scans millions of words in a matter of seconds. It can hone your attention in like a laser on those valuable words 'computer programmer', whether the article is about a job available or about a programmer who just got married.



Your filtering system is constantly at work to notify you of opportunities that relate to your beliefs.

Here are a few examples of noticing things, and their correlating beliefs:

1. Noticed another car wash location on a new route I drove today I believe my car needs to be washed

2. A couple of people offered to give me advice about a problem I was dealing with

I believe there are many people around me who are happy to share valuable information with me

3. When I went to the beach, I noticed a good looking single man out walking his dogs,

I believe that there is an attractive man who will be a good mate for me

Exercise One - Beliefs Deliver OpportunityList 3 opportunities you have noticed in your life lately relating to having the relationship you want , your work, or health, and the corresponding belief behind noticing them:

1. Opportunity noticed -

Corresponding belief -







This exercise highlights not only the fact that life brings to attention those opportunities that will help you to live up to your beliefs. It also gives you the chance to ask yourself what your beliefs are, based on the opportunities you are seeing, or not seeing in life!

Springboard to Joy or SorrowYour conscious and subconscious will deliver you the goods to endorse your personal belief system, whether that be one of abundance and friendship or lack and enemies.

If you only see problems, as opposed to opportunities, this is also a clear reflection of what you believe.

Here are some examples of problems that you might see, and the corresponding belief, and 'reality check' correlating with each:

1. I have no time to do what I want.

Dis-empowering belief: Everything I do is for others, and nothing is simply for me.

Reality check: All your time is being spent as you have decided to spend it. You have prioritized what you believe is best, given your situation, so everything you do is spending time as you wish to.

2. I hate my job and hate going to work.

Dis-empowering belief: I had to take this job, and it is not what I want to be doing.

Reality check: You took this job based on your priorities. Based on what you knew at the time and what your priorities were, this job looked like your best option. You want to be doing this job.



3. I've tried everything to lose weight, and I can't.

Dis-empowering belief: It's impossible for me to lose weight.

Reality check: Of course you have not tried 'everything' to lose weight. There are many people that are not overweight so obviously there are ways that weight can be reduced. There is more for you to learn that will enable you to be healthy and lose weight.

Exercise Two - Reality Check List 3 problems you have noticed in your life lately, plus the corresponding belief that is behind your interpretation of 'problem', and figure out what the 'reality check' is that correlates with each:

1. Problem -

Belief -

Reality Check -

2. Problem -

Belief -

Reality Check -



3. Problem -

Belief -

Reality Check -

Obviously it is important to identify problems so that you can find solutions, yet if problems are all you see, your mental health is suffering. Start to look at the problems you see as an opportunity to learn something. Look for the lesson so you can move on from it. This starts you on the road to embracing more empowering beliefs in your life.

As a life coach for personal development, I appreciate the value you can receive from a few sessions of coaching. This might be something you want to check out to help you build your understanding, and access further tools to support your personal growth.

Nurturing Your Empowering BeliefsClearly, it is important to have life affirming and empowering beliefs firmly planted in both your conscious and your subconscious. You do this through truly believing something, not just paying 'lip service' to it.

Four great steps to do this:

1. Remember from Part 2 how you develop your belief system? You need enough good reasons to believe something! So give yourself reasons based in reality.

2. Then surrender to it! Basically this means letting go of any 'nay saying' in your mind, let go of your doubts and trust life to assist you in living your vision.

3. Focus on it in your daily life and notice what you notice! Are you seeing all the opportunities ('red cars') to take your belief to fruition. What do you recognize from today that aided you in your empowering beliefs?



4. Reinforce what you believe through smart affirmations. Claude M. Bristol in The Magic of Believing, recommends looking in the mirror and into your own eyes when saying affirmations:

I clearly see through nature that life is incredible and abundant. As I am part of this, life has glorious riches to share with me too.

I see that a bird flying in the sky and a child walking down the street both shine with beautiful life value. As I am also an innocent creation, I am innately valuable.

The world has always suffered atrocities and yet always survived. If I come up against difficulties, I know life will support me and help me discover how to best get through it.

When I really wanted to achieve something before, I recognize it helped to apply myself to the challenge. I know that I can achieve my potential by applying attention and action.

Believing Produces Action"Human beings are not random creatures;

all of our actions are the result of our beliefs."Anthony Robbins

Every action you do in your life is coming from what you align yourself with. Action is the result of how you feel based on your beliefs (and priorities of those beliefs... Remember from Part Two). Your beliefs provide the reasons behind your actions.

If you believe you are as good as everyone else, you feel confident and may walk into a room standing tall with shoulders back, with your head raised, and greeting people with eye contact and perhaps a smile.

If you believe that life is supporting your existence, you feel relaxed and secure in life, and will likely remain calm and simply question people if you encounter difficulties, rather than get angry and attack people.

Action is indeed another valuable way to nurture your beliefs. If you are given an opportunity to support your belief and you do not act on it, it is like telling your subconscious that you didn't really want it. You might not notice the next opportunity because your subconscious is now uncertain whether you are serious. It's like you put the brakes on. However, if you act on every opportunity that endorses your belief, chances are that you will be flying to the next step in your adventure very soon.



You Wear Your Beliefs

"The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs."

As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

"my life is my message" Ghandi

This is true of us all... our life is our message. What we are expressing are our beliefs. The amount we weigh, the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the job we do... they all express what we believe in our lives. We portray the beliefs we endorse.

I encourage you to think about your experience of dancing through eternity one step at a time. Ask yourself 'what is the most purposeful and passionate message I have to offer the world' and make your life reflect that message.

Exercise Three - Opportunity and Action

Each day journal at least 1 opportunity you notice that supports your empowering beliefs.

Each week, journal at least 1 action you take that stands behind what you believe.

In Chapter 4, you'll see that beliefs are not limited to affecting your emotions or actions. They can literally change your body in a matter of moments.



Power Of Belief



Last module you looked at the trail that beliefs forge in your life, and the evidence they leave in their wake. From that information you now notice the opportunities or apparent roadblocks your beliefs present you in life, and the actions you take because of what you believe.

By identifying these opportunities, roadblocks and resulting actions, you are gaining awareness that you have given power to specific beliefs to control your life.

This module you'll look at another aspect of the power of belief... the mind body connection. You'll see how what you believe literally drives the cells in your body. It becomes very apparent that what we believe does indeed shape who we become, in more ways than one.

Some of the information covered in this module includes:

How can my beliefs possibly affect my body?Is there scientific evidence of a 'belief body' connection?Can we develop beliefs that will help to nurture our health?What must you have in order to consider changing beliefs?

Delve into the two exercises in this chapter with the intention of gaining meaningful understanding around how your beliefs affect you, and I'm sure you will.

Obvious Belief - Body ConnectionsLet's look first at some obvious physical reactions you have to your beliefs:

You believe that snakes are dangerous. Therefore, as soon as you see a snake in the wild, you quickly move away from it.

You believe that speaking in public is an unnecessary threat to your self esteem, and would never choose to do so. Therefore, if you are ever required to speak in public, it is very likely that your heart rate will speed up, or your knees will shake, or your voice will quake, or you will perspire, or... all of the above and more.

You might know and believe from experience that breaking up with a partner is very sad, despite being the preferred outcome for at least one of the people involved. Therefore, when you view a breakup, even in a movie, you may well be moved to tears.



Exercise One - What Makes You Shake, Rattle and Roll?List 3 physical experiences you've had in the past month that you can trace back to a belief.

ex. Today I stood up to speak in front of a new audience and I had some concern whether they would appreciate my message... at some level I was believing my self worth was on the line. My face flushed as I began the presentation.

The Invisible Power of BeliefMost times, the affects of your beliefs on your body is much more subtle, and more elusive to see and measure. Yet it is not entirely impossible to measure, and with modern equipment and methods, we are being given compelling reasons to believe that our physical health depends on life affirming beliefs.

Thanks to the likes of Bruce Lipton and other cutting edge researchers who have such a strong belief in the power of the mind-body connection, there is now ample evidence that our thoughts and beliefs trigger a reaction in every cell in our bodies.

The Biology of BeliefIn Bruce Lipton's work, he spells out in fine detail how beliefs literally change your body in a matter of moments. A summary of the main points that he delves into includes:

matter is made up of energy

it follows that you, being matter, are made up of energy



Lipton uses the example of a tornado having a 'solidity' to it, even though just being energy. The energy of a tornado creates an impenetrable wall. You cannot drive through it, anymore than you can drive through a body, or walk through a wall.

the shape of matter is not inherent in the matter

matter takes its form from the energetic field that is present

Here Lipton uses the example of iron filings. When you toss a handful of iron filings onto a piece of paper, they land randomly. You can do this 1000 times and there is no particular rhyme nor reason to how they land... they create a random pattern.

Then, place a magnet under the paper and toss the filings on again. The filings are totally influenced by the magnetic energy field and take shape in relation to it.

your thoughts and beliefs create an energetic field as soon as they are implemented

therefore, your body takes form based on the thoughts and beliefs that you exercise

Lipton encourages everyone... if you want to understand what's going on in your body, to focus on the energetic field / your thoughts, not on the matter / physical body.

Experimentation he has done now explains how your thoughts and beliefs intricately affect your body on a cellular level. To simplify the main findings of his research:

Your mind perceives and interprets information from the environment. You activate your beliefs.

There are 'receptors' on the outside of your cells that read the energy of your perception, and send corresponding information into the cell.

This is basically saying that whatever you believe about your environment, is the message your receptors hear and pass on.

There are 'effectors' inside the cell that receive the information and create the suitable effect through behaviour These effectors coordinate the function of the cell according to what it's been told is happening in the environment.

Therefore, it is 'your perception of reality, your belief' (not reality itself) that affects what your cellular behaviour is.



So ultimately it's your perception of your environment that controls your life. You reflect, like a mirror, your interpretation of the environment through your physical being. Wow!

Lipton explains how disease can occur based on this model. When the mind sends an incorrect message regarding the environment, it causes a behaviour in the cell that doesn't fit. This results in the ineffective or incorrect operation of the cell, which creates disease.

It is now also understood why healing can occur in your body by changing your thoughts.

By getting the correct interpretations of your environment to your cells, your cells then act in alignment, running smoothly and with vibrancy. Many times, you recognize that an attitude or belief is upsetting you and your life, long before you feel an ill affect on your health.

Anytime is a good time to run some ideas and concerns past your life coach for personal development. A professional life coach will be able to help you identify hindering beliefs, and to upgrade them to empowering ones.

The idea is not to fret about what potentially incorrect beliefs you are sending to your cells. Rather, live your life with joy and gratitude, and if you notice any physical complaint, ask what it might be telling you? What belief do you endorse that could possibly be causing the cells in your knees to not operate with the ease you once knew? What small (mis)perceptions do you have that might be hampering the cells in your lungs from operating with easy free breathing at all times?

Our body is teaching us what beliefs work to our health and strength, and which beliefs undermine our vibrancy. Remember, you don't have to figure all of this out on your own. Look for help in resources accessible to you.

Believe the BestBelieving empowering and life affirming ideas have been shown to have positive affects on health and well being. So, if we are going to believe something, let's find reasons to adopt the beliefs that empower us, others, and life.

a) There have been telling studies done on the placebo effect. The placebo effect is basically when an inert or dummy pill is given to patients and they are told that it is going to make them feel better by stopping their pain and perhaps even affecting a cure for their illness.



"Your expectations can have profound impacts on your brain and your health'' Columbia University neuroscientist, Tor Wager

Researchers from a string of universities (ie. University of Maryland, Columbia University, Italy's University of Torino Medical School, Emory University) have closely investigated this phenomena. They found that when the thought of 'positive expectation' is created in the recipient, there is an actual measurable physiological response that promotes their health.

Previously the positive result recorded from the placebo effect was believed to be a purely 'psychological' occurrence. Scientists are now gathering the first direct evidence that the placebo effect actually creates a positive physical response. The mere thought of expecting a benefit is now recognized as being able to trigger the same neurological pathways of healing as real medication does.

Which begs the question... how much of the effect of 'real medication' is due to the placebo effect?

Some researchers now believe that up to 1/3 of all healing is attributable to the placebo effect, rather than a 'drug induced' chemical reaction.

b) It is ethically impossible to conduct scientific studies on the nocebo effect. This is the occurrence where, if you are told something is detrimental to your health, you suffer the consequences of a negative health effect.

However, most of us have heard at least one case of this in the news at some point. A typical example is where 2 unrelated people simultaneously fall ill in a crowded sport stadium. Word spreads that there is a noxious gas in the air.

Suddenly, 100's of people need to be attended to with vomiting and headaches. It is subsequently revealed that there was no noxious gas leak at all. The first 2 had both gotten a stomach bug from meals they had both happened to eat at the same restaurant on the way to the sporting game.

Please jump in and read the article As A Man Thinketh for further information on the power of your beliefs.

Exercise Two - The Price of Your BeliefsWhat are your beliefs costing you, or paying you... emotionally, physically, and in your relationships with others?



List 3 beliefs that make your heart sing. Each of these make you feel on top of the world. You can be sure that your cells are enjoying a little dance fest of their own when you are operating with these in the forefront of your mind.

List 3 beliefs that make you feel like a loser, or not good enough, or like you keep messing up. Recognize you are not doing yourself, nor others, any favours by endorsing debilitating beliefs.

Now write 3 new empowering beliefs, that are the opposite of the 3 debilitating beliefs you just wrote:

Examples: Debilitating Belief / New Empowering Belief

1. I must seem hopeless and stupid at work, not achieving my targets. / As I learn more about my job, I am becoming more competent at it.

2. Sally makes me feel really impatient. She should act differently. / Sally acts as she does, and it encourages me to understand and upgrade my beliefs around what makes me feel impatient.

3. I'm such a loser... over 40, no partner, and no house of my own. / I have the opportunity to create a wonderful picture of life free of such responsibilities.



"Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs."

Dr. Maxwell Maltz

Fine for you to write down new empowering statements, but are they going to take affect in your life? Good question!

There are 2 things that must accompany upgrading beliefs, and they both must come from you:

You must have the desire to embrace a new belief. This requires an acknowledgement that it would add value to your life. Hopefully this Part 4 of the eCourse has made a strong impact to convince you of that.

You must take action on the new belief. Until you step out with conviction, you are just harbouring a fancy idea.

So grab your desire, and let's keep going. In the next 2 modules of The Art and Magic of Believing, you will be looking at potent ways to upgrade and change your core beliefs to more empowering ones.



Actively Changing Beliefs



Congratulations. You've spent the last four sessions identifying your beliefs, where they come from, how they are serving you, and whether it might be helpful to upgrade some.

Now it's time to begin looking at what's involved in actively changing beliefs.

As you change beliefs throughout life, you experience the organic process of reviewing and upgrading your beliefs.

In this module of the Art and Magic of Believing, you'll identify your natural resistance to changing beliefs. You'll also be introduced to some powerful tools to help you open the door and usher in new, more empowering ways of thinking.

Subjects to be considered include:

What's involved in actively changing beliefs?Why wouldn't I want to change my belief to something else if there was a good reason for it?Why do people say that it's wise to 'live in the present moment' and how does that interact with my beliefs?

There is only one exercise in this chapter, and it's a biggy. It's name, 'Re-frame Your Reality', hints at just how big it is.

Challenges to Changing BeliefsYou've got to love your mind... once you've put up the fortress walls around your belief system, it will do what it can to keep those walls intact. It's aim is to keep you safe and sound.

Even though you may come across data that contradicts your beliefs, your mind will not simply cave in. It will fight and defend your views. Sound familiar?

Here are 5 of the top reasons your mind is holding strong and steadfast to your old points of view, and the respective neutralizing attitudes to set you free:

1. Many times we are confronted with information that contradicts our belief system however, there is no 'perfect shiny replacement model' sitting there waiting for us to adopt!

Religion and science are great examples of this. Neither of these offer complete explanations of how everything in the world works. So if any part of your religious or scientific understanding is threatened, there is a very good chance that there is no 'absolutely definite' answer being offered to replace it.



You might be told that the idea you are clinging to is incorrect, and as yet, there is no explanation of what is really happening.

Neutralizing attitude: Accept, and be content and comfortable with the unknown. Life is the unknown!

2. Data is always necessary in order to change your belief, but it is rarely sufficient. Certainly gathering information and knowledge is a great step, and if there is a satisfactory alternative answer on offer, you might think it would be enough to sway your belief.

Yet, there is one telling thing that has incredible power in holding you back from even the most convincing concrete evidence and facts... emotion.

It can seem that emotion keeps you committed to a cause, even when there is plenty of evidence that it no longer makes any sense. The telling thing about emotion is that it will be attached to beliefs around your hopes, dreams, faith or fears.

Neutralizing attitude: A determination to know yourself, to know the truth, and to uphold it, despite how it might feel.

3. You develop your belief system to make order and give meaning to your world. Each belief is intricately associated to another which is tied to another and on and on. Imagine a pyramid of balls with your specific belief settled in it's unique location, helping to support others.

Now imagine that one ball in your belief system is challenged... it is obviously much more than just that one idea being challenged... it may be a threat to your whole belief system.

Photo by Myself from Wikimedia Commons



4. Your mind attempts to maintain a sense of wholeness and control of the situation, and that sometimes means fighting to keep the old belief exactly where it is. You may need to dig, perhaps into your unconscious programming, and find out what the belief is connected to. It may be supporting a cornerstone to one of your fundamental philosophies. If this is the case, even a seemingly small and inconsequential belief can feel like it's causing a tsunami when it's challenged.

Sometimes in relationships one partner is contributing more to the couples finances, than the other. Then say the other partner begins making much more money. The meaning of this can quickly transcend the dollar and cents issue. The partner who had originally been the financial supporter may begin to feel less important, and even perhaps like they no longer have value. Perhaps the partner that just began making the higher income wrestles with thoughts of whether they still need the relationship.

Neutralizing attitude: Recognize that changing one belief may have repercussions on changing others. Ask how the new belief aligns with your values and priorities and how it can fit in with your life purpose.

5. You adopt personal beliefs to express who you are. When your belief system is challenged, it may feel like you are personally being attacked.

You might feel your sense of self and your worth is being questioned and put down. Who and what you think you are can feel like it has suddenly been put in jeopardy.

Neutralizing attitude: Remember that your belief system has predominantly formed by adopting ideas from other people that just seemed to make the most sense to you at the time. You are not losing face by upgrading beliefs. You are simply continuing to adapt and grow from what life shows you.

6. From your first thoughts, neural pathways begin to form according to the way you perceive things.

The more you think something, the stronger and deeper that particular physical brain pathway becomes. When you have a 'habit', you can be sure that your brain has a well trodden path along that corresponding thought pattern. It is easy to follow.

When you are introduced to a new idea, your brain does not yet have a familiar pathway for that. It will need to be nurtured to gain strength.

On the other hand, the strength of the old habitual thought is still ingrained and easy to fall back on. These old familiar brain pathways offer a certain comfort with their predictable and well known outcomes.



Neutralizing attitude: Keep your neurons limber! Learning through all stages of your life helps maintain mental fitness. Mindfulness and certain meditation techniques have also shown excellent results for encouraging neuro-plasticity.

Adopting a 'neutralizing attitude' can certainly work toward relieving stress in your life. And it's easier to adopt such an attitude if you recognize that life is a school for personal growth.

Remembering what a great school life is, whenever an event or thought pushes your buttons and creates pain or unease, can be helpful. Whatever life serves you, just open your eyes and get the school book of your brain ready to take notes and learn.

Exercise One - Reframe Your Reality"We need a revolution inside of our own minds."

John Henrik Clark

A revolution perhaps, but one that is born out of care and compassion for blossoming a greater potential in living and sharing a peaceful and joy filled life!

Reframing is a great exercise that is often utilized in Neuro Linguistic Processing (NLP). The idea is that every belief has a positive intention for your survival and well being (as we stated at the beginning of this session).

By looking for the positive light in a situation, you can respect and acknowledge the good that your mind is trying to accomplish with the belief. That allows you to say 'thanks, but no thanks', and then move on to a new way of thinking.

This exercise requires you to change your perspective, and it's a healthy form of mental acrobatics. Instead of being so terribly upset because a belief is causing you strife, you 'befriend it'. Sidle up to it, and get to know it!

A) Identify the belief to change (ex. I will never be financially successful.)

B) Speak to your inner self (your subconscious if you like), and say that together, you are going to look for some healthier alternatives to this belief.

Pay close attention to any feelings, images or internal words that come up at this point, as they might be a signal from that part of yourself. Just recognize and respect these at this point.



Jot down a few ideas about what you're sensing.

C)Brainstorm what could possibly be the positive intention behind the belief. How might it be serving you? Ask your instincts... somewhere inside, you'll know the answer. Let your creativity flow unfettered and without judgement, and keep writing until you feel you've covered it well.

(ex. If I'm not aiming to be successful financially, then: I'll never have to work hard; no one will ever ask me for anything; I won't be bothered by others wants; people won't expect much from me; I don't have to expect much of myself; I won't have to feel like a loser if I don't have any money and don't expect myself to have any).

You might get a list of about 6 to 8 ideas... keep going if they keep flowing!



D)Now come up with a number of possible alternative beliefs which will also satisfy the 'positive intention' you hold inside for this belief.

Again, ask your subconscious to join in and brainstorm without any judgement. These can be silly, sane or somewhere in between. Have fun and list at least three.

(ex. I might get a high paying job where I don't have to do much work; If I give people things before they ask, maybe they won't ask; If I tell people that I'll never give them anything, then they won't have to ask; I can move away from everyone I know so no one would bother me with their wants; I could become a hermit and then I wouldn't be bothered by their wants; If I had more money than I could possibly need, then it wouldn't bother me if people asked me for some; Maybe I'd get a job I absolutely love and I'd want to work so hard that it would naturally produce lot's of money; I could aim to be financially successful and even if I wasn't successful, it might be fun trying; I am already financially successful simply because I have enough to live and pay my bills.)

E) Look over this list of possible replacement beliefs, and choose your 3 favourites that support you on your journey of being financially successful.



Ask your inner self or subconscious if it could live happily with those beliefs, and help you support them. Look for internal feelings, images or words that are speaking positively to you.

If you are getting negative feelings, go back and re-do step 4. Once your inner self is giving you the green light, write down your 3 replacement beliefs below.

(ex. I might get a high paying job where I don't have to do much work; Maybe I'd get a job I absolutely love and I'd want to work so hard it would naturally produce lot's of money; I could aim to be financially successful and even if I wasn't successful, it might be fun trying.)

F) Check to see if you have any internal conflict with these 3 replacement beliefs.

You want to ensure that every part of you believes it is good for you, for others, and for the world. You must feel it aligns with your other values, roles, and priorities... remember the pyramid we talked about early in this session... we don't want it to come tumbling down!

Close your eyes and imagine yourself using your new belief. Ask your inner self if all of you is completely at peace with this decision to replace the belief with the new alternatives you have identified.

(ex. The thought "I might get a high paying job where I don't have to do much work" might go against your work ethic of having to do a certain amount of work to deserve a certain amount of money.)

If so, go back to Step 4 and find a new behaviour to replace this one. Keep doing this until you get 3 that are free and clear.

Once you've finalized your 3 new shiny replacement models, take them out and exercise them everyday, and build strong new neural pathways.

At the same time you'll be building greater peace and enjoyment into your life.



The Greatest Neutralizing Attitude of AllThere's another take on how you might assess the value of your beliefs and act appropriately in any given situation. It is a seemingly simple tactic that has been praised from the rooftops by a number of ancient and modern day philosophers.

From Buddha, to Eckhart Tolle in The Power of Now, and Deepak Chopra in Power, Freedom, & Grace: Living from the Source of Lasting Happiness, this dynamic power available to everyone has been written about.

The simple (!?) formula is live in the present moment.

The premise to the power of NOW, is this:

1. Limiting beliefs are based on past learning's. Although they may have served you well in previous circumstances, clinging to them is kin to tying yourself to the past.

You want to free yourself from conditioning that automatically triggers beliefs and patterns of behaviour when you are confronted with a particular situation, relationship, etc. Conditioned responses are an example of bondage to the past.

2. Acting from the present mind is your key to freedom and change. By not associating everything in the present with a previous experience, you have the power to think or act without restraint. Each situation is assessed new, on it's own merits.

You no longer wallow in your memories of the past, nor do you spend your life living for the future.

It is by living in the present moment that you can experience life beyond conditioning, and make new interpretations and decisions.

"The key to freedom is to become the silent witness, which is the ever-present awareness that witnesses everything.

The silent witness is awareness itself.Awareness, aware of itself, is presence, profound wisdom, and peace."

Deepak Chopra



Practice the Moves!This module, you've been introduced to some powerful neutralizing attitudes for limiting beliefs, and a way to reframe your views. This information doesn't instantaneously transform your life. It's you, with step by step daily practice, that is the one that gets to do that!

Practice integrating these new attitudes into your daily thoughts. Do the 'Reframe Your Reality' exercise with a few other beliefs you can identify that limit your joy in life.

Practice does make perfect, and soon enough it will feel like second nature to be compassionately supporting yourself as you are, while opening doors to step into an even more wondrous future.

Next chapter you'll look through the lens of a SEER, and use four more excellent exercises for changing core beliefs. Until then, enjoy this incredible journey!

Please share your feedback about this ecourse with me, sometime between now and when you complete it. Thank you.



Methods To Change Core Beliefs



Congratulations on your continued path towards more empowering beliefs.

You've identified where your beliefs come from and where they are taking you. You also understand the necessity of an open mind for changing beliefs, and have experienced 're-framing your reality' to upgrade beliefs.

Now you're ready to delve into more specific steps for changing limiting core beliefs.

This chapter covers 4 areas to address in order to integrate new empowering beliefs into your life. Do this and you can expect dynamic outcomes.

Working through this chapter will give you new insights about:

How sensory input interacts with beliefs, and how you can use it to help integrate positive core beliefs. How reasoning appeal to your logical thinking and helps change beliefs.Understanding that feelings trigger meaning in your mind, and how to harness that power to build empowering beliefs.The most productive way to use the 'fake it till you make it' approach.

There is an exercise accompanying each of the 4 SEER methods of changing beliefs. Act on these, and you will be managing your most powerful tool of change with authority... YOU.

Methods To Change Core BeliefsAs discussed on the change core beliefs web page, there are 4 primary modes of experience that work together to paint the picture of your life.

One of these, cognitive evaluation, is tied directly to your beliefs and is an obvious avenue to address in regard to changing beliefs.

The other three are also intricately linked to your beliefs, although not so obviously. These three also provide excellent pathways for positively changing core beliefs.

Together, these 4 primary modes to address and change core beliefs spell the acronym SEER:

1. Sensory perception

2. Evaluation - cognitively

3. Emotional and bodily sensations

4. Response



SensoryWhen involving the sensory systems in learning, you are helping to make more meaningful connections between the information and your personal life. (The senses we're talking about are: seeing, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and the workings of the mind.) Having greater meaning attached means there is greater likelihood that the new information will be adopted and integrated in similar future situations.

Methods speaking to sensory perception include:

Sensory language - This type of language invites you to see, hear, touch, feel or think about a situation. If you want to help people understand the advantages of cooperation, you might say:

You will see the world in a new and bright light when everyone is pulling together in the same direction.

It will sound like the angels are singing directly to you when your team has combined forces and achieved your goal.

You'll feel an adrenal rush when everyone collaborates and you reach the deadline ahead of time!

Metaphor use - For example; when you want a group of people to learn and believe that there are benefits of teamwork, it's helpful to use a metaphor such as a basketball team pulling together and working for the same outcome.

You can start with the team in a huddle planning their strategy. Have the group think about playing a game together and the moves that would entail. Talk about how they will be looking for the person in the best position and with the right skills for that point in the game. They'll pass the ball to the appropriate person and then move themselves into another position to help the game move in their favour You might mention the mutual commitment that everyone shares to get the ball through the hoop. Have them imagine the great outcome of winning together, complete with high 5's and slaps on the back.

You can also discuss how, if they fail to pass the ball, do not utilize the talents of other player's, nor share their own... they may find themselves losing a lot of games, and even ending up with a lot of time on the sidelines.

Using sensory language and metaphors helps you to see, hear, touch, feel and think about the subject in a new light. This creates many new types of connections in your brains. Rather than simply being told that you 'should work together and help one another', you are invited to experience what that might be like.



Exercise One - Sense Your New BeliefsState an empowering new belief that you want to adopt. Example; I am capable of building new close and meaningful friendships.

Next, List 3 'sensory statements' reinforcing that belief. (use words such as see, vision, picture, sound, hear, voice, talk, felt, held, embraced, strong, thought - for more ideas, see Sensory Language and Metaphor Examples)

Example; I see that new friends appreciate the unique point of view I offer.

EvaluationIt is during the stage of evaluation when your belief is brought to light. To influence and change core beliefs through the evaluation process, rational thinking is valuable.

Entering into dialogue with someone, either a friend or professional, can be a worthwhile exercise for cognitively changing beliefs. By exchanging ideas and opinions with someone you respect, with the aim to reach a conclusion, you are inviting the opportunity to further your personal development. You are bound to learn something!

Affirmations are basically repeating good ideas to yourself! You are telling yourself what you want to believe.

When they are simply 'reason based affirmations', they are speaking to your cognitive mind. example: I am a wonderful mother because I provide my children with a loving and safe environment to learn and grow.

When you construct affirmations using sensory language and emotion, then you add more layers of meaning which deepens your communication with your subconscious.



Example: I am a joy filled and wonderful mother, savouring the opportunity I have to guide my beautiful children safely on this incredible journey of growth and learning. (We'll cover Affirmations more in Module 7 of the Art and Magic of Believing)

You can upgrade beliefs more easily when you link the new belief to a knowledge base you already have.

Example, if you are a swimmer and want to change core beliefs about intimate relationships, you could think about and discuss relationships in terms of 'pulling and pushing yourself through the water and relate that to 'working with your partner'. Also, thinking about the attributes of air and water, and respecting the dangers they present you as well as the opportunities, can be likened to knowing your partner and what you offer one another. Relationships are a bit like swimming... by getting involved and flailing about you learn and grow... you don't go anywhere if you just do the jelly fish float. You might recognize that this example also overlaps with using a metaphor, from the Sensory method.

Basically, integrate the new belief into something in your existing frame of reference.

Exercise Two - Convince Yourself to Upgrade BeliefsState an empowering new belief that you want to adopt. Example; I am capable of building new close and meaningful friendships.

List 3 'reasons' you have for upgrading this belief. Example; I am capable of building new close and meaningful friendships because I genuinely care about other people.



Emotional and Body SensationsWhen you interpret an event in a particular way, it triggers emotional and physical feelings. Your brain associates those sensations with a certain meaning. To change the meaning about something (ie. your belief), it helps to associate a new feeling with the event. A great way to do this is by using your imagination.

Visualizing an event and feeling positive emotions along with it, is a great way to pave the road to a new empowering belief.

You can use visuals and feelings from positive experiences in your past, and transpose those to future events.

For example; Let's say you want to experience confidence when going into a crowded party.

Now recall a number of times you felt very confident doing other things.

Picture those scenarios and savour them with your heart and emotions.

Now imagine walking into a crowded party and feeling those same rich satisfying feelings. This is an opportunity to transfer the confidence and good feelings from one event, to another one.

When you want to believe that something is possible, and you have a lot of positive emotional links to it, you are less likely to take NO for an answer.

Exercise Three - Visualize Empowering BeliefsA) State an empowering new belief.

Example; I am capable of building new close and meaningful friendships.

B) Imagine the great feelings accompanying this knowledge, and write them down.

Example; joy, confidence, capability, warmth, love, understanding



C) List 3 occasions where you've felt the sensations that you are wanting your new belief to carry.

Example;

1. I feel joyous, confident and capable when babysitting my 6 year old nephew.

2. I feel a beautiful meaningful friendship with my sister, full of understanding.

3. I'm fully capable in researching the healthiest food to buy and get a lot of satisfaction in sharing my findings with others.

Visualize each of the events you've stated and embellish the associated great feelings. As you embrace the good feelings, state your new belief and imagine it happening.

ResponseYour response or reaction is the outcome of all the input leading up to it... the event, sensory perception, evaluation, and emotional and bodily sensations. It might seem odd to think we can be changing beliefs by changing or reinforcing reaction, when beliefs are the cause of the reaction (!?!), but it can work!

You've probably heard the statement 'fake it till you make it'. This is one occasion where it may be useful.

Practice role playing how you would react if you held the belief you would like to have.

Example: You would like to believe that your work and effort is of value to your company. So, pretend you are sitting in the boss' office with her... begin thanking her for her praise of your work.



What else would you do if you believed your work was valued? Would you write your company emails with more authority? Write an example email. Then, take it into the real world and start to act with these manners.

Reinforcement - Reward actions and behaviours supporting your new belief.

For example: If you want to cultivate a belief about your competence in public speaking, reward yourself every step of the way. When you go to your first Toastmasters meeting, reward yourself in some little way for attending it, even if you didn't get up to speak. When you do make a speech, pamper yourself with praise for having tried your best.

Have something you consider a treat waiting for you... maybe personal time out to do some art, or enjoy some organic chocolate, or a nap!

Every step of your progression, plan rewards for yourself. This increases the likelihood that you will continue on the path of learning, and before you know it, you will certainly be a competent public speaker.

Model someone else who holds the belie

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