Out of Darkness Into Light Part 2

The first thing you can work on to make the coming year a great one, is your belief system. Your belief system has the power to create and destroy your life. The way you view life and everything in it (people, events, information, circumstances) is all interpreted by your belief system. So, if you believe that the world is evil and filled with violence, that is the world you will live in. If you believe that you are a helpless victim and that nothing good ever happens to you, that is the world you will live in. However, is you believe that life is good and meant to be enjoyed it will be. If you believe that trials and hardships are temporary and that you will learn something to overcome the circumstances, you will! You entire world view hinges on your belief system. And, your belief system (whether negative or positive) will interpret the world around you accordingly. Your belief system will manifest itself into your reality!

Understand that no one is born with a negative or positive belief system. Your belief system is learned. It was created as a short cut to interpret what is going on around you as to either avoid pain or achieve pleasure. All of your past experiences and the way in which you responded or reacted to them created your belief system. For example; two salesmen go out selling products door to door. One salesman encounters rejection after rejection. He concludes that the work is hard and he cannot do it. Yet, the other salesman who goes door to door, faces the same rejection, but keeps on and sells his products. What made the difference? Their belief system. One was convinced he could not do it and the other said I will keep on until I do! One believes that he can’t–and he is right. The other believes that he can and he is right.

As I said, your belief system is learned. So, if you find your self crippled by a negative belief system, you can unlearn it! This occurs by replacing self-limiting beliefs with self empowering ones. Refuse to see yourself as victim. Refuse to allow your feelings to dictate your life. Refuse to allow fear of what other may say or think to affect the way you feel and live your life. There are numerous ways to replace self-limiting beliefs with self empowering ones. Read motivational and inspirational materials everyday for 30-60 minutes. Shut off the news! Whether we want to believe it or not, our news media is driven by ratings. And, our culture tells them they want blood, violence, sectarianism, and other bad news that works up our emotions. Shut it off for 30 days and see how your mood will improve!

Another way to replace self-limiting beliefs with self empowering ones is by affirmation. Your words have creative power. We are made in the likeness and image of God. God spoke and the world was created. Man has that same creative power. The bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Jesus said if a man believes the things he says, he will have those things! You do not overcome thoughts with thoughts. You overcome thoughts with words. Replace negative words with positive one. Anytime a negative self-limiting thought comes to mind, attack it with positive words. Keep saying it over and over. Eventually your mind will respond to the words you speak and you will find yourself living those words.

Another way to replace self-limiting beliefs is by replacing negative self-limiting associations. The people you hang out with speaks volumes about you. Birds of a feather really do flock together. If you find yourself surrounded by people who hold you back, keep you down and mock any attempts you make to improve yourself–GET RID OF THEM! To achieve the life you want, the life you deserve to have, surround yourself with people who celebrate you. Build networks of people who will invest in you. People who pick you up instead of putting you down. Find people who are living the life you want and associate with them. There is an old proverb that says “iron sharpens iron.” If the people you associate with do not help to make you sharper, find some than will!

Nothing will affect the quality of your life greater than the quality of your thinking. If you think negatively, you will live negatively. You will never behave differently than the way you think. As a man thinks in his heart so is he! To improve the quality of your life change the quality of your thinking. It will help you to see the world in a whole new light!