Beliefs-1

This is the first post in a series about Beliefs.  I have been paying close attention to what I say when I talk to myself, observing how I treat myself.  I believe that, if I use loving words and convey loving feelings toward my "personality" being (body, mind and emotions), then I will feel better than if I speak to myself with criticism, judgment or contempt.  So, paying attention to my thoughts is my new 'hobby'.  Psychologists say that our feelings are a direct result of our thoughts.  And, beliefs are merely thoughts that we repeat over and over.  So, if I think that I am not worthy, that I am not lovable, that I do not deserve to have perfect health, that I am disappointing to myself or others, and I keep repeating those 'toxic' thoughts, they eventually become 'toxic' beliefs.  Beliefs can be really hard to change, especially when we are not aware that they exist and that we act on them constantly.  I think that this is the most important area in which changes need to occur in order to heal.  I have found beliefs that I didn't even know I had - and realized that I was unconsciously living my life by them.  Here are some of the erroneous beliefs I have found in myself:

• I am not worthy...
• I am not good enough...
• I do not deserve...
• If I am perfect, then I will be approved of and loved
• Approval from others is of utmost importance and must be achieved
• Others' opinions and needs are more important than my own
• It is selfish to love myself
• My feelings, opinions and passions are not important, so I must suppress them to the point that I don't even know what they are
• A stage IV breast cancer diagnosis is a death sentence.  (If they had a Stage V, they would call it 'death'.)
• Love means sacrificing who I am to make other people happy
• God is a mean, vengeful, egotistical, maniacal being who has unreasonable expectations and doles out extreme punishment because he is easily offended - he must be feared
• God and love are the same thing [a good belief, I think, but not in light of the beliefs above about love and God]
• My instincts are not reliable
• Emotions should never be expressed, especially anger or any other 'negative' emotion
• Forgiveness is a sign of weakness
• Obsessive thoughts about worry, guilt, anger and fear are normal 

These are some of the big ones I've discovered through years of journaling, meditating, reading, journaling, therapy, energetic healing and thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking and more thinking.  Here are some wonderful books that have been of tremendous help to me in this area.  

• YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE & related workbook by Louise Hay
• THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron
• THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by Don Miguel Ruiz
• THE DANCE OF ANGER by Harriet Lerner
• CANCER AS A TURNING POINT by Lawrence LeShan

I will continue this topic later.  The morning is slipping away quickly.  Time for breakfast.  Enjoy this beautiful day - it is a gift.

To continue reading this topic, click Beliefs-2