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How to create new beneficial beliefs

Published:Wednesday | September 1, 2021 | 12:06 AM

Some people stand so strongly in what they believe and in what they have experienced as truth. The more you try to convince them or open their perspective, the more deeply they dig in. Beliefs feel so permanent and unwavering, people even think they were born with beliefs already set in place. But a belief is much simpler than that; a belief is just a set of thoughts that you continue to think. Sometimes, if you hear something repeatedly, like a fruit fact, you may find yourself telling random people as if you’ve known it all your life.

When we believe something, we begin to expect the evidence that proves our beliefs to be true. Expectations are powerful, because we tend to get what we expect. Our expectation of the world governs our perspective, and our perspective is the point of view from which we experience reality. To be more succinct, the thoughts you think become your beliefs, your beliefs lead to your expectation, and your expectation becomes your perspective. Each person fosters their own perspective based on the thoughts that they have chosen to think and believe.

While many of our beliefs serve us and are very beneficial, there are many we can live more comfortably without. There are beliefs about going to the dentist, “It’s expensive”; about money, “There’s never enough’’; and about our general health, “Everybody is getting sick.” These beliefs do not benefit us, and yet we continue to think about them. You may ask, “How can I change what I believe when it keeps proving itself to me?”

THINK NEW THOUGHTS

Trying to stop yourself from believing something when you’re seemingly surrounded by evidence would be difficult. To uproot and try to figure out the causes of all our old negative beliefs might leave us blaming childhood experiences, and really serves no true purpose.

Instead, one way to change a belief is to stop thinking the thoughts that support them in the absence of the thoughts the belief diminishes. This is one way, but probably not the easiest way.

The easiest way to change a belief is to begin thinking new, positive thoughts around the same topic, this will create new beneficial beliefs. Yes, you can replace old beliefs with new ones. Remember, a belief is just a set of thoughts you continue to think, so only the thoughts you are currently thinking will be active in your experience.

The best time to attempt this is when you’re already in a good mood and you’re feeling optimistic. Simply have a metal chit-chat with yourself about any topic, and begin at a place that feels believable to you.

• For example, you wouldn’t begin by saying, “I love the dentist, they’re the best!” Instead, begin:

• “Not all dentists are scary, you have some nice ones out there. There are nice people in all professions and I’m sure most are just trying to help…”;

or

• “I have heard of people visiting the dentist and enjoying it, I have seen videos on Instagram. That means if I find the right dentist, I can also enjoy it… .”

It’s best to stay more general and less specific. Stay focused on what is generally good about the dentist, or whatever topic. If you find yourself thinking old thoughts, it would be beneficial to distract yourself and think of other things instead of attempting this process. The aim is to give those thoughts less and less airtime, and for you to stay more focused on the thoughts you want to be true in your life experience.

Source: ‘Ask and It is Given’ by Ester and Jerry Hicks, The Teachings of Abraham’ .