Belief systems are the filter in which we view and experience life, and play a significant role in how we come up with the MEANING we give to the events and experiences of our lives. Most belief systems are formed as a child as we learn from those around us and our immediate environment.
We are taught them, either directly through instruction and teachings, or by observing and imitating the immediate the world around us and working out how we fit into it.
Many of these belief systems exist at a sub-conscious level, and as an adult we are not even aware than a belief system conditioned into us as a 3 year old and long ago “forgotten” could impact on the way we view the world today.
Belief systems often begin with these words:
“Life is …”
“I am …”
“People are …”
We come up with the meaning we give to an event by first filtering it through our belief systems. Once meaning is given and labeled, we experience the emotion and respond accordingly.
Metaphors are a powerful way of describing the world around us and describing how we are feeling. A metaphor is a phrase that compares two things by likening them to each other. Although the things we are comparing may bear little resemblance to each other in reality, our familiarity with one allows us to gain an understanding of the other.
As human beings, we constantly think and speak in metaphors. For example, we say things like, “Caught between a rock and a hard place” or “Up the creek without a paddle.”
If we spend a little time brainstorming all the money metaphors we heard growing up, and another on those that we use in our lives today, we will start to get an insight of some of the belief systems around abundance that drive us.
Let me use my own life as an example and share a few of the metaphors and the limiting belief systems I ultimately uncovered in the area of abundance in my life.
“Life wasn’t meant to be easy.”
“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”
“Waste not, want not.”
Let’s look at the first one on my list simply because it is one that I heard over and over again from a variety of different sources and one I had truly come to believe and accept and view life through.
“Life wasn’t meant to be easy.”
Oh really? Says who?
Well. to start with my mother, who really believed this to be true, and so like all good mothers do, she prepared me for the world ahead with this vital piece of wisdom. But she was not the only that held this belief and many shared this view of the world with me.
Having been “taught” this belief system from a very early age, I adopted it as my own.
My experience of the world for much of my life was filtered through this belief system. Consequently throughout life, my experience of life conditions confirmed ‘my’ belief system. It was little wonder that I wasn’t able to create abundance in my life!
When all my HARD WORK and hard fought battles would seem to turn and go my way,SOMETHING would happen to once again confirm this old instilled belief system.
Was this belief system working out for me? NO. Not at all.
So, can you change a belief system? Certainly, especially if you discover it was never yours to begin with.
But I do recommend exchanging it for a replacement empowering belief system, rather than just dropping it all together. You are going to view the world through your belief systems whether you are conscious of them or not. You may as well install and adopt a few that suit you.
I replaced, “Life wasn’t meant to be easy” with something that definitely works better for me, namely “Life is an ADVENTURE.”
When the world is viewed through this belief system filter, the exactly same external event or situation is given a DIFFERENT MEANING (one that corresponds with our new belief system) and different labels and words are used, ultimately resulting in a different EXPERIENCE.
I no longer experience or describe problems in my life and instead I experience challenges from time to time that are ultimately opportunities for me to grow and learn some more.
The words I choose to give meaning to my experience become my experience. Sure things still happen in my world that are outside my control or influence, and things can sometimes appear more challenging than I first anticipate, but hey, life’s an adventure, right? I now experience a completely different internal reaction and response when I come across what I previously might have referred to as problems or obstacles.
“Money is the root of all Evil.”
“Filthy rich.”
“Stuck up snob.”
“Money corrupts.”
If you heard any of these sayings growing up, chances are you have adopted a negative sub-conscious belief system towards the acquiring of money and you will sabotage any efforts to attract money into your life, thereby avoiding becoming “filthy” or “evil.”
Make a conscious effort to uncover any limiting belief systems and replace them with empowering ones in EVERY area of your life.
“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“More month at the end of the money.”
“Don’t waste money.”
“We can’t afford it.”
The belief system developed from hearing these sorts of metaphors is one of scarcity, there is LACK. There isn’t enough to go around and never will be.
Instead of saying, “I can’t afford it,” try something like, “I choose not to buy this yet.”
“Easy come, easy go.”
People that heard this phrase or others like it often experience no trouble earning or attracting money into their life, but it just as quickly slips out their fingers and they can experience trouble holding onto or building wealth.
“Another day, another dollar.”
“It’s a job … someone’s gotta to do it.”
“Hanging in there.”
“Same shit, different day.”
These are just some of the disempowering ways people can respond to a question about their work. Are any of these familiar to you?
What is WORK to you? How do you describe your experience at work, or do you not even refer to earning your living as WORK? It’s a big chunk of our life and significant to the overall quality.
Do you use any of these with regularity, or other similar metaphors? If so, can I strongly suggest that you come up with some empowering ways to view and describe this almost ONE THIRD of your life.
I have always loved my work, whether I am working for myself or in the employ of others, and when or if I reach a point where I am no longer loving what I do, I do something else.
Life is an ocean of experiences and abundance. There’s plenty for everyone, no chance of it ever drying up, and it’s just up to you, to take what you will.
For more tips on Living an Abundant Life, check out livinganabundantlife.info
