My brother visited me recently and we had a blast bouncing back and forth between current reality and memory lane. What was especially fascinating to me though, was the icebergs we uncovered. Some beliefs are so far below the surface we aren’t even aware of them, and when we discovered these were simply habits/ideas we’d been holding onto forever, we could actually untangle where they came from, something we’d learned and shared from when we were children. Some old beliefs are treasures and should be nurtured while some need to be weeded out if they are no longer useful.
Makes me think of all the habitual thinking I do that begins, “I’ve always had trouble doing…” or “It’s just not something I’m good at…” So many of our beliefs are just ideas that have been reinforced by reminding ourselves of them over and over again. For me it’s time to ask myself where am I still allowing any of these bergs to control me in any way. As always, I have options once I stop and pay attention.
All of us carry around beliefs that may not be serving us any longer, and the more we question what’s working well and what’s getting in the way of our joy and success, the more we can get rid of unwanted beliefs and continue to strengthen the ones that are useful.
And of course, do it with kindness. As the Irish poet John O’Donohue said, “May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within.”
