I’m looking at the clothes on the rack. I can go through them quickly because I know what looks good on me and what doesn’t. I really like this one but I know it’s not my style, so I move on. But I can’t stop thinking about how cute it is. But I’ve already convinced myself that it won’t look good on me.
That’s what we do with our thoughts. We have this strong belief system and don’t allow ourselves to even try on another thought. To see if it might look good on us.
We keep choosing the buttoned down, collared shirts that are black and navy and white.
What’s it going to hurt to try on the lacy periwinkle one?
I love the TV show Biggest Loser. The contestants inspire me. On Episode #1, Phi Holmes was struggling for breath and said, “I can’t breathe.” Trainer Erica Lugo said, “Yes, you can.”
“I can’t breathe” seemed like a true statement. I believed Phi when she said it. How come Erica didn’t believe her? Well obviously Phi was still breathing.
Our brain is filled with thoughts like:
I’m always late.
I hate my job.
My husband never does nice things for me.
My kids are so naughty.
We say it like it’s fact and then we offer up all the evidence to prove it.
When my son participated in high school debate, he found out minutes before the round whether he would argue for the resolution or against it. Do that with your thoughts. Take the opposing view and defend it. Am I really ALWAYS late? Or can I defend that I’m on time?
You get to decide whether to buy the new outfit or put it back on the rack. You get to decide what you want to believe. To help you decide look at the results you are creating. If you like the results, then hang on the belief. If you don’t like the result, try out a new thought.
When I’ve asked clients to try this, they say, “I feel like I’m lying to myself.” Well, what if the belief you’ve been holding on to since high school is the lie? It’s time to discover the truth that will help you create the life you want. Be curious. There’s no harm done. In the end, you get to choose what thought you want to hold on to.
