|
27 November 2011
I'm now on my second round of Oprah's Lifeclass, and this time I decided to really take a few days to let my "ah-ha moments" set in. You too can watch Lifeclass on OWN. To find your OWN station, just visit oprah.com and use the serach engine on the right of the page.
One lesson that really hit home with was "You Become What You Believe." I've always believed in the power of positive thinking and visualizing your goals, but I can't say I've always been very good at either of those things.
With that said, these two characteristics have become my life mission for some time now. Let's face it we only get one life, so we might as well enjoy it.
"You become what you believe."
That statement is more than just "I want to be a (fill in the blank)." What this lesson brought to the forefront was that it's the day to day thoughts that actually shape you. Those thoughts ARE what you believe. That's right, the sigh you just gave when you stepped on the scale IS what you believe. The tear you shed while thinking about the place you'd rather be IS what you believe. The mommy guilt, the endless yeses, the self doubt, the giving up, and even the pushing forward IS what you believe.
This is something I think I already knew, but forcing myself to slow down and really face it made a huge difference.
I think the key to this lesson is to look first at the ultimate destination. What is it that you want to become? Where do you see yourself in, say, five years?
Now back up and look at what your beliefs are now. Don't look at whether or not you think your goal is possible, look at what thoughts you have every day. What do you think when you look in the mirror? What do you think when something goes wrong? What's the first thought when you wake up in the morning? What's your last thought when you go to bed?
I wish I could say I was waking up excited to take on the day... or that when I fell asleep I collasped onto the bed, because I had given the day 110 percent of what I had. Unfotunately, I can't. I fell into a rut that I think we all get into from time to time.
My thoughts, my beliefs, completely went against what I wanted for my life. I think it's one reason why my presence here on UnscriptedLife became so scattered. I was no longer living an unscripted life, I was living a "hold on for dear life and get through the day" kind of life. Since I'm a mom, I can bet there at least a dozen and half (million) more who understand the place I've been.
My thoughts were not intentional, but they were negative. Does this sound familiar?
If it does, then I want you to repeat these new beliefs with me. It's time to replace the negative thoughts with true beliefs that will lead us to a higher place and a better life. What beliefs can you add to the list?
"I am more than my past. Any failure, mistake or missed opportunity that has happened up to this moment is over. I forgive myself and see the past only as an opportunity to move forward. These things no longer weigh me down because I have chosen to learn from all my past experiences, positive and negative."
"I am not perfect, so I will no longer try to be. I love me for who I am in this moment, and that means with jeans too tight, a caffeine addiction and overcoming challenges I thought I would have nailed by now. I'm not perfect, but I will enjoy the journey that is making me who I am. Today's challenges will be tomorrow's celebrations."
"I will carve out time each day to do something I'm passionate about. I will take time for me. It's time I'm not getting paid for (yet), but it's the most important time of my day. Each day I am one step closer to doing my passion for a living. I love the progress I make each day."
"I will take time out of my day to share joy with others, even if it is only sharing a smile. I will use my skills to help others and will not expect anything in return."
"There are people in life who would kill to have to only have my problems. I will appreciate where I am and where I am going. I will not worry about my challenges and problems. Instead, I will work through them with a smile and not validate any negativity by giving up my energy with worrying. I will let my sorrow have it's moment and then work to fix, change and overcome my situation."
"I love being me. I'm the only me in the world. I will never waste one moment more on wishing I was someone else. The world already has a version of everyone I would want to be, so if I wasted time striving for someone else's life then I would be robbing the world of the joy I am meant to bring."
It's a good start. So what beliefs can you add to the list?
