Your beliefs affect everything
Are your beliefs preventing you from healing?
The more I learn about overall health, the more it's been impressed upon me just how powerful the mind is. Our beliefs are tied to everything!
It's also amazing to me how we seem to overlook this fact.
Just look at what we consider the gold standard for scientific studies. There must be a placebo group because they know that if the subject believes that whatever they're taking is going to help them, then it will. Most drug trials are considered successful if the drug being tested performs at least as well as the placebo!
Think about that for a moment! Science banks on the fact that some people will heal just because they believe they will.
So knowing how powerful the mind is, and understanding that our beliefs can have a massive impact on how we feel and perform; shouldn't we pay more attention to what our beliefs are?
We often develop our beliefs as children. We're taught by the example of our parents and teachers, and other beliefs we learn by experience. But not all beliefs are beneficial. In fact a lot of the beliefs that we navigate our life by are holding us back. They are limiting our potential, and even our health.
There are many different limiting beliefs that could be impacting your life, but I want to focus on ones that could be impacting your health, both mental and physical.
Most likely if you're reading this, you are trying to heal your nervous system. Understanding your limiting beliefs could be key in that healing.
Imagine someone struggling with their anxiety. They've tried doing breathing exercises, they're taking walks every day, they're seeing a therapist. They're trying multiple things to calm their nervous system, but at their core, they believe that they're just an anxious person. They hope they can get better, they're even genuinely trying, but that belief is inevitably holding them back.
The way you identify yourself can give you a clue as to your beliefs:
“I've always been an anxious person.”
“I have a lot of health issues.”
“I get sick all the time.”
“I just have bad genes.”
“I have a lot of trauma.”
You may be thinking to yourself, but all of those statements are true. Am I supposed to lie to myself about my state?
Not at all, but the way we speak about it MATTERS! Notice the difference in these statements:
“I'm working to heal my nervous system.”
“I'm working on addressing my health concerns.”
“I need to balance my immune system.”
“I'm learning new healthy habits.”
“I'm learning to heal from past traumas.”
Can you hear the difference? In all of the top statements there is ownership and identity that could prevent any change. Saying that you are an anxious person eliminates any opportunity for change. You've claimed the anxiety as a part of who you are.
Remember, words are powerful!
Start noticing how you speak about your health. Notice how you speak about yourbody, your health concerns, or any disease states.
Ask yourself if the way you speak about your health allows for healing or prevents it? Do you truly believe you can change or heal, or do you just hope for it?
But you may be wondering, how do my beliefs prevent me from healing?
First, as seen from the placebo and nocebo effect, our subconscious mind can impact whether or not we heal just from what we believe. We still don’t fully understand how this happens, but it’s a definite scientific fact that its very real!
Second, our belief impacts our actions. If we believe that we’re just an anxious person or that we can’t heal, how much effort will we actually put into changing? Will we dig for answers? Will we stick to protocols that could help us? Will we stick to our healthy habits long enough to see a difference? Will we even attempt them?
Third, limiting beliefs often bring on self sabotage. Even though they are limiting, they are still beliefs, and we need our beliefs to be true. So our subconscious will ensure that our outcomes support our beliefs. Even if this means that we’re preventing our healing. Remember, our subconscious mind does not reason, it’s designed to keep you safe. And we feel most safe staying with what we know. Even if what we know is an anxious state.
Here are a few more limiting beliefs around health that you may want to look at:
“I don’t have time to _____ (healthy habit).”
Reframe: Instead of saying, “I don’t have time”, say, “I’m not prioritizing that right now.” It hits different, right?
“I don’t have enough money to make healthy choices.”
Reframe: There are so many healthy choices that are free! Which of those could you focus on? Walking, taking the stairs, eating simply, cooking at home, going to bed early, grounding: there are so many free things!
“I don’t have enough self-control.”
Reframe: Self-control is not something you’re born with but it’s something that you develop over time. It’s not a state you’re stuck in. Start small, pick one small, doable thing and commit to it.
“I don’t know what I should do to heal.”
Reframe: Most of us know 90% of what we should be doing! We know we should drink more water, get better sleep, eat certain foods and avoid others, move our body, and avoid the major stressors. Just doing the things we know to do will give you a solid foundation!
“I don’t have the right circumstances.”
Reframe: Instead of focusing on what is out of your control, focus on what is in your control. Maybe you can’t afford a gym membership but can you go for a walk every day? Maybe you can’t afford a therapist but could you listen to audiobooks or podcasts?
Start making note of the limiting beliefs that come up in your life. Notice how you describe your health concerns. Notice how you describe your ability to heal or change. Then find a reframe. How could you reword it to allow for healing?
As long as you’re breathing then change is possible. Most things in the body and mind can be healed, just be patient with yourself and recognize that you’re just trying to keep yourself safe. But growth and healing often happens when we’re uncomfortable. So learn to find comfort in the uncomfortable.
