Consciously adopting your beliefs can make your life amazing. Randomly or unconsciously collecting beliefs can make your life hell.
When you actively seek out powerful beliefs, you can design a life that other people think is only for savants and outliers.
Silly them.
If only they knew that the beliefs that shape your life are more like clothes you can try on or take off at any time (granted, some are like tight leather pants that can be a bit pesky to peel off). The difference with beliefs being that the “store” you get beliefs from is free and virtually unlimited. Your only confinement is your willingness to relax your assumptions and remain curious.
Some of the things I believe now I would have thought to be insane or ludicrous a year ago. But through my willingness to relax what I believed and remain open, I’ve been able to live an extraordinary life.
At this point, I’m willing to test believing just about anything to see if it works.
I’d like to give you a few more of the powerful, life-altering beliefs I’ve collected along my journey. When you truly steep your consciousness in them, your life will change in ways you cannot even imagine.
Your old friends might not recognize you anymore. People will wonder what superpower you possess (and you can send them to this article if you’re feeling generous).
Go ahead, try them on. Tattoo them into your mind and watch your world begin to shift.
Belief #1: I choose to believe that my life is an incredible gift.
Even if the current situation or circumstances of your life aren’t what you’d ideally have now, you can creatively notice the ways you’ve been blessed.
You may need to start very small by noticing little things you’re grateful for. If you can find nothing to be grateful for, the fault only lies with you.
You can start simple and small by being grateful for your breath or that you have enough to eat. Over time, little by little, your life situation will shift. Expanding your sphere of gratitude helps you tap into the spiral effect: the better it gets, the better it gets.
Before long, you’ll wake up thinking, “Even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Belief #2: Everyone I meet is a best friend I don’t know yet.
The truth of the matter is, we’re all connected. In a very literal sense, we’re all from the same human family. We’re all bodies born from stars that die and return to the earth.
So why not act as if we are really one? Your relationships will see a new depth and richness when you act as if everyone is truly you.
Belief #3: Every 24 hours is the most important of my life.
Right now you have a choice: You can let this day, this moment, be brand new, or you can wallow in the past and worry about the future.
You can make today a blessing and a gift, or your can squander it. When you choose to act as if today is an incredible opportunity to love fully and give your gifts deeply, new worlds will begin to open that you didn’t know could possibly exist.
Belief #4: Everything will turn out all right.
It always does, doesn’t it? No matter how bad things might seem now, they will surely pass as they always do.
And under every challenge, every crisis, is a lesson waiting to be learned. Within chaos and compost, opportunities and flowers bloom.
Belief #5: Life is a game to be played, not a problem to be fixed.
When you view all of life as a game, it feels more like play and less like a problem to be solved.
Why not view everything, even the most difficult challenges, as adventures with mysteries waiting to unfold? Life is not a problem you need to fix, it’s a game to be played to the fullest.
Belief #6: I choose to die having done my best, having given everything.
We will all die one day, sooner or later. Would you rather die holding back, or having given everything and loved to your depth?
Would you rather close off, or open? Every moment is a choice. Consider how your choice feels right now.
Stop waiting for the right moment. Give your best right now, however you are moved to do so.
Belief #7: No one really cares about me as much as I think. This is incredibly liberating.
The reality is that while you’re worrying about what others think about you, they’re worrying about what you think about them. It’s pretty comical, actually.
The good news is that this is a license to do more of what you want. And while doing so, you’ll liberate others to do the same.
Belief #8: It’s always okay to ask, and always okay to say no.
If you’re not getting your needs met, you probably struggle with asking for what you want. That’s okay. We’re often taught growing up that we can’t always get what we want.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not okay to ask. And it’s also always okay to say no.
The more you practice asking, the richer and more fulfilled your life becomes. Don’t believe me? Try it.
Belief #9: By serving myself first, I can better serve the world.
The more you take care of yourself, the greater you expand your capacity for serving others. It’s as simple as that.
And anyway, if you truly believe that the world is you, than by not serving yourself, you’re actually hurting the world. Is that what you want? Is that the kind of example you want to set?
Serving yourself isn’t selfish, it’s actually one of the deepest signs of caring for others you can show.
Belief #10: Love is always available when I choose to open my heart.
Even in the most difficult challenges and heart-wrenching tragedies, love is available when we choose to open our hearts.
It’s only when we close ourselves off and shut down that we restrict the flow of love into our lives. When we choose to open, even amidst the pain, we can feel love’s flow and realize that love takes many shapes. Love can feel like grief, anger and sadness.
Whether we’re experiencing joy or loss, opening our hearts allows the fullness of love and healing to come through. When you open, even when it hurts, that’s when real growth and fullness is allowed to come forth.
My challenge to you:
What’s one belief you’d most like to try on? Relax your assumptions and experiment with trying it on for 30 days to see if it’s true for your or not.
If it doesn’t move you, at least you’ve learned something about yourself. If you never try anything new, you only risk your life.
Comment & Add Your Voice
My most powerful belief came through once again a couple weeks ago:
When I am faced with impossible odds, it forces me to become creative and want it even more. This belief has gotten me so many doors opened that I thought were bolted shut. It’s amazing how much you can do when you feel like you’ve got nothing to lose but the world to gain.
Amen.
Our biggest pains are our biggest gifts — they serve as fuel for us growing. It’s highly motivating.
And I totally see what you’re saying: when we’re boxed in, it causes us to think of solutions moreso then if we’re just comfortable. Good observation :)
Max
Jonathon,
One of the hard things I have had to learn on my own was #8. It has always been hard for me to “ask” for things and always hard to say “no” when asked.
I have been forced to do both, and have seen great results from both. I still prefer to help if I can, but there is just too much to do to say YES every time someone needs something, and conversely it can be surprising how much some people will do for you if you only spend the time to ask for it.
All your points are great, but I see something special in that one, since it is something i have changed myself to great effect.
-SJ
I love this post.
No. 7 changed my outlook. Once I realized that people aren’t watching me (and waiting for me to mess up), I was able to really move out and try things without the fear of failing.
Thank u for the reminder. Very very clean, straight forward and useful. Nice!
Love this, thank-you. :)
Hi Jonathan,
#4  really resonated for me. I’ve gotten myself into a sticky financial situation that I don’t see an immediate way out of. I am going to keep myself open and trust that there are some really cool lessons that I will learn during this game.
Thanks for this post!
Jonathan,
Great post!
I’d love to suggest another one, one that kept me going and to me became more true, the more I believed in it.
I believe in possiblities in stead of impossibilities, in the ability to create the world around you. With your intentions, imagination and will.
Jonathan,
This is soooo good! I would like to try on belief #7. I tend to worry entirely too much about what others think and it’s time for me to do more of what I want without regard for what others think. It’s already feeling more liberating just to think of this a little differently. It’s so true that people are so worried about themselves that they aren’t paying much attention to me anyway. Funny!
Thanks for this!
I think the most important aspect of this post is the analogy between beliefs and clothing, which I have used before. A metaphor I like is to call this is the wardrobe of reality.
The meta-belief that we can choose and change our beliefs underlies our nature as creative conscious beings, and it delights me to be able to share that with others. Change your mind, and you change your reality.
One belief that resonated with me was that, with pure intention, giving and receiving are the same.
Thanks for sharing such a fundamentally powerful post Jonathon and I hope this moment finds you well.
A song to my ears and honey for my heart:)
One belief that continues to impact me in so many pozitive ways is that Everything that happens has a hidden meaning we might not get at first, but it ALWAYS serves our highest good.
And #no7 also squeezed in my mind a while ago. It`s so funny and true:)
Blessings guys!
Thank you – lovely post. I have a little tweaking to do! :-)
LOVE this! Words to live by, or remember often at the very least. Thanks! :)
Was moved by your list of beliefs. I really loved #7. When I try on this belief I feel looser, less risk averse, and even give a laugh out loud :)
Love this list! So incredible how life can shift when we change our thinking. No. 8 was definitely my trickiest to overcome!
Number 4 rings true. Everything usually turns out right in the end. Too often we anticipate the worse will happen.
Lots of truths in there my friend :)
One belief I am really trying to change lately is that a stranger is just a friend I haven’t met yet. I feel it can help a lot with all kinds of social interactions.
The one where you say that life is a game to be played reminds me a lot of one of my favorite quotes by Frank Herbert: “The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience”. I suppose that “a game to be played” sounds lots more fun than “a reality to experience”.
Man there are so many beliefs I resonate with. From your point about choosing to die having done your best to the point about serving yourself first – there are so many stories I could share regarding these beliefs.
One belief I’d love to add to this post is: “Being vulnerable and honest will only lead to good things.” It’s something that I am working on in my own life, but I’ve really found it to be true. When you really open up and be completely honest, things are always better. Sometimes, people will be hurt and sometimes it won’t be fun. But you will always grow as a person by being this way.
Beautiful post Jonathan.
Hi Jonathan
These 10 beliefs are very empowering.
I also see these positive statements as good daily affirmations to practice. One that I created and use very often is “I value and appreciate everything I do”which helps me feel calmer and grateful for the moment in hand regardless of what I am doing. I find that this further empowers my patience.
I find that affirmations (a form of prayer that focuses on a positive outcome) can shift the perception and energy in order to bring a calmer and more focused state to ENHANCE PRODUCTIVE FLOW. It is also important to also have an awareness of the values and limiting beliefs we maybe attaching to the experience in hand.
For example, I find that a COOL WAY to OBLITERATE the feeling of overwhelm and stress is to firstly become aware of the discussions in the mind (basically the self talk). Then replace any un-supportive language with positive affirmations such as “I VALUE & APPRECIATE EVERYTHING I DO” – knowing that I am giving the current task in hand extra LOVE and APPRECIATION. This is because whenever overwhelm kicks in the trick is to FOCUS on the NOW instead of worrying about the outcome.
I accept the 30 day challenge, thank you for giving me some more ideas.
Paul
Loved this post. Inspiring and transformational.
Thanks Jonathan for a reminder that we can choose our beliefs.
#9 is a belief I have today and know to be true. That kind of self-care and love for yourself, actually was a huge eye opener in my life. The world opened up and I became more compassionate, loving and accepting of myself and others. It really opened my heart in many ways. And yes it can be truly hard to say no in some situations – but I experience having so much more to give to other people. I can now give from my heart from a more true place, as oppose to my head or ego telling me I had to do this and that to get acceptance.
I will try out #7 as it is really holding me back.
Once I started loving myself and acting like I was incredible I became Incredible. Our biggest enemy is not the world, but that little voice that constantly tells you ain’t worthy. Just shut that constant critic and believe in the great human being that you are and you will start to appreciate the beautiful person you have always been.
I do not open up and allow others in my heart. Close other people out , “not ” all By MY choice “.
I did enjoy reading this.
#9
Really needed this! These are beautiful – thank you =)
So, tried twice to sign up for the 30-day thing. No verification email happening, even in my hyperactive spam filter. Is it working?
Belief # 2 was really good!
I’m a huge introvert so befriending new people is not my forte. I can see how this belief would ease getting to know someone and make you a lot more relaxed.
I can really identify with the other beliefs though. I made a mission statement for myself a couple of years ago and it has 10-15 “commandments” which I live by every day. Most of these beliefs reflect what I wrote in one way or another.
Great post!
“Life is a game to be played…not a problem to be fixed.”
There’s no way to hear, read, feel, taste this too many times. Giving yourself permission to play the game gives you a whole new lease on life. One of my kids’ favorite movies is Camp, especially the song, “Century Plant.” A lot of people know it for its chorus…”Hey, do you wanna come out, and play the game. It’s never too late.” Google it if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Really great post, Jonathan! Glad I found this blog. :)
Yes, the tribe doesn’t care. The tribe is too busy stressing over their own story.
This is a really great list. I am going to try on number 10 for the next 30 days. I agree with you about how liberating number 7 is.
#7 is a belief I’ve recently adopted and I’m currently working on belief #2.
My most life-changing belief is that we are not defined to be a certain person or to live a certain life. Every day we create who we are, through our actions and through our thoughts. The person you were yesterday does not have to be the person you are today.
One of my favorite quotes: “Life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation.”
Another powerful belief is that every experience is a learning experience. No matter how bad a situation may seem, there’s always something to learn from it. Look for the silver lining and you will find it.
This is a truly amazing gathering of beliefs! Most of them resonate very deeply with me. What is interesting is that I stumbeled upon this post today, one week into the Momentum Challenge, and a lot of them have been coming up to my mind during this week,while working on my “Manifesto” and the message I want to bring to the world.
the one I´m going to try out this month is no 3 – I tend to fall into “Mañana-thinking” all too easy, causing the days to slip away without me getting into action as much as I want to.
Big thank´s for putting this together so neatly :)
Great post.
I have spent a lifetime serving others.
It has taken me over 50 years to understand that to serve myself first would be of greater benefit to those I can then serve.
Truly inspiring..
SW
What I’ve found helpful is to start with the belief that my mind is extremely malleable and in no way set in stone. I think it’s easy to buy into the belief that ‘we are who we are’ and that change is impossible. The entry point into any empowering belief is realizing that our self-image and identity is not solid or permanent in nature. From there, we can re-invent ourselves to believe whatever would serve us and others most.
Salamat (thank you) for sharing this awesome #lifeHack list :) you are amazing.. who knows I maybe a best friend you haven’t met yet ;)
#3 has always been quite important to me. Using every minute is a constant reminder.
Hi Johnathan
What an amazing piece – truly liberating and very important for self-development. My favorite is …
Belief #1: I choose to believe that my life is an incredible gift. I’ve always been grateful for what I have but never believed my life to be a gift.
We all know life is precious, valuable and can be taken at any minute – so why do we treat it so carelessly?
Each point made is highly important and I’m grateful I’ve been able to read this and remind myself of how lucky i am.
Thanks, Naomi
Number 3 is powerful! So many people live their lives believing that there are only a few very important moments that make all the difference.
This isn’t the case. It’s about what you do with EVERY day – even the seemingly unimportant ones. This is where you gain the strength for those so called ‘Important moments’.
I really, really love this post. It’s one of those that I easily could post on my blog and feel good about–such great reminders and such a direct way of expressing them. And I LOVED it when you said, “At this point, I’m willing to test believing just about anything to see if it works.” I too am working to make my 2014 my best year ever and I’m willing to try ANYTHING on to see if it works. Thanks again for your great insights! ~Kathy
Your right every always does turn out right in the end, even if we are in the depth of despair at the moment, but for things to turn out right we have to let ourselves know all is well, like you say, after every challenging day you need to stay in the now, dust yourself down and make a positive fresh start in the morning.
Great beliefs, thanks for sharing!
Here is one of my most powerful beliefs: It all starts with stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying to accomplish something that was initially intimidating or scary for you or maybe even seemed impossible at one point in time. By testing those limits you are able to push yourself to a new level and often times discover new talents and abilities in the process.
Learn from the past but don’t look too far ahead or you will build stone walls. Think of tomorrow you will put up fences. Learn to live in the moment, because you can’t possibly build anything that you will simply step over. Just for today…
Hi Jonathon,
Great post. I particularly want to open up more to number one. I feel I have a lot to be grateful for in life, and I need to remind myself of that sometimes.
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