How to Eliminate Mental Toxins – Part Three

If you’ve read part one and two of Detoxing the Mind, you’ve probably identified some hindering beliefs and fears about you and life.  Take some time to reflect on how these beliefs shape your experiences.

Life mirrors beliefs.

Every negative, fear-based belief we hold  influences our choices.  It is natural to turn away from discomfort to avoid whatever stands between us and our desires, but when we resolve to confront our false beliefs, we may discover that they dissipate.

At one point in my life I was uneducated (last grade completed 8th), I’d made many “bad” choices (teen mom, abusive ex, beyond broke) and I truly believed that I was a child of a lesser god.  I lived in constant discomfort and fear, but tucked beneath the weight of my miserable world, I had dreams.  I wanted to be someone I admired.

I started working on myself and my life changed so quickly that I found myself facing fears that once paralyzed me and watching them dissolve.

The first was being invited to events given by my new employer. Everyone in the room had Master’s degrees, a couple of homes, and had traveled the world.  I was terrified that they’d single me out for being inferior. I quickly learned that they were just people.  And the people who did turn out to be jerks, were jerks to everyone, not just me.  My fear was baseless.

Similarly, when I showed up for my first day of law school, after never completing high school or getting an undergraduate education, I was mortified by the belief that the other students would all figure out that I was a clueless moron with no business sitting next to them.  It never happened.  Instead, I won Student of the Year.

In both examples, my underlying belief was: I’m not worthy of being here.  I now know that isn’t true.  Some beliefs are best released by doing and thus proving their falsehood.  This is an outer approach.  The inner work I refer to above gave me the confidence to go out and try.  We’ll look at that in my next post.

For now, it’s enough to consider that we are made of the same stuff and have access to the same universal power and support.  If it is your desire, you can achieve what others have done and more.

The only limiting factor in your life is you. Read Part Four.

~ Cynthia