We’re all inundated by our own and other’s B.S. No, not that kind of B.S. (although we’re swamped with that kind too). B.S. to me is the abbreviation of the words Belief Systems. The moment we’re out of the womb, the conditioning begins. We’re told what to believe about religion, money, sex, success, and the list goes on and on. The problem with all this B.S., is that we forget that it’s just a belief. We think that if a belief system is rolling around in our head, it must be true. The good news is that your life changes dramatically when you realize that your beliefs are often just a bunch of B.S.
One problem with beliefs is how powerfully they can affect us–even when we’re not the one who thought them up. The truth is, you and I were born into a dangerous cult—and this cult told us exactly what to believe. What cult am I talking about? The one you were born into: Cult ure. In American cult ure, we are told that fame and fortune and youth will all lead to success and happiness. Of course, according to studies, none of this is true. But, the early conditioning we received is now stuck between our ears. We often find ourselves subconsciously living out such B.S. in our lives.
A friend of mine recently told me how he was “tricked” into seeing his own B.S. He had been a prominent architect who got on the fast track of investing in nice houses, fixing them up, and then selling them for a big profit. He made millions while living this lifestyle, but somehow happiness eluded him. Then, the housing crash happened. Suddenly, he was losing millions, and eventually filed for bankruptcy. His worst fears had come true. After a time of feeling depressed, he started over with a simpler life. Instead of working on big deals, he spent more time with his wife and kids. To his surprise, he found himself to be a hundred times happier while living in a little apartment with his family. Life had conspired to show him that his beliefs about needing more money and more success were not really true.
Your subconscious beliefs can be hard to spot because you’re literally swimming in them. However, one good clue for seeing what you believe is the canvas of your life. What you strongly believe is what you tend to create in your life. If you believe that the economy is horrible and you need to struggle to pay the bills, voila, you’ll likely have that experience. In fact, a single detrimental belief can make it impossible for you to thrive. Think of it this way: if you have a balloon with a tiny, tiny hole in it, it will be impossible to fill up that balloon. The balloon may be 99.9% intact, but one tiny hole and all the air leaks out. In the same way, you could have a lot of things going great in your life, but one hidden belief can sabotage all your efforts. I know, I’ve been there.
Many years ago, I had no money—despite the fact that I was working really hard. As I looked at my beliefs, I realized that I had a belief that said something like “having money is greedy, selfish, and unspiritual.” Well, I wanted to be a good person, so I subconsciously resisted ever having any amount of money. The good news is, once I saw those thoughts as just a belief, then my experience changed. I soon had plenty of money, while working less. Sometimes all you need is a bit of awareness, and the belief you held so firmly simply withers and dies.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to now proselytize about how you need to replace all your “negative” beliefs with “positive” ones. When I realized that I had a belief in the way of making money, I didn’t suddenly affirm “I am now abundant.” First, that would have simply been more B.S., and second, such an affirmation simply triggers the mind to think about the opposite. Like two hands pushing against each other, you expend a lot of energy but nothing much happens. The goal is not to have “good” beliefs. The goal is to see the beliefs you have as simply random things you believe. Once you question your beliefs, you can get free of their prison. When a person focuses on positive thinking and beliefs, they are still living in a prison of thought—albeit a slightly nicer prison. But there is a whole world of Grace and possibility once the prison bars simply dissolve.
One way to dissolve the beliefs stuck between your ears is to simply question them when they arise. You can do this by asking yourself, “Is this undeniably true? Would everyone agree with this?” If not, then it’s just your belief. So, you think “I need more money to be happy,” or “It’s impossible to get a good job in this economy.” Well, is that undeniably true? Would everyone agree with those two statements? No. Personally, I know a lot of people who have almost nothing and they’re very happy, and I know folks who are doing great in this economy. By questioning your beliefs, you keep them from entangling you in their sticky web.
In the title of this blog, I asked “what lies beyond your own B.S.?” Fortunately, there is a whole river of Grace and freedom that lies beyond our limited prison of thought. Perhaps every now and then you touch into this world of wonder. You see a sunset as if for the first time, or feel the stillness beyond your chattering mind. You let go of what you believe you need or what you believe you want and, instead, become available for loving what is and seeing what’s needed. Such moments are a fore vision of what is available to us when we learn to see beyond our own B.S.
BIO: Jonathan Robinson is a professional speaker and the author of 9 books who has reached 250 people worldwide. He focusses on providing people with simple but powerful methods to improve the quality of their daily lives. He can be reached through his website: www.howtotools.com–where you can find various free audio and article downloads.