March 21st, 2010 by rob white
It seems that this health care bill consists of nearly 2,000 pages. 2,000 pages can be very confusing to even the most organized and discerning mind. If a person is to find the jewels hidden in the health care bill, he must have the courage to dive in and get rid of what is confusing.
It seems that our collection of opinions and beliefs also consists of 2,000 pages (maybe more like 2,000,000 pages). If you want the jewels hidden in your vast collection of opinions and beliefs, you must have the courage to dive in and let go of what is confusing.
How do you do that? Begin by learning the difference between random thinking and consciously choosing the thoughts you ponder. Choose wisely and this one mental act will help you go through your collection of coveted opinions and beliefs in far less time than you imagine; it will also help you let go of those opinions and beliefs that don’t support your aims and aspirations. What does that leave you with? Those opinions that are jewels … those beliefs that support you with experiencing a healthy life.
I recently found a couple of jewels that I treasure:
1. I can take outer command of my life only after I have taken inner command of my collection of opinions and beliefs.
2. I am much more capable than my collection of beliefs can explain – my job is to just get out there and prove it to myself!
What jewels might you find?
When I sort through my junk thoughts, a real gem stands out – I am not a quitter. This has helped me be the success that I am today.
Politicians are full of junk thoughts. I think they sold their jewels to get elected.
When I can get through the junk I see that creativity is my biggest value. It is more important than anything. Anything that threatens or doesn’t support creative aspirations is junk. Are the Red Sox and Guiness OK, or am I delusional? I think they are. Does anyone else have things they dont want to give up?
I used to always wonder “What did they mean by that?” and “I don’t understand …?” I lived thinking everyone was paying attention to what I was doing and I was never doing it right. It was all about me. Every grunt and mumble was about me. Never occured to me they had gas or something and it had nothing to do with me. …nothing to do with me. …nothing to do with me. THAT IS A JEWEL…many things have NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!!
How sad and futile to live trying to get approval from a world that doesn’t even know you’re there. Welcome to my insanity. When I realized that I am not the center of everyones universe things started to get better. It took a lot of pressure off Conversations, relationships started to make sense as I learned to see them in a more realistic perspective. ANOTHER JEWEL…ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, and if they are not congruent, believe the actions” I can already see how this saves me from incorrect expectations and corresponding disappointments. It helps make situations clear and clarity makes them comfortable.
Hi sylvia, It is indeed a great realization to notice that most folks are so busy worrying about ‘what others think of them’ that they really do not give much thought to what you said or did … phewww …. such freedom. Now you can spend your creative energy getting on with your life rather than using it to seek every ones else’s approval. I can see you are up to something big. Keep on going!
Very important topic Rob, and just as gems can be found people need to get rid of useless papers (beliefs) that they find. Lots of people suffer because of their limiting beliefs which has nothing to do with reality.
very nice post
You are a contribution to this topic of conversation, Farouk. I can see that you have put in time pondering what it means to be human. Yes, indeed, when we gather a collection of limiting notions and convert them into beliefs (that now stop us from fully participating in life) we are living in a negative fantasy that has nothing at all to do with reality. Good job!
A lot of what I do is like the health care bill – too cumbersome, too overdone. I need to find the belief I hold that compels me to overdo things.
Rob,
This is my favorite sentence in the post:
“I can take outer command of my life only after I have taken inner command of my collection of opinions and beliefs.”
I just turned 36 years old, but it is only recently that I have finally TRULY understood that what happens on the outside in my life is a direct reflection of my thoughts and feelings on the inside. You can tell exactly what a person is thinking and feeling by just looking at what shows up in their lives.
Fortunately, this means that we have the power to change our lives by having different thoughts and feelings. This is a very simple concept, but it can change your life once you figure it out. I can tell that I am in the process of some big outward changes, because I’ve started making some big inward changes.
Great response, Greg. Why depend upon the courage and motivation of others when you can have your own real certainty – “I have the power to change.” I love your attitude; it shows up in your words.
I have lots of ‘jewels’ or great ideas but I don’t know what to do about them. I get stuck in my status quo lifestyle. I have a good salary (and Health Insurance
) and it is hard to seriously take on a big chance. How do I get over that hump?
When you come to the realization that the only times that you feel really alive, Ramone, is when you take on new aspirations and aims, then the jewels that are hiding deep inside of you begin shining.
I think I have 20,000,000 pages of beliefs. My wife tells me I have way too many rules. Aren’t they nothing more than how I believe life should be?
I like to write my favorite jewels down and make them my affirmations. I find writing them down and repeating them is the only way for me to remember that they are in there. Try this one: “I release the old and invite the new,
even if the new has not appeared yet.”
My beliefs about who I am and what I am capable of doing are not true about me. I find there is always more to me than I assumed, and I can do more than I expected when I really try. I never thought of it as ‘beliefs’.
Here is a jewel of a belief that I have about myself: I think I am sexy, even though I am short. It works! Others agree; I get lots of dates.
I like short men,Emery, probably because my father was short and I loved him. My jewel of a belief about me is that I am happy, and I always am happy. It works.
It seems like there are a lot of ‘jewels of beliefs’ being tossed about; I may become a jewel thief and steal a few gems for my own growth and development.
I must have a billion beliefs. My mother is always telling me that I have all the answers (I’m a know it all with my family), and I should relax and let other people have their say a little more.
If you think the health care bill is confusing, you should see the rules my family has about Christmas. There is nothing simple about it, and that is why what should be a wonderful holiday becomes a headache.
The less rules we have, Norton, the easier it is to enjoy life. Too many rules is a always a problem. Great comment.
My health care bill is my explanation of how my ex and I split. The story is so convoluted and filled with complex excuses that it is stupid. I could resolve it in my mind if I simplified the matter. Dare I?
There is one ‘gem of a belief’ that I hold onto (one that steers me clear of other limiting beliefs that I have adopted0; it’s this – – I got this belief from you, thanks Rob ……
I now consciously choose to think about my career rather than let random thoughts about any old thing flood my mind. I am improving my work skills and hope to get a raise soon.
Funny you should use politics as a metaphor. I used to be a big political junkie and follow every issue. I realized that all this was doing was aggravating me by getting me riled up. I was probably boring my friends too (now that I think about it) with all my political pontificating. So now I follow it peripherally and focus my energy on my family.
So now you are a family junkie, GeorgieBoy …. sounds like a good movie (more fulfilling).
I know when my mind is organized and discerning – I get four times as much done and don’t have to do it over.
Bingo – Bingo1011 !! You hit it right on the mark. An organized mind that is trained to discern what it thinks about, indeed, does support you with getting things done in a much shorter amount of time.
When I take inner command of my belief system and convice myself I can do something, I find it a lot easier to take outer command of my action and do the right things to succeed.
When I remind myself that I am smarter than I pretend, I do better work. I get caught in the dumb blond role – how foolisn of me.
I sometimes play the dumb blond role, also, Joanne. I kind of like it; I get to play dumb and not have to be responsible for finishing the work I was doing.
That is funny, Rus, are you teasing me?
My mind is very organized and discerning when it comes to my car – my car is impeccable. But when it comes to the rest of my life – I have some organizing to do.
Wow, great insight, Sam!
My whole life has been filled with random thinking. I can tell because my achievements in life are random (with little planning). I am at an age where it is time to consciously choose what is next for me.
My mind is trained to stay on target, remain organized and discerning; that is why I am so successful in the business I am in – stock broker.
I am disorganized in mind and paperwork. It is my curse, I am always behind the eight ball. Is it that simple? organize my mind and the rest will follow.
Yes, Karen … it really is that simple. Organize the thoughts in your mind and you will that your action will become more efficient and effective.
Here is a jewel of a thought that I polish often. “You are better than you think you are.” My grandmother taught me that one. It works when I am feeling down.
I love randomly thinking, then I don’t have to take responsibility for my life!
A jewel of a belief that I polish daily is this: I am great at remembering names. I brag about this skill often, and it helps me to remember more and more names.
Random thinking can work is you are brainstorming. You just need to know when to stop and hone in.
I like that tip, Samuel …random thinking is a great brainstorming technique, but then we have to hone in! thanks.
My wife has 2,000 rules about everything. She complicates everything. How am I to deal with that?