Limiting Beliefs

[vtap]

Hi

I have seen some good improvements recently, both in terms of decreased anxiety and greater awareness of negative thinking patterns. I am realising quickly when negative thoughts come up and I'm then trying to counter that by a positive thought or by being mindful so that they don't continue.

However, I've not yet been able to eliminate these thoughts from appearing in the first place. Every time I pay close attention to my thoughts there are negative statements. I understand that this has been programmed into me and limiting beliefs are stored in my subconscious due to the traumatic events of the past. I've tried EMDR which has been effective in releasing negative emotions but I've not had much success with clearing the limiting beliefs which lead to these negative thoughts.

Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully managed to clear these limiting beliefs? I would be pleased to know what methods you used and what worked well?

Thanks

 

[Hashi]

I think just keep doing it. It sounds like you're doing a lot of good things to change the beliefs. It can take a long time, especially if you think about how long you've had the negative ones. I don't think it has to be an equal amount of time of positive beliefs, but I think it will take some time.

I would just check with you - are your positive belief statements all in the present tense (eg "I let go of anxiety", rather than "I will let go of anxiety")?

Things I do that you haven't mentioned are visual affirmations, rituals and visualisation. I don't do these in response to negative thoughts as and when those come up, but more as sort of building up positive beliefs generally.

The visual affirmations are collages or drawings of what I want, the same idea as affirmations (positive thoughts) in words but using images instead. For emotions, I have to find visual symbols, like a heart for love. Since so much of what we're experiencing comes from a non-verbal part of us, I think addressing them on a non-verbal level as well as a verbal one is good.

Rituals are for a similar reason, to reach the subconscious part of my mind with symbols as much as words (the subconscious "speaks" in symbols, for example through dreams). I don't dance around bonfires or anything, although nothing wrong with that, a ritual can be something like lighting a candle and placing symbolic objects in front of it, like a picture that represents peacefulness, an object that represents friendship and support etc. I will also say positive statements, and the candle is symbolic of activating those, or bringing them into light.

A therapist I used to see taught me a visualisation that I like very much. I imagine being in a place that's safe, or at least non-threatening, and then I walk down some steps there into my subconscious. If I want to, I can have someone with me, a friend or safe person. When I get to my subconscious I knock on the door and am shown into a lovely old library. The very friendly and helpful librarian takes me to a book called "The Book of Hashi's Beliefs". I go through the book and when I see a negative belief on the page, I remove the page from the book and burn the page. A new, blank page appears in its place and I write a new, positive belief on it instead. When I'm done, I close the book and the librarian puts it back on the shelf with the new, positive beliefs in it.

I have found all of these effective, and soothing in themselves.

 

[The Albatross]

Rather than attempt countering with a positive thought... I try to either refute the thought with facts or I am learning to allow the uncomfortable thought for a bit of time. Trying to concentrate more on letting the thoughts flow and not becoming stuck on one.

When I get stuck on a thought or a series of thoughts the log jam causes my brain to lock up. A friend gave me a visualization where there were many trees in fall colors by a river. I pick up a leaf, examine it, and put it in the river and watch it go downstream before I pick up another. Sometimes "putting my leaf in the river" is tough. I did at one time find an online interactive game, where I free flowed thoughts, typing them onto leaves and when I clicked enter, the leaf would drift over to a river and go downstream. I found it helpful and played it for a couple weeks. It was generally beneficial.

I also decided that I am not my thoughts. My thoughts are only one aspect of who I am... for me it's (body/mind/spirit/soul)... for others it can be something different. I have read lately some articles on the topic. Though unwelcome thoughts still occur, by attending more to putting the back into the river of consciousness so to speak, other more beneficial thoughts flow naturally. I am more cautious about the thoughts I attend to. With repetition it has gotten a lot better, though there are still times I become disturbed. It is better than it was though.

I hope this helps you.

 

[vtap]

I would just check with you - are your positive belief statements all in the present tense (eg "I let go of anxiety", rather than "I will let go of anxiety")?

Many thanks for your reply. In terms of the positive beliefs, I was given the following to do at therapy: I am safe, I am just as good as everyone else, I am in control. Some form of bilateral stimulation accompanied the statements during the session.

I have done some visualisations although I've found it quite challenging to make them effective. I find if I meditate for a long time then visualising is easier. But usually time is a issue during the week as I work very long hours. Thanks for those tips anyway. I will experiment further.