preposted

thought for the day:  You have thousands of beliefs, both positive and negative, that cause you to perceive and act a certain way.  The effects of your beliefs are not as abstract as you might think.  Let’s say you’re looking at a restaurant menu.  You’ll make a decision and take action by ordering and eating the food that aligns with your beliefs about health and nutrition.  The result of that decision will determine whether or not you’ll have an abundance of energy.  It will determine, over a period of time, your external appearance.  It will also determine your internal health.  As you can see, one small decision affects a whole range of things.  Choosing improperly for long periods is a surefire route to a mediocre life.

What you must consider is whether or not your beliefs can get you to the destination of your dreams…When an elephant is young, the trainer uses a heavy chain with a shackle around the calf’s ankle, which causes painful sores  Within a short period of time, the animal is conditioned that pulling equals pain.  As the elephant matures, the trainer can use a weaker and weaker tether because the elephant won’t test it, until a simple rope tied to a tent stake will keep this five-ton animal from roaming.  It’s likely that many of the beliefs you have today are acting like that weak rope, perhaps holding you in place and preventing you from going where you want to be.  That’s why people stay in relationships that aren’t working, keep a job they don’t like, continue neglecting their health, and so on.  The good news is you can change.  You can break free.  You can choose your beliefs…How can you know what’s "right" if you aren’t basing it on what someone else has taught you?  This kind of choice requires you to truly listen to yourself, consult your own wisdom, and assess your own private spirituality.  John Assaraf, The Street Kid’s Guide to Having it All