Exactly how many flawed beliefs guide your destiny?

Flawed beliefs are like the slimy glob you pulled out of the bathtub drain.

We naturally gravitate toward our destinies, adjusting trajectory as we go along, finding new interests or swerving away from the gaping or hidden potholes in the road we thought was the most scenic.

With that said, it’s true that we all have stumbling blocks of one sort or another, something that gets in your way, kind of like a big angry bear standing in your path.

Flawed beliefs: Just cuz he or she said it doesn’t make it true

Let’s talk about that for a moment. It might be something that someone said about you a long time ago.

Remember that just because he or she said it doesn’t mean it’s true. No matter how often it was repeated, it still doesn’t make it true. And that, my friend, is the truth.

What can you do? Turn it around.

Here’s a visual for you: Ya know that slimy glob of hair that came out of the bathtub drain? Imagine all those erroneous utterances in that gross tangle.

Imagine pulling that slimy tangle out of your brain pipes and putting it through the shredder. Imagine each yucky clump is a slimy utterance that you’ve gotten rid of.

Be persistent. It’ll take a few rolls of the shredder to get rid of them cuz new ones keep popping to the surface of your thoughts/

You know that shriek that gets your attention? The screech of metal on a chalkboard? The repetitive, irregular thump from the neighbor’s place? Arrgh!

The sneaky snarky voice of the inner critic is like that, too. Drown it out. Mute it. Turn up your own volume.

Some of those flawed beliefs are so out there in left field you just have to shake your head.

Sometimes you wonder, Where did that come from? Other times, you’ll be flabbergasted, wondering why you ever believed it.

If you’re feeling some resistance, pull one of those erroneous beliefs into the light of day and pull it apart, disentangle it. You’ll discover that there’s not much substance to it.

And be persistent. I’m kind of embarrassed when some flawed belief pops out of the shadows of my mind. But I pay attention anyway.

I turn them upside down and find out that what’s underneath them is a whole lot of errors in belief.

And here’s the kicker: They were uttered by someone who did not have my best interests in their heart.

Oh, and that person (at work, frenemy, neighbor) who utters nasty stuff? Try avoidance.

Or say something like, Just cuz you say it doesn’t mean it’s true.

Or, I don’t like how you talk about people, so I’m not paying attention to you.

There are plenty movie examples of women and men with attitude that you can copy. Go for it!

How to believe in yourself like a 5-year old with a water hose

Start by telling yourself nice stuff about you. Use the terms, “I deserve,” and “I am worthy” to start off your inner spiel.

• “I deserve a healthy and loving romantic relationship with someone whose values are similar to my own.”
• “I deserve a satisfying job that fully supports me.”

How can you change your erroneous beliefs?

Try this:

• I deserve to believe in myself.
• I deserve to believe in my own goodness.
• I deserve success.
• I deserve healthy relationships.

TO-DO:

Here’s what I want you to do. Write down every nice thing someone has said about you.

I like your hair. You look good in those clothes. I like your style. You’re really smart and have great ideas. Your house always looks so nice. You have such good taste. You come up with the best ideas for fun. Your work is good. Etc.

Now, add another section. Write down all the things you’re good at.

I make tasty tacos. I make my bed every day. I am a good friend. I’m a good listener. I draw really good stick figures. I get my car serviced regularly. I am good at getting stuff done. I keep my word.

Write them all down and tape that paper on your mirror or in front of your desk where you’ll see it and read it often, every day.

Then add to it!!! Because you are such an awesome example of being a real people!

And very importantly:

Expect to hear nice things about you. And say THANK YOU.

We’ve been taught to be modest, not to brag. But really, there’s everything right in simply saying Thank You and basking in that lovely feeling. It makes the giver feel good, too.

Listen for at least one nice thing every day. Next week, make it two, then three.

What’s that about guiding your Destiny?

Big question: Do you want to steer your own destiny?

Or are you going to keep letting flawed beliefs — installed by someone else — drive you on a road full of potholes?

Of course, you want to be in control of your own journey.

I did it — you can too. Actually, I monitor my self-talk every day. It’s a habit now.

Patience, persistence, hypnosis

Hypnotherapy is the best way I know of to make monitoring your self-talk easy and do-able.

You can find many audios online that will guide you and help you.

If you want a customized journey, you may find that one of my programs, a particular level of commitment, is do-able. So let’s chat and see what works for you.

Lotsa hugs,

Peg McMahan, HHP, CHt, LMT

Silencing the sneaky snarky critic

My pic on Wolf Creek Pass near Pagosa Springs CO. The way is obscured. The sign says to merge left. What will you do?