Last week in Vancouver, I was having dinner with a friend who is considering some big changes in his life. He described how he had spent a lot of energy worrying and then one day decided to just stop. It reminded me of my father’s saying: Stop worrying and start living.
I thought, “What a great topic for this week’s blog!” But first I checked to see if someone besides my father had actually said: Stop worrying and start living. When I typed the words into my browser, half a dozen citations of Dale Carnegie’s book by that title appeared on my screen – a book that was published in 1948, some sixty-six years ago!
This got me thinking. There are many things from sixty-six years ago that may be irrelevant to our lives today. Rules from the past that are not only out of date, but limiting for individuals and our society as a whole.
A woman’s place is in the home.
Children should be seen and not heard.
People of different races shouldn’t mix.
Most people agree these rules don’t make sense now, and indeed, were bad advice even then. But they were followed none the less.
Still, in our busy lives, it’s often hard to stop and think about those old adages that might have a tight grip on us and don’t actually serve us anymore.
You get what you pay for (and now I have a lot of expensive tools and no money).
The early bird gets the worm (and now I’m exhausted).
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks (I haven’t learned a new skill in ages and am really far behind technologically).
Of course, there are a legion of old-fashion beliefs thatare still valid
Since 1907, Be Prepared(the Scout motto), has been good advice for many. Being kind, generous, and patient are still attributes we honor. But the vows and beliefs that don’t work need to be jettisoned so we can break out and live the life we imagine.
One of most powerful parts of the Discover Your YIPPEE Retreat is identifying rules and beliefs that used to be true for you but aren’t any more. We call these limiting beliefs because they limit what we think, do and feel. The more we know what they are, the more we can ask ourselves if they still serve who we want to be.
What are some rules or beliefs your family passed down to you?
Have they been hard to let go of?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Until next Tuesday. YIPPEE!
Elizabeth