Have you ever wondered why that co-worker across the hall confidently bounds into work, while you doubtfully drag yourself in? Aside from a serious dose of caffeine, what’s the difference? Is it some innate quality that they possess and you don’t? Or is it something that you could do something about? In this article, we’ll explore what makes the difference and how you can use this insight to feel better and grow more of what you truly desire in all areas of your life.

So what makes the same event feel different to different people or even different to you at different times? Something must intervene between the event itself and your experience of it, something that makes a big difference. What is that? Let’s look at a simplified version of the experiential process to get a grip on this. The most important thing to understand is that there are several layers to any experience.

To begin, there is the “event itself,” what is actually happening inside and around you. For example, there’s the event of “arriving at work in the morning.” Then there is your interpretation of that event. Your interpretation has multiple layers. We’ll simplify it into four.

First, you have what you might call the “raw data,” which is what your body takes in through all your senses, such as sights, sounds, smells, taste, tactile sensations, and energetic impressions. The raw data then goes through subconscious emotional filters which associate these raw data sensations with memories of previous experiences. This adds an emotional evaluation to the raw data, such as this situation is “safe or unsafe,” “positive or negative,” “feels good or feels bad.” Third, you have a perception pop up into your conscious mind, an image or a thought, such as “Here I am at work again.” Finally, you add personal meaning to that perception, such as “I can’t wait to get this day started,” or “Do I really have to do this again?” Then you might ponder this event and add more meaning to it, such as “I’m so psyched about my presentation today. I’m going to nail it!” or “I can’t wait until that presentation is done with. I’m lousy at public speaking.”

And this all takes place in the blink of an eye, without your conscious mind even knowing it’s going on. Your conscious mind simply relates to the final story as if it just appeared out of nowhere. You just think that’s the way things are, without realizing the process that gave meaning to your experience. This is why you might not realize you have a choice in how you relate to events, because it seems like your experiences just happen to you.

So, how you interpret an event has to do with a complex variety of factors including what is actually happening, the raw data that your body is picking up from what is happening, the state of your body, what else is on your mind, how you feel at the moment, your personal history with this type of situation, your subconscious and conscious beliefs about what it means to you (which may conflict), and the conscious story that you tell yourself so that it all makes sense in your version of the world.

For example, if you are healthy, rested, well-fed, worry-free, have a positive history with the situation at hand, and believe that things are in your favor and you have power to create a positive outcome, you’re going to interpret what is happening in a way that makes the event feel a certain way. In contrast, if you are sick, sleep-deprived, undernourished, worried, depressed, have a negative history in similar situations, believe that negative things are going to happen and they are beyond your control, you’re going to interpret things differently.

Change any one of these factors to the positive and it can have an impact on your interpretation. For example, a good night’s rest can make the world seem like a kinder place. Getting a good workout, so that endorphins are flowing, makes life look and feel a whole lot better. Believing that you have power to make things better in a given situation gives it a whole different feeling as well.

Of all of these factors, your beliefs about “what a situation means to you” and “what you can do about it” are perhaps the single biggest determiners of your experience. If you believe that bad things are happening or going to happen and there’s nothing you can do about it, you’re going to feel negative and disempowered. You can call the beliefs that put you in that state negative or limiting beliefs. If you believe that good things are happening or going to happen and/or that you have the power to make things better, you’re going to feel positive and/or empowered. You can call the beliefs that put you in this state positive or empowering beliefs.

So how do you know what you believe in a given situation? This can be tricky, since your conscious mind might be thinking one thing, while your subconscious mind may have other ideas. Because of that, psychologists and self-growth experts have come up with a variety of methods to help you get a conscious hold on your subconscious beliefs and shift them to align with what you consciously desire.

There are many great techniques to become aware of your subconscious beliefs, clear the layers of negative ones, install positive ones, and strongly anchor them so that you consistently have better experiences. I recommend investigating these and practicing the ones that prove fruitful for you. In the Resource Box below, you’ll find a link to a great way to work on the raw data and emotional layers to shift your experience.

In addition, there are two simple things you can do right now, to overcome limiting beliefs and shift how you feel in any situation:

First, take note of “what you could be grateful for” in the current situation, no matter how small that thing might be. Take note of anything that could possibly be viewed as positive, growth producing, instructive, or helpful.

Second, take note of “what you can do” to move things in a positive direction, no matter how small that might be. What action could you take to contribute in any way to making things better?

If you make a habit of having an “attitude of gratitude” and “taking positive action,” you’ll build two skills that will immediately begin to shift your limiting beliefs and improve how you feel.

Enjoy your practice.

What if you could shift your state of being at will, at any time? Discover how to move through negative feelings and limiting beliefs with the Core Energy Technique. To learn this simple, yet powerful process be sure to visit us here.

What if you could shift your state of being at will, at any time? Discover how to move through negative feelings and limiting beliefs with the Core Energy Technique. To learn this simple, yet powerful process, be sure to visit us here:
http://www.energymeditationsecrets.com

Author Bio: What if you could shift your state of being at will, at any time? Discover how to move through negative feelings and limiting beliefs with the Core Energy Technique. To learn this simple, yet powerful process be sure to visit us here.

Category: Self Help
Keywords: limiting beliefs, negative emotions, negative thinking, empowerment, personal power