The Mind Whisperer
By Dan McBee

The other day I was watching the news. They talked about a research program that found that no matter what diet program a person was on, if they really believed they were going to lose weight, they did. They theorized that perhaps belief held a much more important pat in actually losing weight than they had previously thought.

This reminded me of a man I had met many years ago. It was my first day on a new job and this really tall, skinny man came up to me, introduced himself and said,” I used to weigh close to three hundred pounds.  Can you believe it?” I had no reason not to believe him so I said, “Sure.”

Would you like to know how I lost the weight? All I did was to tell myself all day long that my body was returning to its perfect weight. Now, I’m sure my new friend must have cut down on the foods that were making him fat.  Still, his way of approaching his situation is certainly worth exploring.

Is it really possible that what makes us get fat has more to do with what we believe and how we feel than what we’re actually eating? Haven’t we all known people who could eat like horses and not gain weight, while others can eat the same diet and gain weight?
This again brings me back to the idea that most of us live our lives with beliefs that keep us stuck in life; that we live in a somewhat unconscious state. Not being aware of what we really believe in and how those beliefs create the kind of life we’re living.

Some of the beliefs I developed from family and friends were:

“To get rich you have to screw people.” I care a great deal about people, so I definitely wouldn’t want to be rich if it means hurting others. I had to look long and hard at this one.

“I never win anything.” Have you ever heard anyone say that? Years ago I was in a multi-level business. I did real well in the beginning, and then that fearful voice in the back of my head started telling me I couldn’t succeed.
 
 I got myself into deep financial trouble and owed the company for products. They kept a commission check I was expecting so I could pay the rent. When I found out they were keeping the commission check, I called and the president of the company told me to come up and see him. I naturally expected him to feel sorry for me and give me the check.

Instead he spent what felt like hours giving me tough love. He told me that if I understood who I really was, I would never allow myself to get into that situation.  
He suggested that I was comfortable being in that kind of situation, of course I protested that I hated being in this predicament. He said that if I weren’t comfortable in it I’d do whatever it took to change it - that most people are in the situation they’re in because it’s what they’re used to.

He then told me to go home (without the check) and figure out who I really was.
So what kind of situation have you allowed because it’s more comfortable than making a change?  How much different would your life be if you were to take the action necessary to create a new experience?