Believe!

I Believe...
 
As a kid, I believed in all the usuals – Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy.  They were mainstays in my childhood memories of things I thought to be true.  They were given to me as hopeful wide-eyed wonder ideals of benevolent beings who 'had my back' and were there for me.  I could count on them as a child. 
 
As an innocent, impressionable child I was sold make belief Personas that could affect my life in some way to heighten my joyfilled expectations and monitor my behaviour (I remember trying to be so good especially in December so that Santa would come).  As time marched on, I learned that Santa and his crew were imaginary friends given to me by family and society to serve a purpose in this journey in life.
 
Looking back, I often wonder, what other beliefs have I been taught, given or taken on that really don't bear true in the reality of my life now.  So, what do I believe and what do I believe in?
 
I believe at a heart & soul level that we (humans) are capable of so much more than we have ever been taught. My work is to pull back the layers of information and teachings I have been given over the years to feel what is actually true for me and what is a conditioned belief given to our society for reasons not always benevolent.
 
I believe in the vast potential of the human body & it's ability to heal.  My work is to take responsibility for my health without blame or shame.  To lean into what feels right for me, eat what fuels my body and move and play in ways that respect & honour my physical needs.  My work is not to jump into the next fad diet or program, but to see if it resonates for me on all levels of my being & then take respsonsibility for myself.
 
I believe that boundaries are a healthy way to respect, love & honour each other in life.  I am a 'fixer' and a 'people-pleaser'.  My work is to trust myself and my gut responses when I need to say 'no', when I need to back away, when I need to slow down and listen more deeply to the messages I am getting.
 
I believe that I must love & accept myself as I am in my perfect imperfection.  I was taught that it was selfish to love yourself.  I now believe wholeheartedly that I can't love others as they are unless I love myself as I am. 
 
I believe we need to balance the power and strength of the masculine with the love and compassion of the feminine.  I was taught to compete to get what I wanted in life – to win at any cost.  This system doesn't work – just look at the state of our world.  My work is to consciously and consistently work in collaboration with others to build all of us up to succeed and flourish.  
 
I believe that every emotion has validity and power to teach us about who we are in this life.  I was taught to hide tears, to not rock the boat, to settle to keep the peace.  My work is to acknowledge each emotion as I experience it, to lean into it and not ignore or repress it.  I am learning to heal by feeling and allowing the emotions to move through me in healthy ways.  I'm living more authentically.
 
These are some of my beliefs and it's a work in progress.
 
What do you believe in?  Do those beliefs serve your highest good & greatest joy? I'd love to hear from you.