Seven Secrets for Inspired Success Secret Four The fourth secret is one that may shake up your beliefs but sometimes shaking up our beliefs is exactly what we need.
We are a collection of thoughts, habits and beliefs.
This is what is termed our paradigms.
This collection serves us in many ways.
It allows us to belong to our culture and be successful members of the world community.
It also is the habit framework from which we carry out routine tasks.
Without our paradigm we would be lost and confused.
The mix of our paradigm is very much rooted in past beliefs.
Some serve us very well; others hold us back from living a greater experience.
I studied art education in college.
I was always told that I was a good artist and should pursue it as a profession.
While there, I took a writing course.
I remember writing a very dramatic paper.
When I received it back, the grade was below average and the red mistake flags were littered across my ideas.
When I went to see my writing teacher, he chuckled and shook his head as he told me to rewrite it using his suggestions.
I understood what he believed regarding my writing abilities.
I brushed it off, telling myself, "I'm an artist, it doesn't matter.
" It did matter though because when I was compelled to write a book, the belief planted in my mind years past, resurfaced.
It was the one biggest hurdle to my growth as a writer.
Changing that belief liberated me to grow.
Open your mind to the possibility that there are some beliefs that no longer serve your growth to new heights.
"The fourth secret is to release the past.
Understand that the purpose of each experience in life is only for our learning and growth.
Taking this objective stance requires us to release our emotional attachment to past events without judgment of any kind.
We benefit the most from any situation when we objectively look at it and ask these three simple questions, "What worked? What didn't work? What shall I do differently the next time?"These questions cause us to stay focused on evaluating results and creating growth.
The only scale against which we measure our results is our values.
As we grow in awareness of our values, we are able to look at any experience in life and see if we have lived true to what is meaningful to us.
If we have...
great.
If we have not, we must do something differently the next time.
It really is this simple.
With this perspective we understand that we are growing and may make mistakes but that we are constantly moving into greater alignment with what we value.
Assess the experience, determine what changes need to be made, recommit to the value that we care about and move on.
Our pasts are critical to our development because they offer us a platform for learning.
Allowing any of these memories to limit us is a choice.
I encourage you to choose to anchor yourself to the ideas, beliefs and values that draw you to greater awareness and a healthier and happier life.
As you release the beliefs that limit you, you will be astounded by the creative energy that is poured into your life.
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