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For the vast majority of my clients, subconscious beliefs are the root cause of many of the issues they’re experiencing.

 

Whether it’s chronic pain, illness, fatigue or just a general sense of feeling ‘stuck’ or unhappy with their lives, when we start tapping into, and reframing, their subconscious beliefs then magic things start to happen.


Some are already aware of the need to address certain beliefs before they come to me, but just don’t know how to do it. For others, it’s a case of using various techniques to peel back the layers and begin to understand what’s at the core of their discomfort.


In this blog, I’ll explore what subconscious beliefs are, how they’re formed, the huge power they can hold, and how to begin to identify and transform them for a healthier, happier life.

 

 

What are subconscious beliefs?


In a nutshell, subconscious beliefs are deeply ingrained thoughts, assumptions and perceptions we hold about certain things without even realising.The average human brain has around 70,000 thoughts per day. Only 5% of these will be conscious, the rest will happen automatically, arising from your subconscious. Which means that most of our life is spent running on autopilot, rarely stopping to notice or question why we think the way we do.

 

Our subconscious beliefs operate silently in the background of our lives, shaping everything from our behaviour and emotions to our physical health.

 

Of course, these beliefs can be positive and supportive, but they can also be negative and limiting, because whatever your subconscious thinks about something is what you will be experiencing.


One of the most important things to know about your subconscious is that it constantly wants to be proved right – that’s what makes it feel safe - and it will do anything to have its beliefs or thought patterns validated.


Knowing this means you can begin to understand how it can have such a powerful effect on you and how to change subconscious beliefs. ‘Safe’ might sound good, but what it really means in this case is ‘familiar’, and familiar often means “actually, I'm going to stick to everything that that I know and believe, even if there might be a better option out there for me”.

 

How are subconscious beliefs formed?

 

Most subconscious beliefs are formed in the early years of our life, from birth to around seven years old. During this time, our brains operate mainly in a theta brainwave state, which is highly receptive to information. We absorb and internalise the messages we receive from our parents, carers, teachers, and the environment around us like little sponges, and question very little.

 

Most of your subconscious beliefs will come from watching the way those close to you responded to particular events. Which explains why they’re often multi-generational, passed down from parents or grandparents.

 

Others will be formed by traumatic experiences, significant emotional events, and repetitive messages, which also leave their mark on our subconscious minds by creating neural pathways that become the default responses to similar situations in the future.


Combined, these beliefs form the blueprint we use to navigate our lives and will determine how we show up in the world.

 

 

What can subconscious beliefs impact?

 

Do you want the good news or the bad news?!

 

The answer is that there’s very little in your life that subconscious beliefs won’t impact. This is obviously not great in the sense that negative beliefs can have far-reaching consequences.

 

The good news is that you can identify subconscious beliefs and transform them – and the positive impacts can be huge.Some of the areas where they may cause the biggest problems are:

 

Physical health:

Our subconscious beliefs can significantly affect our physical health. For instance, if you subconsciously believe you’re prone to illness, your body may respond by manifesting more frequent or severe symptoms. Beliefs like “I will never get better”, “I’m not allowed to show weakness”, or “being ill is a sign of weakness” can have a powerful physical effect on our bodies.


Emotional wellbeing:

Subconscious beliefs shape our emotional landscape. Beliefs like "I am unworthy" or "I am not good enough" can lead to chronic feelings of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, because you never feel fully attached to yourself or comfortable in your own skin.

 

Behaviour and habits:

Many of my clients talk about a sense of feeling ‘stuck’, whether that’s in their day-to-day lives, their jobs, or just feeling trapped in a cycle of bad habits.These daily behaviors and habits are largely driven by our subconscious beliefs. If you believe you’re incapable of change, you might find it hard to break bad habits or adopt new, healthier ones, or you may feel you’re not worthy of getting a promotion or a better job.

 

Relationships:

The way we interact with others is hugely influenced by our subconscious beliefs. It can be the difference between really opening up to people and forming lasting friendships and relationships, or feeling lonely and isolated.For most, it’s somewhere between the two, you may have no problem with forming certain types of relationships, but struggle with others. For example, if you hold a belief that the opposite sex are not to be trusted (possibly formed by observing parental interactions early in your childhood) you might struggle to form close, meaningful relationships. Alternatively, if you believe you’re deserving of love and respect, you're more likely to attract and maintain healthy, supportive relationships.

 

 

How to identify subconscious beliefs

 

The first step toward transforming your subconscious beliefs is to become aware of them.

 

This can be much easier said than done as these beliefs are deeply embedded, and it may take some searching to find them.

 

These are some of my favourite methods for starting to uncover and understand them:

 

Self-reflection and journaling:

Setting aside time each day to reflect on your thoughts and feelings can be hugely powerful in identifying what’s going on. Journaling is a great way of doing this as you may notice things that pop up on a regular basis or are triggered by certain situations. Finding these patterns is a great starting point for discovering areas you may need to focus on.

 

Mindfulness and meditation:

Mindfulness and meditation are not for everyone, but taking the time to slow down in this way can really help you become more attuned to your internal dialogue. As you observe your thoughts without judgment, you can start to identify the beliefs that are driving them. Meditation, in particular, can quieten the conscious mind, allowing subconscious thoughts to rise to the surface.

 

Kinesiology (muscle testing)

Many subconscious beliefs will be hidden deep inside our bodies, and manifest themselves in areas of physical discomfort or tension, that we may not even be aware of. Often we “swallow down” certain events and memories that we don’t want to dwell on, never really dealing with the pain and discomfort they cause us at the time. Kinesiology uses feedback from your muscles and nervous system to help shine a light on those hidden areas below the surface that could be holding you back. Learn more in our Guide to Kinesiology here.

 

Transforming subconscious beliefs

 

Once you've identified limiting subconscious beliefs, the next step is transforming them. For me, this is much more than just a mental process. It should combine mind and body approaches to help shift the beliefs and release their negative energy.Negative beliefs and emotions create resistance and tension, and my work aims to release the charge of these beliefs, releasing that tension at the same time.I use a variety of techniques to help my clients reprogramme their subconscious minds, many of which you could try at home:

 

 

Affirmations/repetition/mantras

The subconscious mind loves repetition, it’s what makes it feel safe. The trick is to turn the soundtrack of constant negative thoughts into positive ones. If you know you’re holding on to something that is not serving you well, try exploring what would be a better, alternative belief. Write it out and say it to yourself several times a day, or stick it by a mirror where it will be a constant reminder. Alternatively, set a time each day when you will try journaling around that belief. It may be as simple as saying “I'm safe to feel my emotions right now”, and learning to do this every single time doubt kicks in. Or if you struggle with feelings of unworthiness, you might repeat affirmations like "I am worthy of love and respect" daily.

 

Visualisation

Visualisation is about picturing how you would like to show up in certain situations or how you would like to feel. Like affirmations and mantras, it works by creating new neural pathways in the brain.There are different ways to do it and it’s about finding what feels right for you. Some people like to sit in stillness and close their eyes and just take five or ten minutes to really visualise something and get into that feeling. Other people prefer to think about things while walking (eye-closing not recommended here!) or you may find it easier to do while listening to certain types of music that make you feel inspired or empowered. There’s no right or wrong way, the important thing is to really feel the emotion behind it.

 

 

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)/ tapping

This technique is the perfect example of bringing together the mind and the body, to dissolve mental, emotional and physical stress. A combination of guided tapping on acupressure points, along with a repetitive script (yep, it’s that repetition again!), it helps to take the charge out of negative beliefs and rewire the body’s response.

Switching out the old thoughts with new ones in such a physical way means they sink into your physiology far more effectively.

 

 

Whichever methods you choose, reframing and reprogramming subconscious beliefs takes time and consistency, so it’s important to be patient and kind to yourself. Give yourself the time and space to do the work, and acknowledge the small achievements along the way.



Embracing the process with curiosity and compassion can really help and, sometimes, just knowing you hold certain beliefs is enough to trigger a big transformation.



If you feel like you need more help identifying your subconscious beliefs, or just some advice on where to start, I offer a free 30-minute connection call where I’ll tell you more about the work I do and whether it could help you. You can book one here.


Identifying and reprogramming subconscious beliefs: How to take charge of your life again

Identify and reprogramme your subconscious beliefs to help you beat chronic pain, illness and get back to the real you

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