The Power of a Belief

As a coach, much of my work involves helping people to examine and let go of unhelpful or untrue beliefs. Sometimes, I like to think that I’ve become pretty well-versed in this work--and then the Universe gifts me with a life experience that teaches me that I’ve still got plenty of room to grow. Case in point: “The EKG Findings!”

At the end of the summer, I went in for a routine annual physical. My labs looked good, my blood pressure was great…I was ready to roll out of there feeling calm and confident in my sense of well-being. Then my doctor mentioned that she wanted to discuss my ‘abnormal EKG results.’

I felt a clenching in my mind and body upon hearing these words. I could hear the various “Parts” (or subpersonalities) of my psyche immediately blurting out all sorts of scary (and unhelpful) things: 

“The family cardiac history has finally caught up with you!”

“What did you DO (or not do) that caused this?!”

…and many similarly unpleasant utterances.

Now, I am a person who does a LOT of inner growth work and understands how counterproductive such self-talk can be…And yet, in spite of my best efforts, I was horrified to find that for the next 30+ days (while awaiting my appointment with the cardiologist), I was stuck in a loop of fear, anxiety, doom, and despair--chained to the limiting belief that “THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME!!!”

I tried all sorts of tools and tricks (tapping, qigong, meditation). I reached out for support (therapy, energy healing, support groups, acupuncture). And yet, the story I had created in my mind (“I am NOT okay!”) held me paralyzed in its grip, day after day. My chronic pain flared up. My sleep became disrupted and erratic. I withdrew from social connections and applied all my efforts to “figure out” or “fix” this problem. 

Interestingly, what eventually helped me to learn and grow from this highly unpleasant, month-long experience came the day after my cardiology appointment. While I didn’t get an immediate answer as to why my EKG was abnormal (boy, that would‘ve been nice!), the doctor said five words that helped me to truly comprehend the power of a belief. He simply told me, “You are a healthy person.” In an instant, my pain and mood problems evaporated. I slept like a baby that night. My entire worldview felt like it did a 180. 

He hadn’t “fixed” my heart problem. He hadn’t even told me what it was (that would come after other evaluations down the road). What he did was show me how much power a belief could hold over me. 

For 30 days, when I “believed” I was sick, my body and mind followed suit. I experienced a feeling of separation and fear that, at times, seemed unbearable. But the moment I programmed my mind with the possibility of a new, positive, expansive belief (“I am a healthy person”), everything shifted. 

I realize now how much I had been giving my power away to medical professionals to deem me “healthy” or “sick.” More importantly, I see how having allegiance to a particular belief can have a truly profound effect on body, mind, and spirit. 

I wish I could say after this experience that I’ll never be gripped by limiting beliefs again. But the reality is that I’m human--and well-worn neural pathways can be a real challenge to transform. 

What I can say is that going through this has given me a much deeper understanding of the power of our beliefs. It’s also given me the valuable opportunity to pause and reflect on the following inquiries: 

1. What are the stories I’m telling myself (and others)? 

2. Do they encourage the best in me (and others) to come forth?

My hope is that, equipped with this newfound wisdom and experience, perhaps next time I will choose to tell myself a kinder, gentler story; one that evokes a sense of comfort, optimism, and trust in the path and process of life. 

Wishing you courage and clarity as you examine the stories and beliefs that you may be holding onto--and faith that they can be transformed. 

~Namaste, 

Dr. Abby Ampuja