How to believe in yourself more

“A miracle is a shift in perception.”

~ A Course In Miracles

I recently experienced a tiny miracle during a yoga session that opened my eyes to the power of possibility thinking. 

This lovely insight turns out to be fantastic for helping us to believe in ourselves more, which is a HUGE asset for anyone on the creative path. 

And so I’d love to share with you the miraculous magic of perception-shifting…

 

Raising the bar 

A while ago, I tried out a new yoga sequence that included 21 frog squats.

These were new to me (and my thigh muscles), and on my first attempt, with a target of 21, I managed 11.

And that was really hard work. I felt like I couldn’t have done one more if my life depended on it.

After that, I mysteriously never got round to doing that particular DVD again, but last week I joined a new yoga class and the frog squats were back – with a vengeance.

The yoga teacher casually informed us that the target goal was 108 squats.

108!!

Given my burning thighs after a mere 11 on my last attempt, I knew that 108 was not going to happen.

But guess what did happen…

22 frog squats.

Double my previous effort – with no interim training or practice, no changes other than the target goal.

How does that work?

How did my thigh muscles know?!

This is the power of possibility thinking.

We are capable of so much more than we know.

And one way to discover more of our potential is to raise the bar on what we think is possible. 

When I thought 21 squats was the goal, I only managed 11.

But when the goal was 108, I could suddenly do twice as many.

And the next day… I did 44!!

Quadrupled results, just from a shift in thinking. 

And if it can work with physical efforts, with all the limitations of fitness and strength etc, what magic could it work on our hearts and minds, which enjoy limitless potential?

As David Schwartz, the author of The Magic of Thinking Big, puts it…

“Capacity is a state of mind. 

How much we can do depends on
how much we think we can do. 

When you really believe you can do more,
your mind thinks creatively
and shows you the way.” 

The magic of thinking bigger

So, I hope this little tale gets you thinking about your goals and what you’re striving for in your creative work or life in general.

What if you doubled your target?

What if you quadrupled it?!

Spend some time thinking about the bigger target, just try the idea on for size.

I bet when you go back to your original goal, it will feel much more achievable.

You’ll have expanded what you believe is possible.

As a result, you’ll naturally believe in yourself and your capabilities a little bit more. 

And that way, magic lies…

PS Curiously, squats are particularly beneficial for balancing the Sacral Chakra, which is related to creativity and expression.

So, if you feel called to join me in the frog squat challenge, you now have a bonus incentive. 🙂

And if you’d like to know more about the link between creativity and yoga, this blog post is a great place to start.