Believe!

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. ~Norman Vincent Peale

I woke up this morning thinking about believing and believing in ourselves. We all have to believe in ourselves first and foremost. I remember seeing Archbishop Desmond Tutu talk recently about the fact that sometimes we have a purpose that others can't see and even our families and the people closest to us might worry or disbelieve, but as long as we believe in ourselves, that is the key.

I am finding this more and more true for me in my life. When I allow other's doubts to cloud my own vision and self belief, everything goes awry. But when I dig down deep and do what is right for me, what I believe in and I trust that and act on it, everything seems to work out. It is when I don't believe and listen to myself, that things go wrong. I end up feeling bad - often I either get a pit in my stomach that feels awful or I feel constricted around my throat. I always know when I am not trusting and believing and following my truth.

A good friend recently told me a story about her marriage. She explained that she took a huge risk and married someone outside of her culture despite the disapproval of her family. She was basically excommunicated for a period because she was shaming the family. Despite her guilt and other discomfort, she did what was right for her. Her husband also stood up for what he believed in and did whatever it took to convince her that this was ok to follow her heart and do what was right. They were both courageous and believed in themselves enough to trust and act on it. Despite the fact that they were not supported initially in the decision, after the families saw that they loved each other and were truly happy in their decision, they shifted and grew from the experience. The result is not only that they made the right decision for themselves, but they also paved the way and opened up the possibility for others in the family to make the right decisions for themselves as well.

Do you believe in yourself? Or do you allow what others believe to influence your judgment and decisions and deter you from doing what is right for you? What if without realizing it, by believing in yourself, you are valuing yourself and giving yourself permission to make the right choice for you. And what if by that choice, you are opening up the possibility for others around you to be influenced and inspired by your courage and to give themselves permission to do the same. Believe in yourself and watch as your own world and that of those around you unfolds for the better.

The turning point, I think, was when I really realized that you can do it yourself. That you have to believe in you because sometimes that's the only person that does believe in your success but you. ~Tim Blixseth