Limiting beliefs are thoughts that we have that hold us back in some way. If I believe that I am afraid of the dark, for example, and I held that belief for most of my life, then I respond to darkness with fear. My body carries out what my mind believes. My brain looks for proof to validate the belief, finding reasons to hold on to what I believe.
I have intentionally freed myself from the beliefs that I held, that truly did constrain me. Over the years, as old beliefs were revealed, I challenged them, finding them to be untrue, and released them. What this journey provided was a deep, and oft times unsettling, look into my soul and psyche. The more I uncovered and released, the deeper I went, until I encountered core beliefs from my childhood. Most of these fears that I held as truths centered around how I perceived that the world worked, and who I was.
As I entered this healing journey, embracing a plant based diet, I have encountered the limited beliefs of others. It has been interesting to listen to people tell me that they too want to be healthier…and then hear them present all the reasons (insert “beliefs” here) for why they can’t. I understand. I do. And I know this is part of their growth and journey, to recognize that they are limiting themselves.
Lest I think I have no more limiting beliefs, I was reminded that I still do! Anthony William, whose book Medical Medium has inspired me to greater health, extols the benefits of radishes. This little root vegetable has properties that include being antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer and diuretic. It is high in vitamin C and folic acid. It is excellent for sinus congestion, flu and colds, aids in digestion, and helps to dispel stones from the gall bladder and cleanses the kidneys.
There are even more benefits. And it is easy to see that radishes are a great source of healthy goodness. Except…I don’t like radishes. All my life I’ve said that I hate radishes. I pick them out of restaurant salads and I’ve never purchased them.
I realized today that what I had here was another limiting belief, staring me down. It seems small, and insignificant, but it is a belief that is holding me back, nonetheless, keeping me from eating a food that is very good for me.
I decided to challenge the belief that I did not like radishes.
I bought the smallest bunch of radishes that I could find, because I hate throwing food away. If I did not, indeed, like radishes, I wouldn’t be wasting much. I added sliced radishes to a bowl of chopped lettuce, diced avocado, and cherry tomatoes from my prized tomato plant. I carried in salt and a tall glass of water, in case I needed to hide the flavor or wash the radishes down quickly.
And….I liked them. I really liked them. This vegetable that I vowed to never eat was crunchy and delicious. Perhaps as a child, I ate a bad radish. Perhaps it requires a more mature palette. I only know that I believed radishes were bad. And acted on that belief all of my life. I challenged that belief, and found it to be untrue. I replaced the old belief with a new one…I like radishes.
If I had eaten a radish and still disliked it, that would have been okay too. At least I would have tested my belief.
I love this thing called Life…this journey. I love how I am given opportunities to learn more and more about myself…and grow. Even small experiences teach big lessons. And lead me on to other truths.
Like…I’ve always said I don’t like turnips either. I’ve never even eaten a turnip. You know why? They look like radishes! Big radishes.
Guess what limiting belief I’ll be challenging next…and what food I will eat?
