Beliefs develop over time. They don’t just happen. Just as we know how childhood personal programming can be inappropriate for adult life, the same holds true for outgrown childhood beliefs. Ideally, our beliefs mature along with us – but not always. Beliefs formed by negative experiences put negative energy into the field. When beliefs are reactivated as thoughts, negative energy is also reactivated. More organizing energy goes into the chaotic field. And, organizing the field decreases the availability of complete energy information.

The problem with living with outgrown beliefs is that they impose unnecessary stress on your body. If your mature actions don’t fit your outgrown beliefs, the natural consequence is guilt that can escalate to self-contempt. Now that’s negative. And, negative feelings can undermine your health and bring on physical pain.

The association between a very real back pain and a violated belief may not be obvious. However, on those occasions when you are in pain and a doctor tells you, “I can’t find anything wrong,” it’s time to think about the congruency of your beliefs and actions. Examine the things that are going on in your life and examine your beliefs about the situation and yourself. You may find some big dichotomies.

In a contest between beliefs and actions, beliefs always win in the end. If beliefs and lifestyle are not in synch, beliefs will dominate. Beliefs will dominate because you will “shoot” yourself in your metaphorical foot. You will have an adverse reaction – either functional or physical – to your “belief-abusing” actions. Your body will respond non-consciously and/or subconsciously in ways that force you to fall back in line with your belief patterns. Did you ever try to sell a product or service you didn’t “believe” in? You can’t do it effectively – your beliefs always show through. When doing something contrary to your beliefs, you’ll get the same response as you do when you try to change any other firmly fixed pattern. Take trying to change your golf swing for example. At first, no matter how hard you try to modify your movements, your old programming hangs on. Your muscles keep doing what they’ve done for years. The same type of internal resistance crops up when you act in ways counter to your beliefs.

However, a belief pattern inappropriate for current conditions, can be changed. It is changed the same way it was formed – by conscious thought accompanied by feeling (the same way you change your golf swing!).