The amazing power of pressure

From the moment we are born we encounter obstacles.  In order to be born, we must push our way out or otherwise get out of our mother, in order to start the next stage of our lives.

If you think about it, how many people within that womb, warm and cosy, food provided with no need to breathe or eat would actually choose to leave?!  Biology (and the fact we keep growing) ends up strongly encouraging the birth process to begin - and whether a natural birth or any other variation, there is no going back once we are out in the world.  In that moment, everything changes and there is absolutely no way back.

If we fast forward a few years in the developed world, we find ourselves at school or in other programs which are education focused.  How often would we choose to move from one school grade to another without someone or something pushing us on? Although there is often excitement at the beginning of a new school year - there is often also trepidation, nervousness and even dread of the unknowns to come.  Suddenly the last year, which had its own ups and downs, seems comfortable, familiar and not really that much of a problem.  Fortunately, our school systems and often our chronological age determines that moving on and upwards is the next step regardless of our actual desire.  Again, there is usually no stepping back and though the changes may not be as huge as being born - how much of our progress in life is actually externally encouraged rather than independently sought after?

Learning can be exciting and stimulating.  There is no doubt that it can also be uncomfortable, disorientating and put us in high pressure situations which are challenging to understand or manage.

So, what have you constantly progressed in without pressure? What areas of life are only moving forward because of an external pressure ?
If that external pressure would disappear, would you really act or progress?  Most people would quickly say that they wish they were not put under pressure or experience unpleasant crisis situations.  However, if these moments didn't happen - would you have acted and made the decisions needed in life?

Who do you believe in?

How important is it to believe in your self?
Can you still achieve and progress without that?
What is that power of others believing in you?

I have been working on many skills and strengths over the last few years.  All these with an idea that I will then be in a better position to help others, know my actual path of service and have completed the merger between life and work.  The destination a way of living in love, passion and in congruence and alignment rather than separation, conflict and constant management of sections of life.

The main rules which apply to belief include
* you cannot change a person's belief, only they can, if they want to and when they want to. 
* beliefs are formed to keep people safe, and add familiarity to our actions and decisions in life. Beliefs are formed as a conclusion, a construct to help keep a person safe, however can start hurting you if they remain unchecked and unchanged.
* people do not often take time to clarify their beliefs. Beliefs can direct a person's decision, even if the belief is hidden and away from view or unrecognised.

Belief influences a person's attitude. Their attitude to life, or a person, or to events past, present and future. 
Belief also can choreograph emotion, creating whole scenes of feeling, layered over the top of life events.
Finally, beliefs and this domino effect, will contribute to decisions and actions. Most times, this is the entry point by which we experience people's beliefs.

For example, 

If Harry believes that advertising is a way of manipulating people out of money, he may receive sales phone calls with irritation, cynicism and distrust. Every call, every ad will stir feelings which leave him wishing it would go away. Just a phone call with a strange number will lead to decisions around avoidance, pushing away or even anger or abuse towards the caller.
Sally, on the other hand believes that most people we encounter are doing their best, just doing their job....and advertising is just another job. Sally receives calls with some curiosity and after hearing the product or service makes his decision according to his interest. Calls stir little emotion, when he can pick up, he does, and when he is busy, he doesn't.  If he doesn't like the nature of the caller or technique, he just advises that he isn't interested and hangs up.
Harry is often bothered, annoyed and cautious about calls and advertising. Sally rarely notices the occurrence, it is just one of many things s that happen in a day.

On the most part, we wouldn't have a discussion about people's beliefs but as friends or colleagues we may observe Harrys irritation when the phone rings, or hear him complain about all t he advertising and pressure. Interestingly, the topic of phone advertising is likely to not even come up around Sally.