Let's begin by finding a comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Allow your body to settle.
Let your eyes soften or close if that feels right.
Just take a few easy breaths.
No need to change the breath.
Simply notice it.
A gentle rise and fall.
The way the body breathes all on its own.
And as you settle here,
I'd like to explore something with you.
Something we all share,
Though most of us rarely stop to think about it.
The beliefs we hold about ourselves and where they come from.
I'm Kate.
I'm really glad you've joined me here today.
Every single one of us carries a network of beliefs about who we are and how the world works.
Some are supportive.
I can handle challenges.
I am loved.
I belong.
Others can quietly limit us.
I'm not good enough.
I always get it wrong.
I have to please everyone.
These beliefs aren't facts.
They're conclusions the mind once drew,
Often long before we had the words to explain them.
Beliefs are built from experience plus meaning.
Something happens and the child within us makes sense of it only the way they can.
If a parent was angry and unpredictable,
A child might decide I must have done something wrong.
If love was given mostly when they achieved,
The belief might become I have to be perfect to be loved.
If conflict made home feel unsafe,
They might learn it's my job to keep the peace.
And because children are naturally self-centered,
Not selfish,
Just developmentally wired to see the world through the lens of me,
They assume responsibility for things far beyond their control.
So a simple moment of tension,
Misunderstanding or rejection can plant a seed of self-doubt that grows quietly through the years.
As we grow,
Those early beliefs start to filter what we notice.
The mind collects evidence to prove them true.
We interpret life through those lenses,
Repeating familiar emotional patterns until they begin to feel like personality rather than protection.
That's why an adult who once learned to stay quiet to keep the peace might find it hard to speak up at work.
Why someone who learns to earn love through effort might struggle to rest or say no.
It's not weakness,
It's conditioning.
And once we understand that,
Compassion naturally follows.
So perhaps take a slow breath in and as you breathe out,
Gently wonder,
What's one belief I carry about myself that I might have learned long ago?
You don't have to find the answer,
Just hold the question.
Notice if anything in the body responds.
A tightness in the chest,
A warmth in the stomach,
A sigh.
The body often remembers before the mind does.
These sensations aren't problems to fix,
They're invitations to listen.
As adults,
We now have the awareness that the child did not.
We can look back with gentleness and say,
Of course I felt that way.
Of course I made that meaning.
It made sense then.
But now,
With perspective and care,
We can also see that we were never meant to carry that burden forever.
Those beliefs were created attempts at safety.
They served a purpose once and understanding that is the first step to change.
Because when you understand how a belief was formed,
You loosen its hold.
You no longer see it as truth,
Just a story that made sense at the time.
And when stories are seen clearly,
They can be rewritten.
So take another easy breath.
And as you breathe,
You might imagine offering warmth to the younger version of yourself who learned those beliefs.
You don't need to change them or fix anything.
Simply acknowledge them with kindness.
You might silently say,
Thank you for helping me survive.
You did your best with what you knew.
It's safe now to learn something new.
Let those words settle.
And as we come towards the end of this time together,
Just notice the rhythm of your breath again.
The steadiness of the body resting.
The sense of awareness you've brought to this inner landscape.
Beliefs are not walls.
They're stories.
Stories can change.
And understanding is where change begins.
Take one more slow,
Steady breath in.
When you're ready,
Begin to bring some gentle movement back into your fingers and toes.
Feel your body supported where it is.
And as you open your eyes,
Carry with you this knowing.
The way you see yourself was learned.
And anything learned can be re-learned.
