I decided to surprise my dad by transforming his lawn into beautifully mown stripes. So I dusted off his antiquated but posh roller-mower and set about the task enthusiastically.

The mower was very heavy - necessary to get the proper striped effect. It had powered cutting blades but required manual pushing to propel it forwards - hard work, but immensely satisfying! I felt like I'd really mown the grass and the result was worth it!

Dad was very impressed.

Later Dad asked, "Do you know about the other lever"? I'd only noticed the complex safety system controlling power to the blades. Dad explained that the roller was also powered and had its own dedicated brake lever!

We laughed! I had worked hard - with enthusiasm - achieved a great result, and all with the brakes on!

This is a great metaphor for the limiting beliefs that sometimes hold me back, making life unnecessarily hard work. My erroneous belief here was that the roller mechanism was not motorised.

I'm currently looking for a new job. In my 50s, my limiting belief was that employers prefer younger applicants. The truth is that this is entirely dependent upon the role! For many jobs, a mature outlook and experience suits the requirements perfectly.

So, if you have a thought today that weighs heavily on your heart, it's likely to be a sign of a limiting belief putting the brakes on your energy. Examine that thought - and remember that it is often just enough to ask yourself, "Is this really true all the time?"

Look for another lever and take the brakes off yourself!

Lexi

The Moodscope Team