Student volunteers, colourful capsules—and unexpected results

The University of Cincinnati conducted an experiment with some student volunteers. The students were informed that the experiment was to test the effects of stimulants and sedatives. The students, blissfully unaware, thought they were in for a straightforward experiment on pill-popping, not an existential crisis about their belief systems!

They were randomly given either blue or pink capsules. Shortly afterwards half the students reported feeling drowsy and over one third of them were unexpectedly stimulated.

There were physiological changes too

The ‘stimulated’ students pulse rate averaged a 61 percent increase and there was a 71 percent increase in systolic blood pressure! Pulse and blood pressure dropped in the ‘sedated’ students, though to a lesser extent.

The capsules seem to have worked.

But the capsules had little to do with the results

The capsules were completely inert placebos—as useless as a waterproof towel! They contained nothing that would impact mood or physiology in any way.

It was the students belief about the capsules that made the difference

Similar and dissimilar studies have taken place around the world over many years with a variety of groups. They illustrate that what you believe has a huge impact on how you experience life.

Your beliefs affect your perception of the world

You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’ 

The truth is quite the opposite

You don’t believe something because you see it; you see it because you believe it. Many doctors have confessed to prescribing placebos, which are essentially sugar pills with no medicinal properties. Yet, astonishingly, patients still improved. Why? Because they believed the ‘medicine’ would work its magic. And, presumably they trusted their doctor.

A belief is as powerful as medicine

The positive belief, including their self-talk, that they’re taking something to help them get well sends powerful messages to their bodies that causes them to get well. 

What happens when the belief is negative? 

Well, it’s like trying to move forward with one foot glued to the ground—you’re not going anywhere fast!

Beliefs aren’t physical things

We often talk about beliefs as if they’re tangible objects we can hold, but they’re really just thoughts on repeat. The more these thoughts loop around in your mind, the stronger they become. Think of them like magnets, pulling in similar thoughts until they cluster together into an opinion.

Give it enough time, and voilà—you’ve got yourself a belief. Sometimes, beliefs form not just from repeated thoughts, but also from snap decisions made during a traumatic event or intense experience.

But for this post let’s stick with ones that have developed over time. 

Beliefs, like habits, can be a mixed bag

Some are your best friends, while others can be downright tricky. If you suspect you’re carrying around a few negative beliefs that could use a makeover, you’re in the right place!

“You can have everything you want if you’re willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it.” ~Dr. Robert Anthony

So, how do you change a negative belief?

First, remember that many beliefs are just thoughts on a loop, playing the same old tune in your head. The good news? Any thought can be changed because it’s your mind running the show!

The secret? Turn your way of thinking back into a process

What do I mean by that? Let’s say your belief is, ‘Things never go well for me.’ Instead of stating it like a fixed, unchangeable truth, flip it into the present tense: ‘I’m believing things never go well for me now.’

When it’s in the present, it’s back under your control

You see, when you make your belief an active process—something you’re doing right now—you can change it right now. It’s like taking the wheel of your belief car and deciding where to steer next.

Now, let’s challenge that belief

By rephrasing your assumption in the present tense, you can start questioning its validity. Ask yourself:

‘How am I believing things never go well for me now?’

This question nudges you to think about how you’re constructing this belief in your mind. Your answers might look something like this:

• I’m believing it because other people seem to have more luck than me.
• I had a puncture on the way to work this morning.
• Some things haven’t gone well for me in the past.
• I never win anything.
• I’ve told myself things never go my way.
• I’ve believed people who’ve said things never go my way.

Now, time to challenge those answers

• Does other people’s luck really mean things never go well for you? (Spoiler: Probably not!)
• Do things ever go right for you?
• Can you list a few ways things have actually gone well for you in the past?
• Can you think of at least one thing that’s gone well for you this week?
• Do you really believe everything people tell you?

This exercise helps you spot the negative thoughts that have been propping up your belief, allowing you to choose new, more empowering thoughts in the future.

Plus, this process will likely reveal that your belief isn’t as rock-solid as you thought, helping to loosen its grip and give you a fresh perspective.

Now is always a good time to challenge a negative belief 

(There’s a belief!) 

So, if you have a belief that you think might be holding you back, now’s the time to deal with it. 

Get out a pencil and paper. Write out the belief. 

Write it again in the active tense; ‘I am believing (insert your belief) now.’ Bonus points if you say it in the accent of Scottish comedian. ????

Better still, enlist the help of a friend.

Get a friend to ask you the questions and write down your answers. Then swap roles. 

I think you’ll find it a fun, useful, enlightening and freeing process.

“We are who we believe we are.” ~ C.S.Lewis

There is another way

Of course another way you could change things is to get some ‘Happy Pills.’

As long as you believe they’ll work—I’m sure they will. And if not, well, there’s always chocolate. That always works, right?

Related Posts

Please share if you enjoyed this post

If you found this post valuable, I’d love you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or your platform of choice. ???? Just use the social sharing buttons below!

I’d love to read your comment

Please post it below.

Tags: Beliefs and values, Health and wellbeing, Perception, Thinking and mindset