Written by: Debbie Gill, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What is a paradigm?
A paradigm is a model that shapes our understanding of our world and how we behave in it. There are cultural, sociological, psychological, and personal paradigms, which is the focus here.
"You know you're ready for a paradigm shift when you want to look at the world in a different light." ‒ Debbie Gill
Personal paradigms consist of beliefs and assumptions inherited early in life from parents, teachers, cultural society. But they are more than just that. Together with needs and goals, they determine the strategies you create that lead to your actions that produce your outcomes. If you don't like your outcomes, you have to change something.
Most people want the easy fix and may change their strategy, leading them to take different actions that produce the desired outcome. The problem is that it is short-lived because their paradigm is locked in place and may even be invisible.
Let's take a look at a few problems that are caused by a paradigm.
I have difficulty confronting people.
I can't trust myself or others.
I procrastinate and struggle to finish things.
I can't find balance in my life.
I can't say no to people and overcommit myself.
I am afraid of failure.
I can't make important decisions.
While appearing straightforward enough, each of these problems has a set of beliefs, assumptions, and points of view that are entrenched in each of them. The paradigm creates the problem, and to solve it; you need to dig a little deeper.
As mentioned earlier, paradigms may be invisible, and it is often easier to see one in other people than yourself. To understand a paradigm, you have to explore and create the "big picture" by discovering how and when it was formed, what keeps it in place, and what needs are reinforcing it. Only when it can be observed and looked at from outside yourself can it be acknowledged, accepted, and owned.
Identifying a paradigm or paradigms takes time. There is no easy method as you are as different as every other individual, and the key is to question and probe. For instance, if trusting yourself is a problem, you can explore areas in your life where you don't trust yourself.
Is it with relationships? Do you trust yourself to be vulnerable? Is it professionally? Do you trust yourself to make an important decision? Is it personally? Do you trust yourself to not self-sabotage or say no when people ask you for something?
As you can see, there are many paths you must search to get to the underlying paradigm. There is an art to it, and no two people are alike. This article is not intended to identify your paradigm, unlock them, or shift them. Instead, it is meant to nudge you to become curious about what drives you and prevents you from changing it.
Transformation is an art, and there is a paradigm map that helps you identify all the underlying factors that brought your paradigm into existence, the ties that keep it locked in place, as well as alternative paradigms you can choose instead.
Schedule a complimentary consultation with me if you would like more information using a proven 7-step path to create a personal paradigm map that produces the transformation you desire. You have two options to choose from, and both are at no charge.
Schedule your 1-hour complimentary coaching call today!
Debbie Gill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Debbie Gill is the founder of Go Within Spiritual Coaching and Go Within Yoga. She integrates her knowledge and experience as a spiritual coach and yoga teacher with the wisdom of Caroline Myss, a Medical Intuitive and five-time New York Times bestselling author, Anodea Judith, an expert on the Chakra System, somatic therapy, and yoga, and Lion Goodman, creator of the Clear Beliefs® Process. As a Certified Clear Beliefs® Coach, Debbie can assist you with clearing core beliefs that hold you back from becoming your true self and living your true purpose through the Clear Beliefs Process® (CBP). The CBP is a set of tools and techniques that frees you from past limitations so you can freely choose your beliefs and live an empowered and more fulfilling life. Debbie is the author of, Struck by Lightning: My Journey from the Shadow to the Light, where she chronicles her life’s struggles with her shadow aspects and addictions. The spiritual memoir reflects her emergence from the shadow caused by traumatic wounds to the light where truth brings awareness and healing. A grateful recovering alcoholic since June 6, 2000, she lives the 12-Steps of AA and practices its principles in her daily life, and continues her study at CMED with Myss and Judith, and Goodman.
