As is the case with all beliefs, whether positive or negative, a limiting belief starts off as a single thought in your mind in reaction to a certain event, or to what you were told by your parents or society in general. This thought was repeated often enough until it was accepted as an unchecked “truth” by your subconscious mind. In other words, your limiting beliefs are a learned thought pattern and the good news is that they are up for re-programming. If you are not where you want to be in your life, whether physically, emotionally, romantically or financially (and so on), the chances are that an underlying, deeply ingrained negative belief is limiting your progress. Some common limiting beliefs are:
The feeling of not being enough The feeling of not having enough Having to work hard for money Not deserving success
What are your limiting beliefs? Once you identify them, ask yourself if you want to continue to have each of those beliefs dictate your life. If the answer is no, seek to understand the belief fully—how it may have supported you in the past—and then let it go. In releasing the belief you are able to transform it into a belief that is intentionally chosen by you to benefit your life. There are tremendous benefits to understanding and transforming your beliefs.
1. You’ll stop identifying with the belief.
Most beliefs are difficult to change because we identify closely with them. They seem to be ingrained as a part of who we are. And because we identify with them, we allow ourselves to be defined by them.
2. You’ll stop playing small.
Instead of allowing your limiting beliefs to dictate your actions and keep you playing small, you will feel inspired to play BIG, and to take creative, massive action to create a life you love.
3. You’ll test your assumptions.
Without pushing the boundary and testing your assumptions, it’s impossible to move past your limiting beliefs. You need to do something to break the pattern of your limiting belief. Questioning is the first step, but if you only do that, the possibilities of moving to a more empowering perspective stay in your head. Suspend your judgment and take some kind of action to test your assumptions.
4. You’ll kill your conclusions.
Whatever you think you know to be certain is probably a lot more flexible than you think. What you think of as required is certain to be much more negotiable. Question all of the conclusions you have about what you think to be true, fixed or possible.
5. You’ll stop caring what other people think of you.
Most people are held back not by their fear of what other people will think, but rather by their own limiting beliefs. Without your limiting beliefs casting a shadow on other people’s opinions of you, you will find yourself not caring what people have to say about you.
6. You’ll stop recording your life as a series of missed opportunities.
Your life story will no longer be filled with what-ifs and can’t-haves and will become comprised of life-giving actions and choices.
7. You’ll guard your self-talk.
You will no longer allow negative self-talk. You will speak to yourself in the same way you would speak to someone you love—with compassion, love and empathy.
8. You’ll have a whole new relationship with your body.
Your body is constantly trying to communicate with you. Listening to it, and honoring what it has to say, is life changing. For example, if you think you’re fat, you may not feel inspired to diet to exercise, and you may decide to ignore your body because you don’t like it (really, it’s your limiting belief that doesn’t like your body). Sans limiting belief, your body may have very surprising things to tell you!: when it’s tired, when it wants to play, and what foods will really nurture it.
9. You’ll choose to stop agreeing.
Sometimes limiting beliefs come from the collective consciousness: “that’s just the way things are.” By releasing these limiting beliefs we can reclaim our power, and choose to stop agreeing with the masses.
10. You’ll like yourself more.
Zig Ziglar says, “It’s impossible to consistently behave in a manner inconsistent with how we see ourselves. We can do very few things in a positive way if we feel negative about ourselves.” Releasing limiting beliefs will unconditionally, and often unexpectedly, allow you to be you, and in doing so, to like yourself more. This year, give yourself the gift of releasing your limiting beliefs. They really are relatives that have overstayed their welcome. Help them pack their bags and leave. Featured photo credit: 121H via gratisography.com
