Ah where to start with this one.
OK so this will affect pretty much everyone at some point of their lives and a limiting belief can stop potential dead so let's get to it and answer the question,what are limiting beliefs & how can I get rid of them?
What is a limiting belief?
A limiting belief is a belief or mindset that restricts or stops you in some way. It's a subconscious belief that you have (probably unknowingly adopted) in response to an event from your past. This may be an event, something someone has said to you or your interpretation of the way the world is. They are often false or based on a half truth and can apply to yourself or others, the way you view the world and how you interpret ideas. Examples could include:
I don't have enough experience to apply for that job or I don't deserve to be wealthy Or I don't have time to spend on myself.
As I said, at some point everyone has limiting beliefs, the trick is to learn how to identify them, challenge them and change them.
These limiting beliefs can be caused by any number of things but they will all have one thing in common. They are your brains way of keeping you safe and protecting you from disappointment and pain in the future.
These beliefs often come from past experiences which we have added values and concepts to which are unlikely to be accurate but have been our impression at the time.
Maybe our ideas have been formed by repetition by those we want to impress such as family or friends.
Schools and the community greatly effect the conditioning that we receive and these beliefs become so intrinsic to who we consider ourselves to be that we are not even aware that we are thinking them most of the time. We are just triggered into a response by them.
It's these triggers that contribute to fear, a need for approval and imposter syndrome.( FOR MORE INFO ON that, please see the blog called How to stop feeling that you're not good enough (Imposter Syndrome))
So how do we deal with limiting beliefs?
1.You guessed it, we need to be mindful. We need to be aware of what we are thinking so that we can examine how our thoughts are impacting on your lives and then challenge what isn't helping us.
2.Writing down how we are feeling can help us to look for patterns and identify underlying themes.
3.Challenge the beliefs for accuracy. Part of what we believe may have some truth to it but we need to be accurate in the language we use when describing ourselves so that we can reframe our negative beliefs into empowering ones.
4.Assess areas in your life where you feel overwhelmed or challenged. Example of this are that you never see lucky in love or are always passes over for promotion or never have any luck.
For each of these observations, go deeper. If you never have any money, start to examine how you feel about money or the people that have it. What we're your parents beliefs about it? Are you taking on what they believed rather than forming your own ideas?
5.Use positive affirmations or mantras to help us to overwrite negative beliefs
6.Keep your environment ordered and organised. Clutter can lead to confusion and overwhelm and we can struggle to think clearly and stay positive in chaotic places. Keeping our space ordered can help us to keep our heads in order too.
7.Get a coach or counsellor. If you feel that you need additional help in identifying the root cause of your limiting beliefs or can't see a way to overcome them, it may be time to se professional help. Cost is often another limiting belief for self improvement but I think the question to be asked is not how much will it cost me to seek help but how much will it cost me in the long term if I don't.
8.Read self improvement books, websites, blogs or listen to podcast. Sometimes we know the answer deep inside of us but we need an external source to unlock it for us in a way that we can understand.
9.Get support. Maybe ask a partner or a friend to help you. Each time they hear you say something negative around the behaviour that you are trying to change the say challenge. This way they force you to bring your subconscious thoughts into the present to challenge and change them.
10.Be kind to yourself. We are all on a journey of discovery. No-one wins at life and none of us get out alive but hopefully while we are mindful of our thoughts and behaviours and each day are open to new experiences to open our minds then we can live full and joyous lives that contribute to the greater good.
If any of this sounds familiar to you and you would like to start working on identifying and overcoming your limiting beliefs then please get in touch for a free no obligation chat to see if we would work well together to help you achieve your goals.
I hope this has been of some help. Take care.
Chris x
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