Let's talk about self-limiting beliefs,
Which is something that a lot of people find themselves challenged with.
Self-limiting beliefs are assumptions and perceptions that you carry about yourself and how the world works.
These beliefs can be limiting because they hold you back from achieving what you are actually capable of.
If left unmanaged,
It can create some real issues in your life and impact the things that you want to accomplish for yourself.
The world is a tough place.
We start out early by being socially and emotionally conditioned,
Starting in early childhood.
That is hard to draw the line once we are adults between what are the things we truly like,
Love,
And enjoy versus what are the things we think we like,
Love,
And enjoy because others told us to.
For example,
We start out in the academic arena young,
Most of us,
As early as preschool before you can even get into K-12.
And the social conditioning about how you should think,
How you should act,
How you should behave,
All the various roles and etc.
Begin at an early age.
This continues throughout K-12.
So by the time you reach about 17-18 years of age,
There was only but so much of yourself that you were able to access.
And who was that person anyway?
For those who choose to go on to higher education,
The process just continues.
So one day you look up and you are in a job or career that you aren't really sure you even enjoy.
Then you feel lost.
You are unsure what is next.
Because you have spent so many years following the path and the direction of others,
Now you are starting to doubt yourself and your capabilities.
Now here come the self-limiting beliefs showing up in their full glory.
And if left unmanaged,
This can spiral into a nasty cycle and even contribute to some experiences of depression,
Anxiety,
Or both.
So the good thing is you are not alone.
There is a way to break the cycle and get in touch with finding out and understanding who exactly you are.
Taking some time to explore what are the things that you actually like to do.
What is it that you want for yourself?
And acknowledging that it is available to you if you just make time to get out of your own way.
Here are a few tips that can help you overcome self-limiting beliefs.
First,
Identify what your limiting belief is,
Then write it down so that you can see it.
When we see things on paper,
Rather viewing them how they live in our head,
Perception and interpretation can look different.
Second,
Put your thoughts,
Your perceived beliefs on trial.
Is this belief you identified a true belief built on facts?
Third,
Imagine a new thought.
This would be a different belief about yourself.
How does that belief feel in comparison to your self-limiting belief?
Even if you don't believe it immediately,
It is okay.
Repetition is welcomed and definitely your friend.
And four,
Test drive your new belief.
Give yourself a break and start small.
For example,
You may have a task and you might say to yourself,
If I don't have the motivation to complete X,
Y,
And Z tasks,
Instead state,
I don't have the motivation to complete this task right now.
I will give myself a break and circle back around to it at said designated time.
Now,
Your new belief does not place the conditions of being factual and permanent.
It's flexible.
And finally,
Five,
Practice loving kindness to yourself.
These self-limiting beliefs did not develop themselves overnight,
So it will take some time to correct them.
The wonderful thing is the brain is such a beautiful organ that it totally has the capability to be rewired and learn a new pathway of thinking.
I like these steps because they are short,
Practical,
And straight to the point.
When we are experiencing self-limiting beliefs,
We have created a false narrative for ourselves that has become fact.
Fact versus feelings are two very different things.
I talk about this a lot in my writings with my therapy clients and my coaching clients.
We can give so much power to our emotions,
To our feelings,
Which change often.
Sometimes we can have multiple emotions about one specific thing in the span of a few moments.
So if our emotions and feelings can change so quickly,
It is really in our best interest to give them so much power as a fact status.
Not at all.
Put your beliefs on trial.
Ask yourself what kind of evidence do I have to show that beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt this self-limiting belief is true.
Instead,
My recommendation is to access your receipts.
Your receipts are evidence of what you have already purchased,
The reminder of the cost and what you spent.
And these receipts live in your accomplishments.
Yes they do.
See we often forget that in order for us to have gotten to this moment right here,
Right now that we are in,
We had to journey from somewhere else.
And as you journey,
You change.
Experiences in life help shape us,
Not break us.
So you have the receipts.
I love speaking on this subject because I myself have experienced self-limiting beliefs and sometimes I still do.
And when they show up,
If unmanaged,
They can be detrimental to take along with you on your journey.
They will hold you back.
I want to leave you with a quote that I believe is profound and resonates deeply when putting those thoughts on trial and reminding yourself who you are at the core and what you're capable of without limits.
This quote is by Christian Jarrett.
Imagine awakening from a torpor having forgotten how your friends and family see you.
Perhaps unchained from everyone's expectations for how you ought to behave.
You could be whoever you liked.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Tap into recognizing what your self-limiting beliefs are and know that you can take away the power that you place on them at any time.
This is Erica Phillips,
Mental health therapist and motivational coach,
Sending you light and love.
