Self-Limiting Beliefs
What are some of your self-limiting beliefs? Self-limiting beliefs are assumptions you make based on your perceptions of life experiences. These beliefs may stem from things your parents said to you, teachers, kids in school etc. These limiting beliefs come from our emotions and can cause us to restrict our true potential and keep us from our true purpose.
We have all heard the saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” However, words stick and do break us. Most of us will remember, verbatim, hateful words spoken to us, and will quickly forget the kind testimonials of our spirit. These words become our self-limiting beliefs. Like glue, they set themselves on repeat; “you are not good enough,” “your only luck is bad luck,” “don’t quit your day job,” “you could never do that and be a success.” I’m sure a few of your own are coming to mind right now as you read this. These are self-limiting beliefs getting in the way of your potential.
Leaving Behind the Self-Limiting Beliefs
Firstly, write it out! Start by determining what your self-limiting beliefs are. If you are feeling stuck, unable to forge ahead, write out what is limiting you from accomplishing what you want in life. I guarantee it has to do with that self-talk and the self-limiting beliefs.
Secondly, determine what put those thoughts in your head. Not skinny enough? Who told you that? Social media, your mom, that bitchy girl from 3rd grade? Never meet the right guy? Why not? What’s preventing that from happening? Did someone tell you one time you’ll always be alone because you are too picky? Sometimes our fears are ones projected onto us by others.
Positivity
Thirdly, flip the script. Pratipaksha Bhavana- turn the negative into a positive. “I’ll never be able to make this a profitable business” becomes “I’m authentic and there is great value in what I do. My passion for helping others is reason enough to share.”
Fourthly, surround yourself with positivity. Don’t like listening to the haters? No one does. We have enough negativity to deal with on the daily. Support changing your self-limiting beliefs by surrounding yourself with people who succeed in your goals. Successful business people, power couples, healthy individuals who take care of their bodies, people who never give up and always strive to do better. Let go of the nay-sayers in your life. Afterward, try this meditation on abundance with yours truly on the #1 meditation app Insight Timer.
Fifthly, set your intention. Say affirmations and mantras to yourself. Put post it notes around the house that remind you of your goals throughout the days. Break the bad habits of soiled words by making new ones that change the neural pathways in your brains. Where your attention goes, your energy flows. Let it flow to what you can do, not to those self-limiting beliefs. Try this class on Emotional Freedom Technique that will be sure to help you change the neural pathways!
Lastly, If you are still stuck at this point then write out worst case scenarios. If you go back to college, what’s the worst that could happen? When you speak at that engagement, it’s scary, but what’s the worst that could happen? If you don’t meet your soul mate and have babies by the time you are 35, what’s the worst that could happen? Most likely, when you write out this “story” you create in your head, you’ll find it is ridiculous, not likely to happen, and that the worst case isn’t so bad.
Need some help?
Change your self-limiting beliefs with Yoga Therapy! Join me for a retreat where we talk about this subject and more in Jan 2023.
