What are limiting beliefs?

Limiting Beliefs


Are you aware of your beliefs? 

Do they allow you to grow? 

Are you aware we all have self limiting beliefs, that can prevent us from achieving what we really are capable of achieving. The issue is that we do not know they are there, they are in our subconscious brain and become automatic and have been in there since we were young. 

We develop our beliefs when we are young from our family (parents, grandparents), teachers and friends. They may be from being told "don't climb on there you will fall" "I do not have the time to do that" "I don't have the experience to do that"




These beliefs are there to protect us and keep us in our comfort zone. They want us to stay safe and not take a risk. 

What you have to remember if you stay in your comfort zone, life becomes boring and you start to feel you are "stuck in a rut". 

Watch this video explaining how limiting beliefs can affect your life. 


As you are not aware of these beliefs you have to find ways to identify them. 

Keep a thought journal. 

Keeping a small notepad in your pocket or bag so it is always available. When you have a negative thought, write it down in your journal. Reflecting on what is in your journal may help you recognise the most common self-limiting beliefs to work on. When you notice this, it can allow you to stop it!

As you complete your journal, take time to think if there are specific self-limiting beliefs that may be affecting you.

What could be holding you back from doing something new, different or challenging.

What self-talk do you have about yourself?

Is there anything you would like to do in your personal life, is something holding you back? 

  • Learning to play an instrument,  
  • Learning a language 
  • Running a marathon
  • Learning an outdoor activity

Examples like these can really bring some of the issues with negative self-talk into your conscious.

Remember your inner negative voice only wants to help or protect you in some way: it is a normal, human thing. This doesn’t make the thought right or acceptable, don’t try to resist or ignore it. 

Instead, try to figure out what is the reason behind your thought: is this self-limiting belief based on assumptions you have made that may not be true? 

Find reasons why they aren’t true, and you will start to become more conscious of your beliefs that cause the negative thoughts. This is a powerful long-term reframing technique, and it is even more effective if you keep a thought journal.

Reframing your beliefs

Once you are aware of your beliefs, you can then ask yourself some of these questions.

What is the reality of these beliefs:
  • What is my evidence for and against my thinking?
  • Are my thoughts factual, or just my interpretation?
  • Am I jumping to negative conclusions?
  • How can I find out if these thoughts are true?

 What are alternative explanations:

  • Are there other ways that I could look at this? 
  • What else could this mean?
  • If I was thinking more positively, how would I perceive this?
  • Putting it in perspective
  • Is this as bad as I am making it out to be?
  • What is the worst thing that could happen? How likely is it?
  • What is the best thing that could happen?
  • What is most likely to happen?

 Developing goal-directed thinking

  • Does thinking like this help me to feel good or to achieve my goals? 
  • What can I do that would help solve the problem?
  • What could I instead learn from this, to help me do things/feel better next time?

Do you want to explore your beliefs? Book a call with Jo I am ready to explore my beliefs



 

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