6 Steps to Breaking Your Limiting Beliefs
Are the beliefs you encounter on a daily basis limiting your ability to progress in your life? These can be related to business, family, relationships, health, or fitness, but what they have in common is that holding you back from the changes you need to make. Here we explore six steps to help you break them and achieve more. We use a number of these tools at Beyond Strong to help you truly take the wheel. It all starts with recognising your beliefs and creating more awareness.
Do these ever sound familiar to you?
"I am too old or too young for that."
"I will spend my whole life alone."
"I will never find a job that brings me happiness. It’s just a job."
"I will never be able to do that."
“I will never like my body.”
These phrases are negative and in the long run will not serve you - they will instead keep you feeling the same way about yourself. Limiting beliefs are stopping you from achieving what you’re capable of. There will always be ‘what if’ thoughts, or a fear of failing or looking stupid, but you must start to take charge of your mind and get in the driving seat.
We regard these thoughts, whether conscious or unconscious, as absolute truths. But they can be overcome and replaced with more optimistic messages. By changing your thinking, you can change everything else.
Why do we have limiting beliefs?
In some cases, limiting beliefs are unconscious, which appear as defence mechanisms to avoid possible frustrations, failure, and disappointment. You’re essentially setting yourself to manage your expectations if you ‘fail’. If you’ve been faced with something before that's disappointed you in your past or you’ve been in an uncomfortable situation, your subconscious may find a way to try to block it. A good starting exercise to counteract limiting beliefs is to look for the root of the problem.
These limiting thoughts and beliefs can have several origins:
• Personal beliefs are those experiences that were lived by a person, leading them to develop certain blocks.
• Hereditary experiences and beliefs are related to the way we were created, nurtured, and raised. The ideas and behaviours that we observe and reinforce during our entire life have a profound influence.
• Religious beliefs can sometimes spread limiting thoughts, as doctrines usually define which attitudes and values are accepted.
• Social circles can perpetuate limiting beliefs. You will be strongly influenced by those around you. Pay close attention to who you spend your time with and the energy you feel when around them. Are they a positive influence or total energy vampires?
• Fear can create limiting beliefs in the form of excuses, in order to stop doing something or taking a certain action for fear of failing.
• Society can impose standards that generate limiting beliefs. When you’re trying to make changes, and you may think about the judgement from others around your decisions and whether they will fit the norm.
In order to discover your limiting beliefs, think about the things you would like to achieve but aren’t currently working towards. It’s not always easy to admit but it’s important to examine. Then look for the justification you’ve made for not doing said thing.
How can you overcome your limiting beliefs?
1. Identify one of your limiting beliefs
The initial first step to overcoming limiting beliefs is in identifying what they are. If you fear there may be multiple limitations, then start with the largest one and then repeat this step with each limiting belief.
Even better, identify how they make you feel, what you don’t like about them, and their origin.
2. Recognise that it is just a belief
In simple terms, recognise that your belief may simply be a belief founded on a false premise. More often than not, it is likely to be completely untrue and just a belief, not a fact.
It’s hard to digest but the more you do of the first point of identifying the belief you can start to detach your thoughts to your reality and where they come from.
3. Challenge your own belief
Now that you have recognised it is just a belief rather than a grounded fact, question your belief. Question it by asking yourself more questions and dive deeper. The more you delve into your whys and patterns of behaviour, the better equipped you will be to change the course and direction of your thinking. Here’s some suggestions of questions to ask yourself:
Is this factual?
What are the supporting facts?
Did I always think that way? If not, what has changed?
What evidence is there to counteract my belief?
What would it be like to think of the opposite of my belief?
Is this belief helping me to progress towards my goals?
How would I respond to this if I were someone else? (Think about someone that inspires you, perhaps a friend or a professor.)
These questions are designed to help you broaden your perspective on the subject, not just be subject to your own thoughts, especially when they don’t serve you.
4. Recognise the potentially damaging consequences
What are the consequences of holding on to your limiting belief? Is it serving you in reaching your goals? Do you feel good when you hold onto these thoughts? Holding on to the belief that you are not able to pass just because you failed your first attempt can deprive you of passing in the future.
5. Adopt a new belief
Choose something new to believe in, something that will help to improve your life. This transition may not be easy. Depending on how long you have held on to certain beliefs, they may have rooted very strongly. Take time to unravel it - giving yourself compassion and kindness during the process is key.
If you want to change, you will need to have the strength and courage to adopt the new belief. Just keep showing up for the belief that supports your life and change.
6. Put it into practice
Take action and start implementing things that support your new belief. Action is the biggest thing that will lead you forwards. If your limiting belief told you that you were "too old to start exercising", instead start to adopt an "it is never too late to start" belief. Go for a 15-minute walk to start exercising and create a habit from there. If your limiting belief started as “I will be the slowest in the class,” instead adopt “everyone has to start somewhere.”
When you condition yourself to new beliefs it means creating a new reality. It’s exciting and full of opportunity. You can set yourself free in a new realm through your mind, and through experiencing more of the things that help you change your path. Focusing on the new and taking action doesn’t mean you will get it straight away, it requires work - facing narratives and untangling beliefs you’ve continually told yourself. But you will eventually change the signals to your brain. Just keep moving forwards and showing up for yourself.
Don’t let your limiting beliefs be the reason you didn’t just go for it!
At the Beyond Strong Method we use these techniques to help transform your life. Without working on improving your mind progressively forwards you will remain where you’re at. If you’re wanting to make change then connect with Lizzie at Beyond Strong to enquire about the options for you. Enquire here for personalised 1-1 coaching by clicking here.
