How to Stop Self Limiting Beliefs

If you have ever felt paralyzed from a simple thought, you are not alone. If the fear of not going after your deepest desire because you have deemed yourself not good enough or way past your prime (which is not a thing), then you are in good company. Many professionals and even entrepreneurs struggle with self-limiting beliefs that can hinder potential success. The key is learning to identify limiting beliefs in order to overcome them. 

These self-limiting beliefs often come from a place of negativity and fear that keep us from experiencing new opportunities. It is a state of mind about ourselves that restricts us in some way. Learning how to identify them can help you proactively push past them with these four simple steps. 

Identify and write your beliefs down

You can’t overcome the challenges you are fighting unless you face them. Many times the beliefs that we have about ourselves start out as thoughts in our head rather than something we say out loud. Getting these thoughts out on paper can help you separate them from fact or fiction and allow you to see how untrue they really are. 

Writing your thoughts down in a journal can help alleviate any stress associated with the belief. You can also ask yourself if this thought is relevant to the next 10 minutes of your day. If not, close your journal and leave your negative thoughts on the piece of paper.

Assess the accuracy

Sometimes you have to fact-check yourself. If writing down your thoughts isn’t enough, it can be helpful to analyze whether your beliefs are coming from a place of accuracy. Getting to the bottom of your limiting beliefs can help you see them for what they really are. 

Next time a negative belief presents itself, take a moment to pause and analyze the thought. Evaluate whether it’s self-limiting and if there is any concrete evidence to back up your belief. Ask yourself if the thought is coming from fear of the unknown or from a past experience. 

Use positive affirmations

One of the best ways to combat self-limiting beliefs is to use positive affirmations. Affirmations are sentences that you repeat to yourself in order to build self-belief. One of my favorites is “I am beautiful” and “I am capable of doing hard things.” Use positive affirmations to turn self-limiting beliefs into positive self-beliefs. While this can be done in many forms, saying these out loud to yourself or others can help reinforce the belief.

Don’t give up

Lastly, never give up when limiting beliefs creep in. Remember, you’re not alone. Everyone experiences limiting beliefs, even those who seem to have it all together. The important thing is to persevere through the limiting belief and not let it hinder you. Though it can be easy to feel down when going through a cycle of negativity, push limiting thoughts away by taking a moment to yourself. Sometimes all you need is a breath of fresh air to set yourself on a more positive path.  

You are the architect of your life. You are capable of anything. It’s time to stop letting limiting beliefs hold you back.