15 - Banish Your Limiting Beliefs

Have you ever felt an invisible barrier holding you back? A nagging voice telling you that you can't achieve your dreams or that you’re not good enough? This, my friend, is the voice of limiting beliefs.

Imagine for a moment you have wanted to start your own business for years. But every time you start thinking about taking it seriously, you tell yourself that you are not good enough or smart enough, you will never succeed. So you don’t take any action, and you stay stuck in the same dead end job, with dreams you will never reach. 

These thoughts are your limiting beliefs, whispering doubts and fears that hold you captive.

Limiting beliefs often come from past experiences, external influences, and self-critical thoughts that we have internalised over time and it is often the people closest to us that keep them well and truly fixed in our minds. Did your parents ever tell you to take the “safe” career? Did your friends ever joke about an idea you had that made you feel small or not good enough? Even society has a role to play, go to school, get good grades, go to university…..or you wont be successful.

An example of someone who has overcome limiting beliefs despite initial setbacks is Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah faced numerous challenges early in her life, including a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse. Despite these obstacles, she developed a belief in herself and her potential. She often speaks about how self-belief and a commitment to personal growth helped her overcome these challenges. 

Another example is Richard Branson who, despite struggling in school due to dyslexia, overcame his limiting beliefs by focusing on his strengths. He went on to turn challenges into opportunities and build a globally successful empire.

Recognition

The first step in banishing limiting beliefs is recognising them. You can start by journalling your thoughts whenever you feel discouraged. Can you see any patterns in your self-talk? Make a note of the recurring negative statements that hold you back. Awareness is the first step towards change.

A coach can also help in identifying and banishing limiting beliefs because they provide an objective perspective, allowing you to see patterns and mindsets that you might overlook on your own. With their expertise, they can pinpoint the negative self-talk and internalised doubts that are holding you back. 

Challenging Misconceptions

The next step once you have identified any limiting beliefs, is to challenge them. Ask yourself simple yet profound questions like, “Is this really true?” and “What evidence do I have to support this belief?” Often, you will find that these beliefs are based on fear rather than fact.

Replacing Weeds with Flowers

The next step when we have identified a limiting belief is to replace them with empowering ones. You can do this by having a set of positive statements that you recall daily such as, “I am capable of achieving great things” and “Every step I take brings me closer to my goals.” Over time, these positive affirmations begin to take root, crowding out the negative beliefs.

Taking Action

Beliefs alone won’t change your reality, action does. It is vital to take small and consistent steps towards your dream. With each step, your confidence will grow.

Having a plan or a strategy that you have put together to achieve your goals can help keep you on track to achieve them. Positive visuals and reminders around the house will also help you, and reminding yourself of your reason “why” will help banish any limiting beliefs that creep into your thoughts. 

The Power of Support

You do not have to go through this process alone, in particular if you are thinking of making a big change in your life. Having a supportive community, one that you select very carefully, will help you to create and reaffirm your positive beliefs. You CAN do anything you put your mind to. You ARE good enough. You DO deserve a life of happiness and abundance. 

You can reach out to friends, a coach or mentor who has walked a similar path or who has achieved what you want to, or even join a mastermind group. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals will enable you to gain insights, encouragement, and accountability.

I am so lucky to have a small group of supportive friends that I met through some business training I did a few years ago. We all have very different jobs and businesses, and we all have very different dreams. Yet at the start of each year we present to each other the objectives we have set ourselves for the year (personally and professionally), we provide feedback and ask supportive and challenging questions based on growth. From then on, each Sunday we share our top 10 actions we want to achieve in the week. THIS IS SO POWERFUL! 

No matter how big or small my objectives are, I have a group of amazing people who support me and would never criticise or judge me. When I have a tough day or week, they encourage me to keep making forward progress, and are there to celebrate my successes. 

Having a supportive community that empowers you is key to success, and it helps to keep those limiting beliefs away. 

So, whether you want to find a new life partner, go for that promotion, start a new business, or become a nomad, go for it. Smash those limiting beliefs and avoid the people around you that enforce them. 

Summary of the steps:

1. Recognise Your Limiting Beliefs
   • Start by journalling your thoughts.
   • Identify recurring negative statements.

2. Challenge Your Beliefs
   • Ask yourself, “Is this really true?” and “What evidence supports this belief?”
   • Understand if these beliefs are based on fear rather than fact.

3. Replace with Empowering Beliefs
   • Affirm positive statements daily.
   • Use affirmations like, “I am capable” and “Every step brings me closer to my goals.”

4. Take Action
   • Start with small, consistent steps towards your dream.
   • Enroll in courses, network, and test your ideas.

5. Seek Support
   • Find a mentor who has walked a similar path.
   • Join a community or mastermind group for insights and encouragement.

6. Reflect and Grow
   • Regularly reflect on your progress.
   • Use your experiences to continue growing and adjusting your beliefs.

How about you? What actions have you been putting off because of your limiting beliefs? Remember, just like me and many others, you have the power to recognise, challenge, and replace them. It’s time to take action and create the life of your dreams. 

Believe in yourself, because I do. 

Always with love,

Elsa x