Recently, I’ve been working on developing my course, which I plan to launch in the spring. It’s an exciting time for both me and my business - but it’s also been bringing up some unexpected emotions.
As I bring my knowledge and experience together, I’ve started to second guess everything. I’m normally fairly confident in my work - and I know that I know my stuff.
However, I’ve been coming up against some limiting beliefs that are holding me back. Sometimes, they can really sneak up on you, as they’re so ingrained into how we think that we might not even realize they’re there.
What Are Limiting Beliefs?
It’s really common to encounter limiting beliefs. Perhaps you might start to rely on other people for validation, or focus on imperfections in your work. We take these nagging thoughts and accept them as absolute truths - even when they’re not.
Having these limiting beliefs doesn’t make you any less strong. It’s how you tackle those thoughts that define you.
How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs
The first thing to do is to stop and reflect. Where are these thoughts coming from? What prompted you? Acknowledge the fact that you’re encountering these thoughts and might be in a low mood.
Next, tell yourself that these thoughts are not the truth. It can help to write them down in order to identify these limiting beliefs more clearly.
After you write them down, remind yourself that you created these opinions by ascribing certain meanings to something, but that they are not the truth about you. To prove this to yourself, look for evidence of the exact opposite.
For example, if you can’t get rid of the thought that nothing you do is good enough, look at recent feedback on some of your projects, or data that shows how well they’ve done. Chances are, they will disprove the limiting beliefs you’ve been telling yourself.
Finally, find a friend or colleague to confide in. Sometimes, voicing our insecurities out loud can help us to find a way of changing those beliefs. It can be empowering to vocalize how untrue those things actually are.
Tell me, how do you overcome negative or limiting beliefs?
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