Limiting Beliefs
wHAT THEY DO AND HOW TO TRANSFORM THEM
Beliefs are formed through information received and stored as truths in each person’s subconscious. We gather the information that seems important to us and deposit it in our subconscious in the form of beliefs. When the information is good for our healthy development it forms empowering beliefs. When it is information that diminishes us in some way, it forms limiting beliefs. Through these two types of beliefs, we form our view of the world, ourselves, and everything that exists. Depending on the importance given to the information received, beliefs will be stronger or weaker in the belief system, thus having a greater or lesser weight in decisions made throughout life.
Beliefs are formed especially in childhood when the capacity for discernment is weakest and children are most open to new information. They come especially through the child’s peers, such as parents, family members and teachers, but they can also come through other media. They can originate in spoken expression, in observations the child makes, or in feelings and emotions that others show regarding the child’s way of being or acting.
The most significant beliefs are usually formed through repetition or through relationships that provide high emotional content. An example of a belief by repetition is someone telling a child repeatedly that he is weak (or strong). He will grow up believing this to be true. Bullying in school is an example of how highly emotional beliefs are formed.
However, beliefs are not only formed in childhood. They can also be formed in adulthood. In this case, information comes most often from the communities that the person is part of, such as religion, friendships, the media, and social platforms.
After adulthood, people often have such strong convictions that their beliefs are true that they almost never question them. When this happens, beliefs determine people’s attitudes and behaviors. Without being able to realize that beliefs are not the absolute truth, people let themselves be led by them, which ends up determining the results obtained.
Beliefs can be considered positive if they lead us to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Or they can be considered negative if, on the contrary, they lead us to feel bad about ourselves. For this reason, negative beliefs are also called limiting beliefs, since, as the name implies, they limit our ability to be, to think, to act, to love and, consequently, to achieve our ideals and purposes in life.
An example of the power of belief is the trust we have in ourselves. If we trust that we can do something, the result will be that we succeed. If we do not trust our ability, the result will be failure to accomplish that goal, or failure to even try. Either way, we will be successful in whatever we believe about our ability to achieve our goals, whether it is a positive belief (I will succeed) or a negative belief (I will not succeed).
LIMITING BELIEFS: WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO TRANSFORM THEM
Limiting beliefs block the ability to use the power inherent in each of us.
Every human being has the power within themselves to do what is best for their well-being in any area of their life, both personal and professional. Limiting beliefs cause a person to sabotage themselves in achieving what is important to them. They take away the confidence that people have in themselves, making them feel incapable and unmotivated. This interferes with focus and hinders the actions necessary to achieve goals and objectives.
Because they are embedded in the subconscious mind, the effects of limiting beliefs are often unnoticed. This often causes a lack of understanding as to why plans do not work out. People do not often realize that results are determined by what one believes is possible.
However, there is a way to notice and recognize limiting beliefs and transform them into empowering beliefs. Below are some steps necessary to make this happen:
1. Limiting beliefs need to be noticed - You can change only what is noticed. Without this step, nothing can be done. A belief cannot be transformed if you do not notice it in yourself. Identify a goal that you want, but are not achieving. Then find at least one limiting belief that you can identify regarding this goal.
2. Limiting beliefs need to be recognized - Once you have noticed your limiting belief, you need to recognize and acknowledge where it came from and how it influences the way you live. It is important to know how it affects your emotions, feelings and actions and what results you usually get through it.
You can draw some observations that can help you recognize the limiting belief related to the issue you have:
-Has this belief been an obstacle to my achieving a goal? What is it?
-Have I sabotaged myself in actions that would lead me to what I desire? If so, how do I sabotage myself?
-Do I victimize myself as an excuse for not getting what I want? How and why?
-Have I done what I set out to do, or do I feel limited in my ability? Reflect on your answer.
-Do I have confidence in my power to act? What is it, and how can I use it to achieve my goal?
-Do I trust myself?
-What thoughts limit me? Make a list.
-What feelings pull me back? Make a list and reflect on it.
-Am I afraid to take the most crucial step toward achieving my dreams?
-What is that step and what is stopping me from taking it?
3. Limiting beliefs need to be questioned - Once you recognize how your limiting belief works in your life experiences, you are ready to question the source of its origin, question which type it refers to (see the types below), and most importantly, question whether it is true.
The types of limiting beliefs are:
Belief about Worthiness – When the belief about worthiness is limiting, it usually brings the word ‘because’ to explain its reason. “I don’t deserve to have a lot of money because I wouldn’t know how to use it.” “I don't deserve to be successful because I’m not good enough.” “I don’t deserve to be healthy because I am a bad person.”
Belief about Capacity – When limiting, this belief convinces us that we cannot do something, which usually leads us to not even try. “I can’t learn how to do it.” “I don’t have the time.” “This project is too big. I am not able to do it.” “I was never good at Math.”
Belief about Identity – It is a limiting belief when it makes us think that we are less than we are. “I have never been a healthy person.” “I am not a smart person.” “I am not loved”. “I am too old”. “I am too young.” “I am weak.”
Some questions that can be asked are:
-Is this belief part of what I believe, or did it come from outside sources?
-What are the sources? (People, religion, other media... Think this through and be detailed.)
-Did this belief come from an unrealistic expectation that someone made about me? What would that expectation be?
-Is this someone else’s belief that I picked up as my own? Who would this person be and why have I adopted their belief?
-Do I like this belief? Do I want to get rid of it?
(Although limiting beliefs can be confused with what we believe, most of them came to us from things that other people believe.)
4. Limiting beliefs can be transformed into empowering beliefs – This can be done by switching that belief for one that empowers you, which will lead you to what really matters. You will discover your purpose in life and will walk in the right direction toward that purpose. To do this, however, you need to question yourself one more time.
Below are some questions that might help in the process:
-What belief would I like to have in place of this limiting belief?
-What do I believe?
-What makes sense to me in my new way of thinking?
-Why doesn’t this limiting belief make sense to me anymore?
Notice the difference between the way you think and feel now and the way you thought and felt before. Sometimes this difference will not be as clear mentally as it will be emotionally. After you transform your limiting belief into an empowering belief, you will notice that you no longer feel the fears and insecurity you felt before. Everything will be clearer because you will no longer be influenced by beliefs that limit your power of achievement. This is the expected result.
If you need help with this important work, schedule a free consultation with me and I will show you how I can help you.
