When you are young, self-limiting beliefs can be instilled in your psyche, which you then carry throughout adulthood. Unfortunately, as a result, your happiness and self-esteem can be massively affected because of beliefs of a limiting nature taking hold in your mind.
When negative thoughts arise, it is important to face them head on and know how to manage them effectively. The three tips below aim to challenge self-limiting beliefs and in turn, give your self-confidence, self-esteem, and morale a real boost.
Find out what your self-limiting beliefs are
Your beliefs can really feel like the truth. This is because your exact moment in life has been guided by your own thoughts and beliefs about yourself and what you think you can and can’t do. Your belief structure is supported by your go-to filters. For example, you may say things like ‘This is what happens every time I try to…’ or ‘This always happens to me’.
Think about one thing that you would like to truly believe about yourself, without any doubts. What would it be? Your answer to the question will give you an insight into the self-limiting belief you would like to let go of.
The symptoms that your limiting belief causes are sometimes the only thing you will be able to see. Naming the symptoms is easy, as you will know how you feel every day because of the limiting belief you have. However, once you are able to identify the root cause of the symptoms – or the self-limiting belief – you will be able to start to challenge it and move forward.
Move away from your comfort zone
For many people, because their limiting belief weighs so heavy, it can feel like so permanent, that it can seem impossible to make a change to let go of it. This is something I know because when working with clients, there are some that just refuse to face the limiting belief as they fear change. Instead, they only choose to scratch the surface level. However, this is simply dealing with the symptoms and not the limiting belief that’s causing them. If your limiting belief feels like a permanent fixture in your mind, what does change mean for you?
Once you come to the realisation that there will be a level of temporary discomfort, change becomes easy. In order to be able to move away from what’s causing your lack of self-belief and self-esteem, you simply have to connect with the pain and embrace the feelings of unease that arise.
Maybe the things you have tried to help you change previously have felt too safe and familiar. The problem is that real change is hard to achieve from your comfort zone. You should feel a level of discomfort and lean into it wholeheartedly to achieve the outcome you want.
Interrupt your thoughts
When a negative thought pops up, if it is feasible, stop and physically move somewhere else. For example, if when you had the thought you were sitting on the sofa, stand up and move into another room.
Then, when negative and limiting talks begin, notice what happens. Being aware when your self-limiting belief is following its usual pattern, is what we call a ‘pattern interrupt’. Whereas before, your limiting belief ran from your conscious awareness, you are now aware of it, enabling you to stop the negative belief from running its usual script.
Conclusion
You will start to flourish and grow in many areas of your life, when you start challenging the self-limiting beliefs you have had for some time. It is only when you address your negative thought patterns that your self-confidence and self-esteem will improve.
About the author
Dr Amanda Foo-Ryland is a TedX international keynote speaker, coach and best-selling author of Knowing You. She is a neural coding expert, and the founder of Your Life Live it, and together with her team she works with thousands of clients around the globe to help them achieve lasting personal change.
