Overcome Limiting Beliefs
5 Steps to Clear Your Limiting Beliefs
The five steps to clearing limiting beliefs is a simple but powerful tool you can use to clear the limiting beliefs you hold onto in any area of your life.
The five steps are simple, but not necessarily easy. Keep in mind however, it will get easier over time. In fact, you will feel lighter, more fulfilled, and even happier the more you use this exercise.
Step 1: Choose an Area in Your Life with Sticking Points.
Regardless of which area in your life you feel like are stuck. Almost as if that part of your life no longer makes sense. The things you used to be able to count on, now bring unexpected results. Write them on a piece of paper. You may want to stop limiting yourself at your job. Maybe you want to stop limiting how happy you are in your relationship. Or it maybe you want to stop limiting yourself in regard to your earning potential.
It does not matter what you choose -since this clearing limiting beliefs technique can be used for literally anything, but you probably should pick out a fresh and particularly painful area. This is because we are all more motivated to do something when it is emotionally charged.
For the ease of attempting this exercise the first time I will use the example of money.
Step 2: Write Down a List of as Many Limiting Beliefs You Can Think of About that Topic.
Write down all your beliefs about your chosen topic. It is essential to write out as many as you can think of because as you continually go over your list additional beliefs will come to mind. Take a few minutes to do this stage completely. The more beliefs you can identify, the better the results of this exercise will be.
Using the example of money, it is not too difficult to think of a long list of limiting beliefs, such as:
· Money is the root of all evil
· I never have enough
· Money doesn’t grow on trees
· A penny saved is a penny earned
· It always runs out too early
· Taxes should be avoided at all costs
· The government wants your money
· I cannot ever trust anyone with my money
· I never get paid back if I loan money
(If you need any help identifying limiting beliefs, here is a link to a comprehensive list of sample limiting beliefs).
Step 3: Thank These Beliefs for How They Have Served You in the Past.
It may seem counterintuitive to thank these old beliefs. Because they are limiting beliefs, right?! Yes, but, it is actually important to honor these thoughts, so you can release them. Some of these beliefs may have been held onto for most of your life. They are comfortable, they probably served a purpose in the past, they may have even protected you from yourself and others. Beliefs are developed as responses to something that happened to you or someone close to you in the past. The rub is they probably do more harm than good for you now. They keep you limited and should be adjusted, replaced, or removed completely.
Taking a look at the money example, you may have created the belief that money does not grow on trees because of your parents’ teachings, or you had trouble earning much money from your first job.
That belief was developed to keep you from wasting or squandering money!
Thank that belief for protecting you but recognize that you are mature enough now to move past it. You are responsible enough now to make the right decision in this moment without the need to run back to your old limiting beliefs.
Step 4: Forgive Yourself and Others for all the Different Beliefs you have Developed
It is tempting to get caught in a cycle of despair ruminating over how your limiting beliefs kept you from your potential success of the past. You may get depressed thinking about how much further you would be now if you hadn’t been burdened with them for so long. Do not let yourself get caught in this trap. Your brain will naturally do this if you let it.
Instead, you need to forgive yourself and others for the events that caused these beliefs.
Forgive yourself for allowing them into your life.
Be sure to forgive others for being the cause of some of them.
Holding on to the emotional turmoil that can be tied to these limiting beliefs will only keep you from realizing your full potential.
Forgive and get ready to see real changes in your future.
Step 5: Give Yourself Permission to Move Past Your Limiting Beliefs.
Once you have honored your old beliefs and forgiven yourself and others for their part in the development and results, you need to give yourself the permission to move on. It takes a mindset change to a growth mindset, but realize that you are worth it.
As you do this limiting belief exercise, you should feel the weight of the associated emotions to each of these beliefs change. It often lightens the load of things we carry in literal as well figurative way. Enjoy the process of change, as well as the results. That way the exercise will become fun and something you want to do more often.
You can repeat this process with all areas in your life. Review each in turn and discover all the limiting beliefs that are holding you back.
An important thing to note here is, that is as hard as it is. Do not waste any time trying to replace them with different beliefs. Just prepare yourself to look for different results or expectations. You will cultivate new beliefs that are beneficial to you in your life now. It also opens the door for you to begin using the Law of Attraction.
Stay tuned for a guide on how to use the law of attraction to propel you into the height of your potential success!