clarissa.cabbageFamous author, coach, and motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said: “The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.”
As Tony suggested, we tell ourselves stories every day to help rationalize our decisions. Those stories shape our thoughts and behaviors, which in turn make up our identity, or who we are as a person.
The problem is that sometimes the stories we tell ourselves aren’t true. These false stories can turn into limiting beliefs which hold us back from achieving our full potential.
Do you feel like something is holding you back from achieving your dreams and goals? If so, you could have some of these limiting beliefs.
In this post I will first go over what a limiting belief is and then discuss where they come from. Finally, I’ll share a list of 22 common limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from the happy and healthy life that you desire.
What Are Limiting Beliefs?
Limiting beliefs, (sometimes called self-limiting beliefs) are false or irrational thoughts that prevent us from pursuing or achieving our goals and dreams.
Where Do Limiting Beliefs Come From?
Limiting beliefs are not something we are born with, but are instead something we learn as we go through life. These self-limiting beliefs can form in a number of ways.
Often, they are formed from experiences that we’ve had in our lives, either as a child or an adult. Negative or traumatic experiences are much more likely to cause the formation of limiting beliefs than positive or happy experiences.
It is also very common to learn limiting beliefs by the expectations placed on you by your family, culture, or religion.
How Limiting Beliefs Can Hold You Back In Life
Limiting beliefs skew your perception of reality. They cause you to believe something that is not true.
“Our life is full of mountains we believe to be forbidden or that we feel incapable of climbing, but the fog that prevents us from seeing the path ahead is usually on the lens through which we are viewing it.”
-Hector Garcia
Limiting beliefs tend to form a repeating cycle where negative thoughts lead to negative emotions, which in turn lead to negative actions which reinforce the original negative thought.
For example, a negative thought that you are stupid would likely lead to negative feelings about your self-worth and confidence. These negative feelings would then influence your behavior by causing you to avoid challenging situations that might make you feel stupid.
By avoiding challenging situations, you would deprive yourself of the opportunity to learn, which would reinforce the original negative thought that you were stupid. The cycle would then continue, causing more negative feelings and behaviors in the future.
Examples Of Limiting Beliefs
For example, if your parents divorced when you were a child, you may not believe in love. Because of this belief, you’d likely push others away and not allow anyone to get close to you, which would reinforce your belief that love didn’t exist.
Or let’s say you got bad grades in school as a kid because the material was so easy that you were bored. So instead of applying yourself, you goofed off in class.
In a situation like this teachers might say that you were stupid or lazy and that you’d never amount to anything.
This sort of experience could easily produce the limiting belief that you weren’t smart and couldn’t follow through on anything.
If you adopted that limiting belief, it might affect you later in life – for example maybe you would choose to skip college and opt for a job that didn’t require much in the way of brains, and maybe you would pass up on applying for better jobs because you believed you weren’t smart enough to get them.
22 Common Limiting Beliefs To Ditch For A Better 2021
Now that you understand how limiting beliefs hold you back, I would like to give you some examples of limiting beliefs that are common when it comes to achieving your goals in the areas of health and happiness.
I have separated these limiting beliefs into two major categories – limiting beliefs about health and happiness, and limiting beliefs about yourself.
List Of Common Limiting Beliefs About Health & Happiness
These are mostly beliefs about how the world (in this case specifically how health and happiness) works.
1 – Prioritizing Health And Happiness Is Selfish
This is a belief that usually comes from culture, family, or religious teachings. Many people have been told that they need to put everyone else’s needs before their own.
I find that this self-limiting belief is especially common among people that are caretakers, meaning that they have others who depend on them such as children or elderly parents.
My favorite analogy for this is the talk that the stewardesses give on the airplane about putting on your oxygen mask before helping others with theirs. You are no good to anyone else if you are passed out from lack of oxygen.
The same is true of health and happiness. If you are unhealthy and unhappy, those who depend on you will suffer. However, if you are happy and healthy, those who depend on you will see the benefits. Your capacity to help others is limited if you do not care for yourself.
2 – If It’s Healthy It Cannot Be Enjoyable
There is a very common limiting belief that if we enjoy something that it can’t be good for us, and if it’s good for us, then we can’t enjoy it.
But health and happiness don’t need to be opposites!
[Related: How To Eat Healthier, Exercise More & Still Enjoy Your Life!]
3 – There Is Only One Way To Achieve A Goal
People often get stuck believing that there is only one best way to achieve a goal. Because of this, they often choose methods to meet their goals that are not well suited to them.
For example, people often think they HAVE to run if they want to lose weight, even though they really hate running. What they fail to acknowledge is that there are many other options to reach this same goal that might work better for them.
Everyone is different and what works for some, may not well work for you. Consider all your options. As the old saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat, and the same is true for achieving goals.
4 – The Plan Should Never Be Changed
This limiting belief is born out of stubbornness, and the thought that we should never give up on a plan. But if the plan isn’t working… why should we force ourselves to stick to it?
It’s better to change a plan than to give up on a goal. Adapting a plan is not admitting defeat, in fact, it’s more likely to lead to success.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein
[Related: How To Create An Action Plan & Get Started Today – Not Someday]
5 – Genes Dictate Health And Happiness And That’s All There Is To It
This is an extremely common limiting belief in people who have family histories of mental or physical diseases with a known genetic component, such as depression, heart disease, diabetes and others.
While it is true that we can’t control the genes that we inherit, it has been proven many times that many of these diseases can be managed, improved, or even prevented with good lifestyle choices.
We can’t control the hand we’re dealt, but we can decide whether we’ll play that hand to the best of our ability, or if we’ll fold.
6 – If It Can’t Be Done Perfectly, Then Why Bother?
This limiting belief is also sometimes known as the all-or-none mindset. It is extremely common in perfectionists.
I often see this happen when someone sets a goal and then makes a small slip-up.
If this person had the all-or-none mindset, they’d likely quit on their goal altogether saying they’d blown it and might as well give up, rather than trying to stick with it and do the best they can going forward.
To them it’s better to quit than to have done anything less than perfect.
[Related: 2-Minute Mindset Makeover: How To Course Correct After A Slip Up]
7 – Making A Change Should Be Easy
When struggling, people often tell themselves that the new habit they are trying to adopt should be easy. This is often followed by beating themselves up in their thoughts.
For example, “This should be easy! Why am I struggling so much? I’m such a loser…”
[Related: Why Healthy Habits Are So Dang Hard To Adopt (And Stick To)!]
8 – Progress Requires Perfection
Another common limiting belief is that you have to be perfect to see any progress at all.
People with this limiting belief often avoid starting something if they don’t think that they can do it 100% of the time.They focus much more on perfection than they do progress.
For example, say they were eating healthy only 25% of the time to start with, but knew they couldn’t eat healthy 100% of the time, so never even tried to improve their eating habits.
This is a flawed way of thinking. Even eating healthy 50-60% of the time would be a big improvement from the 25% where they started.
[Related: Harness the Power of Starting Small to Achieve Your Fitness Goals]
9 – More Suffering Means More Success
Have you ever heard (or maybe even said yourself) either of the following phrases?
- “No pain, no gain.”
- “No time for sleep.” or,
- “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
These statements are a prime example of “hustle culture” which pushes the belief that whoever suffers the most will be the most successful.
These sort of hustle culture thoughts pop up in two main areas of life: health & work.
We’ve been lead to believe that in order to lose weight, or improve fitness or health, we should feel physical pain. We should starve ourselves, we should exercise until we puke and make ourselves so sore we can’t walk the next day.
Because if we don’t… then we don’t “want it bad enough”.
But research has shown time and again, that these extreme measures are extremely hard to stick to.
Same thing with work. We are told we need to work until our eyeballs bleed in order to get ahead, but inevitably that just leads to lowered productivity and eventual burnout.
The truth is suffering does NOT guarantee success.
How many people do you know that ate 1200 calories for weeks or months only to fall off the wagon and gain all the weight back? How many people do you know that worked 60-70 hours a week for their whole life without much to show for it?
At least a few I would guess.
So when you’re setting your goals and resolutions, remember, the goal is not suffering. People can only suffer for so long.
The goal should actually be LESS suffering so that you can consistently stick to your plan and achieve your goal – for good!
10 – Happiness Comes From The Outside
Some people believe that certain things need to happen to them in order for them to be happy. These people believe that happiness comes from external factors like being rich, or popular etc. rather than internal factors like being grateful for what you have, making time to spend with loved ones and doing things that you are passionate about.
But as the sign on the drive through window of my local bank reminds me every payday, “Happiness is always an inside job.”
List Of Common Limiting Beliefs About Yourself
Limiting Beliefs come in several forms. Many of these are beliefs that you have some sort of short shortcoming in personality, skill, or identity that makes it impossible to achieve your goal.
You might notice that limiting beliefs about yourself often come in the form or name calling or labeling.
11 – I’m Not _______ Enough
This self-limiting belief has to do with personal traits or characteristics. We often convince ourselves that we are lacking some trait or personal characteristic that we need to achieve a goal.
If you have this limiting belief, you may catch yourself saying things like:
- “I’m not smart enough.”
- “I’m not athletic enough.”
- “I’m not confident enough.”
These sorts of beliefs become even more problematic when we believe that these qualities can not be developed with effort which is often referred to as a “fixed mindset”.
Related: Is Your Mindset Setting You Up To Fail Your Goals?
12 – I Lack The Willpower & Motivation To Achieve My Goals
This is an extremely common limiting belief that I see holding people back all the time.
It mostly stems from an unrealistic expectation that motivation and willpower should be high at all times, but this is just not realistic.
Related:
- Willpower: All You Need To Achieve Your Goals? Or Overrated?
- 6 Simple Self Motivation Methods To Start New Healthy Habits
13 – I Don’t Have The Time
There are two common variations of this limiting belief. They are that you either don’t have the time, or that now is not the “right time” to start something new.
Both of these beliefs come down to priorities, and can prevent you from taking the actions that would allow you to achieve your goals.
[Related: How To Make Time For Healthy Habits With Time Blocking]
14 – I’m Too Old
This is an extremely common limiting belief with older adults, or even sometimes middle-aged people.
They come to believe that what is happening to them is the natural process of aging and that nothing can be done about it.
This can prevent them from taking steps to help slow down age-related losses in things like bone and muscle mass.
15 – I Don’t Deserve It
Believing that you don’t deserve to be happy or healthy will prevent you from putting any effort into improving your quality of life.
Everyone deserves to be happy and healthy. You too!
16 – I Don’t Know How
People often think that not knowing something is an insurmountable obstacle. Maybe it’s because they don’t believe in their ability to learn new things, or maybe it stems from a fear of looking silly, as many beginners might.
But it’s never too late to learn something new! And remember, one of the best ways to learn is to learn by doing.
17 – People Will Judge Me
No one likes to be judged, and this is a common worry for most people.
In my own personal experience, I have often found that I worried about what others would think for nothing. Often they were so caught up in their own lives and thoughts that they didn’t even notice what I was doing.
But sometimes they will judge. The question is, will you let it hold you back from doing what is important to you? Is what they think worth sacrificing your goals and dreams for?
18 – I’ll Never Be As Good As So-And-So
This is an extremely common limiting belief in the age of social media. People often compare themselves to others. From this comparison, the conclusion is almost always that there is someone out there that’s better than you, so why should you even try?
It is probably true that there is someone else out there that is better than you. With over 7.5 billion people on earth, the odds of that are pretty good… but why does it matter? You don’t need to be better than 7.5+ billion people to be happier or healthier. You just need to be better than you used to be.
19 – I Failed Before And I’ll Fail Again
When people fail at something that is important to them, it’s natural to take it hard. But sometimes people take this to the extreme by internalizing the failure and making it a permanent part of their identity.
But failing once doesn’t make you a failure forever. If you tell yourself you are a failure, why would you put effort towards anything in life?
[Related: How To Overcome Failure & Achieve Your Fitness Goals – A Complete Guide]
20 – I Am A Quitter
This limiting belief is related to the one above and having had failures in the past. You may tell yourself that you never finish anything you start, or that you’re lazy or whatever else.
But believing these things about yourself will only prevent you from working towards your goals and maintaining the status quo.
Just because you quit in the past doesn’t mean you have to this time.
21 – I’m Broken
One limiting belief that I really struggled with in the past was feeling that there was something wrong with me, that I was broken or somehow damaged goods.
This held me back from pursuing happiness for a long time, because I didn’t believe that happiness was even possible for me.
If you’d like to learn how I overcame this limiting belief, check out the following post: My Epiphany: How I Completely Changed My View Of Happiness.
22 – I Don’t Have The Support
This was another big one for me 6-7 years ago. When living in Arizona I was incredibly unhappy and often very lonely.
I knew that hiking and spending time in nature made me happy and helped reduce my stress, but I didn’t have any friends at the time that would go on a hike with me. So I sat home depressed and feeling bad for myself.
Until one day, all of the sudden, I decided things had to change and that I shouldn’t let not having anyone to hike with keep me from being happy.
So I went out hiking on my own. Not everyone liked this, saying they worried about my safety. But I did it anyway and the effect that it had on my overall happiness and mindset was huge.
Don’t get me wrong, it can definitely be easier to achieve something with the help of others, but if you can’t find someone, don’t let it hold you back.
Conclusion
Limiting beliefs are very dangerous because they can prevent you from pursuing the happy and healthy life that you long for.
If you’re interested in learning a powerful 5-step method to overcome your limiting beliefs, check out the sequel to this post!
While reading this post, did you recognize any of these limiting beliefs in yourself or others that you know?
Are there any limiting beliefs that you would like to leave behind in order to have a happier and healthier year in 2021?
Let’s continue the conversation in the comments!
~Clarissa
Loved this post!
It’s so true how insidious and misguided self limited beliefs are…
Emotions trump logic so it takes some serious self introspection to wise up.
I’m on that journey myself. For some reason I have a love/hate relationship with struggle. Figuring it out slowly.
I’m so glad you loved this post Rudiano! Insidious is a fantastic word to describe limiting beliefs.
Emotions absolutely serve a function but in this day and age they can definitely become troublesome is we don’t become aware of their effect on our interactions. Good luck on your journey it sounds like you’re well on your way! ☺️
This post is fab! I definitely want to go into 2021 with a more positive attitude and leave the negativity behind ❤️
Good tips! So true…..we should ditch the limiting beliefs or else we won’t achieve our goals. After all, everyone is born to do it.
These are such fantastic things that we need to ditch in 2021! I’m going to ditch self-doubt in 2021 and have more confidence in myself, in my decisions, and in my life choices! Thank you for sharing x
You are so very welcome Eleanor, I’m glad you found it helpful! The self doubt is a fantastic thing to ditch for 2021. When you do you’ll feel light as a bird I’m sure! Thanks so much for taking the time to share and happy new year!
This is all so true! Limiting beliefs are for the birds!
Haha yes I absolutely agree Alexis! Now if we could just figure out how to kill two with one stone… 🤔
Great post! These are definitely limiting beliefs I want to ditch for the new year. It’s amazing how once you examine your beliefs and where they come from, it is so much easier to let go of them and create new healthier ones.
Thanks for sharing!!
You’re welcome Tiffany! I absolutely agree that discovering your limiting beliefs can be extremely powerful and liberating. I hope 2021 beyond is all that discovery. Happy new year!
I love the positivity of this post and the information you’ve shared on limiting beliefs. A very helpful read!
Aww thanks Jodie! I think most people know they exist (although maybe not by name), but it can sometimes be hard to identify them on the spot or to know what to do with them. I hope this post and it’s soon-to-come follow-up will shed some light on the topic.
21 great reminder! My favorite is #9 and I am going to keep that bank reminder handy “Happiness is an inside job”
Haha yes, that sign makes me smile every time! The auntie at the bank is amazing. She has that sign, and a collection of about 100 bobblehead dolls in the drive through window. 😁
Really great post! I read myself in those lines a lot! But I love that for every limiting belief there was a sort of solution to it! Thanks for sharing x
I’m so glad you liked it Cristina! These limiting beliefs are sooooo common! I have a good number that I’m still working on as well. If you liked this one – be sure to check in in a few days for the sequel which is much more about recognizing and overcoming limiting beliefs!
Thank you! Will keep an eye out for it x
Sounds good! ☺️
Hi Clarissa.
I found this post really interesting. When looking at how to be a success in a particular endeavour it is often useful to make use of visualisation techniques – if you ‘see’ it happening then it is more likely to ‘actually’ happen. Basically, your brain becomes an in-built cheerleader constantly telling you that you will succeed.
Many of the limiting beliefs here look to me to be a sort of negative visualisation. And so, rather than having an in-built cheerleader you have an in-built critic constantly telling you that you will fail. The mind is a powerful thing folks – use it wisely (or, for certain individuals, just try using it! 😉 )
Haha yes, absolutely Richie! Visualization is really powerful although a lot of people find it a little corny. But the truth is that the narratives we tell ourselves about who we are shape our identity and influence our behaviors.
When you said negative cheerleader, you know what came to me? How Ralphy’s mom in A Christmas Story always said, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” So he was always scared to do stuff. 🤣🤷 That would be a great example of a limiting belief! Maybe I’ll have to squeeze it into the sequel to this post. 😉
Limiting beliefs, I think, are too easy to acquire and are things that sometimes we do not realize are limiting until someone else’s perspective invites us to reevaluate our own. I love the examples you provided and the encouragement to move forward and be more open-minded. 🙂
I am happy to hear that you found this encouraging Jaya! I agree that limiting beliefs can be really easy to “collect” if you will, and much harder to identify and get rid of. That’s what my next post is all about though, so stay tuned, and happy new year!
Great things here! I especially hate the idea that taking care of yourself is selfish. It’s like being in a plane that crashes: you need to help yourself in order to be able to help others. They’re in trouble if you fall down at some point as well.
Absolutely Lisa! This is such a common one – I especially hear it from mom’s of young kids. I think it’s been ingrained by our society to an extent. But their physical health and happiness eventually wear down and it begins affecting others as well, just like you said. Thanks for reading!
Great post Clarissa! I found myself limiting my beliefs in 2019. I made this change early in 2020 and it has changed my life so far! Number 3 is the one I resonate with the most!
Congrats on getting rid of a lot of your limiting beliefs Lynn, that’s wonderful! Number 3 is a surprisingly common one, but there are SO many options. Thanks so much to reading, and here’s to even fewer limiting beliefs in 2021!
Merry Christmas!!
I agree with you about ditching limited beliefs!! It is so important to put your health and happiness as a priority. You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. I think anyone can be happy. They can’t limit themselves just because of their surroundings. If people really want to do something, they will try to take all of the steps to look at options to make it happen. So important to have the motivation to make it happen. Thanks for sharing all of this!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
Thank you for reading it Nancy! I also agree that just about everyone can be happy if they put their minds to it. I think the problem lays in the fact that many people believe that happiness is something that they “find” like it’ll just fall into their laps. But like anything else worth having, happiness requires some effort on our part to achieve.
Merry Christmas and happy new year Nancy!
So inspiring! Love this post. I’m guilty of having some of these thoughts limit me from reaching for my dreams. Thanks for these reminders of not letting our beliefs hold us back from trying different options, changing our plans, and taking the necessary steps to achieve our goals. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Fritzie! Having some of these limited beliefs is nothing to be ashamed of. I don’t think there’s a person on Earth that doesn’t have at least one. But starting to recognize them is the first step in overcoming them. So thank you for stopping by and giving this a read and taking the time to leave a comment!
Loved this post! I really enjoyed it and is so true. Thank you!
You are very welcome Luana. I hope this was able to give you a little bit of insight into your own thoughts and mindset. Happy New Year!
What a lovely post and important topic to touch on, limiting beliefs are such a big and real deal! I personally struggle with fear of failure and sometimes putting myself out there, but I always remind myself the payoff/lessons is bigger than the effort! Thanks for this 🙂
That’s a great way to think of it Karen! Putting ourselves out there and potentially failing are definitely scary things. I think we’ve all been there. But I love the way you remind yourself how it will be worth it. That’s perfect! That’s a perfect approach!
Great post on limiting beliefs we need to ditch…and at a perfect time as we near 2021. I love the analogy of putting the oxygen mask on first in an airplane before helping others. This is my biggest issue. Interestingly, I believe those of us that fall into this category will do something for ourselves on occasion and feel like we have overcome this self limiting behavior. What I am learning is that it is an ongoing process of taking care of myself and that I shouldn’t feel guilty about it. The GUILT is a very real and awful thing! I look forward to following along with the continuing discussion from everyone in this post!
You make some really great points here Michelle. Yes I would absolutely 100% agree that these limiting beliefs are not something that you can solve overnight. But rather something that must be chipped away at over the years. And yes the guilt of putting yourself first like the oxygen mask on the airplane is definitely a real thing. I think that it’s been deeply ingrained in us by our culture and family. And those are the limiting beliefs that seem to be the hardest to shake. But keep at it and thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience here!
This post is so helpful. The biggest thing is changing your mindset and you’re helping people gain the confidence to do that!
Thank you for the kind words Tasha. I sure hope so that’s what I am aiming for here. I’m so happy to hear that you found this post helpful. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read it.
Great post! I definitely recognize many of these beliefs and have trouble overcoming them sometimes. Something I’d really like to work on this coming year!
That sounds like a great plan Sarah! Recognizing these are the first steps to overcoming them. So you’re on the right track! Best of luck with all your goals in 2021.
Wonderful post. Examining limiting beliefs is so powerful.
It is isn’t it Sara? It’s amazing how productive slowing down and actually taking the time to examine our thoughts can be. Thank you for stopping by and checking out my post!
This is very insightful and I relate to many of the limitations you’ve listed. Definitely food for thought for 2021.
Awesome Steph, so happy to hear it. I actually really love food for thought and things that challenge the way I currently see things. It sounds like maybe you like this too! Thanks for stopping by. ☺️
We need to open our eyes and our minds that limiting beliefs are only in our heads we are more powerful than what we imagine! Thanks for the articles! xoxo
I agree Patricia! It can be really easy for these limiting beliefs to build up without us realizing it if we don’t pause to examine our thoughts now and then.
This is such an informative and insightful post, thanks for sharing! I can relate to many of these, and hope to change these in the new year x
Sophie | https://www.loveandliterature.co.uk
Thanks Sophie, I hope you found it helpful! I really enjoyed writing this one. Best of luck ditching your limiting beliefs in 2021!
This is a great post. I certainly struggle with #’s 6 & 8.
Thank you Rachel I am glad to hear you enjoyed it! It’s great that you’re able to recognize your own limiting beliefs, as that really makes ditching them so much easier! Thanks for reading.
This post is so important to share! I think you’re so right that we learn all of these beliefs growing up and it stops us from pursuing our goals. There were definitely some I recognised and have been trying to work on xx
http://www.dellalovesnutella.co.uk/
Thank you Della I am so glad to hear you appreciated this post! I really enjoyed writing it an there are some that I am working on getting rid of as well. There’s always something that can be improved!
Wow, great post. Limiting beliefs really hold us back in so many ways. It was really interesting to go through your entire list. It’s time for a reset now during covid and going into 2021! Thanks for sharing,
You’re welcome Mark, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! I agree that this is the perfect time for a reset. Happy holidays and best of luck with your goals in 2021!
This is a great post and a concept that I think we all need to step back and address in our own lives. I know that I have allowed the idea of ‘if it can’t be done perfectly, it’s not worth doing’ hold me back in the past more often than I care to admit. Perfectionism has kept me from achieving many things over the years. It’s only in recognizing that struggle that I’ve been able to start working on overcoming it.
The all-or-none mindset you describe has definitely been a big one for me as well! I’m definitely much better at it, but I’ve still got a ways to go.
I agree that it’s important to step back and examine our beliefs now and again. If we don’t, it’s so easy to ignore these limiting beliefs and keep letting them dictate our lives.
Limiting beliefs and so dangerous and I have learnt it from my own life. You have written a wonderful article which I think everyone should read!
Awww thanks Amisha! There were times in my life when I have had quite a few limiting beliefs as well. I think we all have them. The important thing is to become aware of them.
This is a great post, and I love your timing of it. Going into the New Year is a great time for reflection and a change of mindset; self limiting beliefs keep us from achieving many of our goals. Thanks so much for sharing!
Awww thanks Lex! I like to do an end of the year reset, and this is one of the things I like to look at so I can figure out what to leave behind for a better year. I like to think of it as subtracting the negatives out of my life!
Love this! These are great tips for starting the new year right!
Thank you, I’m so happy to hear you liked the post. It always helps to start the new year off on the right foot.
I’ve had limiting beliefs, like everybody else, but I never knew it was called such! This is such a helpful and insightful post! All your examples are honestly relatable to each and everyone. These limiting beliefs can go a long way and CAN dictate how your future will turn out. If you continue to base your decisions upon them, then you’ll be screwed. Keep up the great work!
http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Aw thank you so much Monique! I’m glad you found this so informative and relatable. I agree that pretty much every person I’ve ever met has some form of limiting belief. Obviously some are a little more pronounced than others, but you’re definitely correct and saying that they can have a pretty significant impact on your life. Thanks for sharing your story, and I’m glad I was able to put a name to these limiting beliefs for you. Thanks for stopping by and giving this a read!
Such an interesting read, I’m guilty of way too many of these! 2021 is definitely going to be a year of a lot self reflection and working on combatting these ❤️
You’re not alone there Katie! I think most people have at least a couple limiting beliefs whether they know it or not. But I think in this case knowing about your limiting beliefs and being aware of them really is half the battle. I just published a sequel to this post today that goes through a five-step process of how to actually overcome your limiting beliefs so you might be interested in checking that one out as well.
I would say that number 6 is my biggest one. It’s like it’s hard wired into my brain. But I really do plan on leaving it in 2020 and making 2021 the best year possible!
Rosie
Ah yes, number six! This is definitely one that I’ve been personally guilty of in the past. Every now and then it crops up again, but I recognize it now when it does, which helps! It’s awesome that you were able to recognize it in yourself as well. I think you’ll definitely be happy with your decision to leave it behind in 2020. Thanks for sharing Rosie and contributing to the conversation. I hope you have an amazing 2021!
This is a great post. I feel like everyone has had limiting beliefs one way or another. These limiting beliefs are all so real. No 3 and No 6 resonates with me the most. So many people feel like there is only one way to achieve a goal but there are so many ways to achieve a goal. You just need to try and I have this great problem of wanting to do everything perfectly. Sometimes, if I can’t do something perfectly, I just let it be but I guess I have to drop that habit. Perfection is great but everything does not have to be perfect. Thanks for sharing x!
Ruth loves Glamour
You are welcome Ruth I am so glad to hear that you found this post helpful and were able to recognize some of your own limiting beliefs. I 100% agree that pretty much every person alive has at least one limiting belief whether they know it or not. In my experience working with people to help them change their habits number three and six are super common. I’ve always been a perfectionist myself and am constantly working on overcoming that. It takes a good deal of effort in patience but, it’s totally worth it. Thank you so much for stopping by and giving this a look Ruth. I’m excited to check out your blog as well!
This is a lovely explicit post. I enjoyed reading your posts as they are complete in all sense. Yes there are so many limiting beliefs to stop us from performing well and we consider them as genuine reasons for not reaching to our goals.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it Priyanka! That is the funny thing about limiting beliefs, isn’t it? We really do believe the stories we tell ourselves no matter how untrue they are. And interesting that our brain allows us to convince ourselves of something that is so obviously untrue in some cases. What a complex and amazing thing the brain is, for better or worse. Thank you so much for your continued support and also for sharing your thoughts.
These are great reminders! In quarantine I’ve been focused on self care and accepting that it IS productive. Hoping to carry it forward into 2021!
Yes! I love to hear that Kalin! It can be really tough for us productive busy bodies to truly value self care and relaxation can’t it? That sounds like a very productive use of your quarantine time. Thank you so much for reading and I hope that you have an awesome 2021!
Firstly, you have a beautiful website. Secondly, I’m a firm believer in positive thinking that breeds positive actions and outcomes. I’m trying to carry more positive thinking into the coming year!
Awww thank you Mary! I am so thankful that I stumbled across this theme that I am currently using. It suits me well and is very affordable at under $30 a year. Thank you for noticing!
Your goal of doing more positive thinking in the new year is a fantastic one! I think it’s one that a lot of people could benefit from but don’t really think of. Best of luck in the new year Mary!
Wow!!
I absolutely loved this & how you were able to pinpoint & recognise your own limiting beliefs, I most certainly could relate!
Also I recognised your are most definitely a talented blogger & I have a lot to learn.
I have signed up for emails from you!
Aw thank you so much for the kind words Natalie! It always makes my day to get a new follower and feel that I can help them on their own journey.
I’m very glad that you We’re able to recognize some of your own limiting beliefs in reading this post. That is the first step to overcoming limiting beliefs. If you’re interested, just today I published a sequel to this post which goes over a five step action plan to overcome limiting beliefs. Thank you so much for stopping by and giving this a read!
I started feeling so much better when I started to make self care a priority. Especially as a mom- it does feel selfish but it honestly isn’t. And it’s essential to your mental health and wellbeing.
xo Erica
Yes, I absolutely agree that self care is so important Erica! It’s so awesome that you were able to make that shift in mindset. I’ve been a personal trainer for years and what you’re expressing is a very common feeling among parents, moms especially. I think it’s something about our society that contributes to this limiting belief. I’m so glad to hear that you were able to overcome it. Thank you so much for sharing your experience, happy New Year!
I love this! Very informative and eye opening. Perfect for the new year!
Thank you Melissa I’m glad you enjoyed it. I think it’s important to go into a new year with the right mindset. Thank you so much for reading.
Very thorough post, really enjoyed reading it. I think the first one is very important. Self-care should be our priority. We cannot give what we do not have. Also, others exploit our boundaries and weaknesses and make us believe we are selfish for looking after ourselves. It is no less than manipulation and abuse! The more we learn to be there for ourselves, the more we can be there for others. Great tips!
Yes Markus, well said, I totally agree. It seems that that mindset has been instilled in people from a very young age either from family culture or religion. But I think things are starting to change and people are starting to realize just as you said, that you cannot give what you do not have. Thank you so much for stopping by and adding to the conversation with your thoughts. Happy New Year!