A belief is a thought that we have given a lot of attention to over a period of time. This thought becomes dominant in our subconscious mind, and then after a while, we believe it to be true. Many of our beliefs have been adopted by our parents at a young age. Some of them serve us, but some of them don’t. Oftentimes, these beliefs feel so true to us that we begin to see things with blurry lenses. In relationships, you may be familiar with the phrase “rose-tinted glasses”. We see things how we want them to be, rather than how they actually are. Our views of others can be clouded if the truth may be too unpleasant for us to accept. By pretending things are different, we then begin to actually believe that to be true over time.
Read: Want to Lead a More Positive Life?
How can our limiting beliefs be so responsible for our lack of success?
Beliefs are like deep, embedded, thoughts that have had repetition and emotion strapped to them. When we think about something and attach an emotion to it, it obviously has an impact on the way we feel inside. After we feel emotion, we take action based on how we feel. So, if we are thinking about the lack of money in our life by focusing on “not enough” or “debt”, then we give off that energy of lack. Our actions then fully reflect what we are thinking about. It is our actions that give us the results we get in our life, whether we want them or not.
So where’s the good news?
Well, fortunately for us, our subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between imagination and reality. This means that we can consciously choose better-feeling thoughts. If we add emotion to these thoughts, repeat them regularly, and act from this place of a better feeling – our results will start to improve.
Action plan to change your limiting beliefs
We can only change our beliefs if we replace them with new ones. The first thing to do is to write down a list of the main areas of your life that you’d like improvements in. Some examples:
- Relationships
- Finances
- Business
- Health & Fitness
Then you will write down under each heading, what do you currently believe to be true about each of those topics? Once you have a list, make a note next to all of the ones that aren’t serving you in your life now. Then replace that belief with a more positive alternative. Here is an example:
Health and Fitness
Old belief – “I have always been overweight, it’s just how I am. There’s no way I can get to my ideal weight”. New belief – “Managing my weight has been difficult for me. But I am determined to get the necessary support and guidance so that I can make positive steps towards my fitness goals. I know that with hard work, dedication, and a positive mindset, I can achieve my goals”. Can you feel the difference in energy and emotion from those 2 beliefs? You’re recognizing your struggles, but shifting the focus towards the solution, rather than being stuck in the problem.
If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got
We all have the power and freedom of choice in life. Our limiting beliefs really do limit us from being the best version of ourselves. Make a decision today that you’ll no longer become a victim of your own thinking. Make a decision to focus on what you have and what you want. Never look back.