Have you ever had a belief about yourself that limits you in some way? Limiting beliefs are ways of thinking that hold you back in some area of your life. Identifying what your limiting beliefs are, questioning them, and rewiring your thought patterns to believe the opposite can help you reach your goals and desires.
Identifying Limiting Beliefs
What limiting beliefs sound like for each person will be different. However, some common limiting beliefs are:
- I am not good enough
- I need to do more to be better
- I am unworthy of what I desire
- I will never be successful
- Everyone else is better than I am
- I need to be different in order to be good
Perhaps you can identify with some of the limiting beliefs in this list or other ones may come to mind as you read through it. It could be helpful to list all of the beliefs that come up in writing to build awareness around them.
Questioning What You Believe to Be True
Oftentimes you may not question the thoughts you have on an everyday basis as they can become second nature. Knowing you have permission to question what you believe to be true about yourself is part of creating a thought life that empowers rather than disempowers you.
Do you believe the positive thoughts you have about yourself to be true? If not, give yourself permission to begin rewriting your reaction to these thoughts. If you do believe the positives but also struggle with limiting thoughts, it can be helpful to identify why you believe the good things and ask yourself how you can know them to be true.
Rewriting Your Narrative
Learning to empower yourself through your mind’s thoughts—which influence your emotions and actions—is a process. It takes patience, self-compassion, and giving yourself permission to change. After reflecting on the limiting beliefs you discovered, run through each of them and flip the script. For example, if you believe you are not enough, rewriting this thought process so that your internal dialogue reminds you that, no matter what gets done by the end of the day, you are worthy and enough.
Leaning into self-honesty in the beliefs you have about yourself and the world can be an uncomfortable but liberating process. Identifying limiting beliefs requires honesty, and through this process you can begin to shift the things you think about yourself through awareness, questioning what you have always thought and done, and improving your self-esteem.
Beginning to question what you believe to be true about yourself and the world when recovering from mental illness and substance use is about cultivating a thought process that empowers rather than disempowers you. This process can be easier said than done and often requires support. At Avalon Malibu, our team is here to support you as you build awareness around what is holding you back and question things that seem normal but are unhealthy in order to create change. Call Avalon Malibu today at (844) 857-5992.
