As we go through the journey of life, we can have experiences that cause us to develop limiting beliefs about ourselves and what we can achieve in life. For instance, we may have experiences growing up that lead us to believe that we are not worthy of success or making a lot of money. These beliefs can create blocks to your success even if you are working hard to try to achieve it. You may not even be aware that you have these beliefs, but the good news is that there are ways to identify and release them. In this article, we discuss this topic.

How to Identify Limiting Beliefs

Your limiting beliefs may not be immediately obvious because they are often a part of subconscious programming. However, they can present themselves in your everyday thoughts, reactions, and experiences. For example, someone may tell you that they make X amount of money, and your immediate thought is that you will never be able to achieve that.

To help identify your limiting beliefs, think about your past reactions to different scenarios and how you would currently react to various situations. Also, pay attention to how you feel about these scenarios. If you feel a sense of lack or overwhelm, then this can be an indicator of a limiting belief.

List Your Limiting Beliefs

Make a list of your limiting beliefs. You may have several limiting beliefs in some areas of life, such as relationships, while not many in others. The major areas of life to look at are listed on our site in the WholeLife Matrix. They include financial viability, relationships, health and well-being, and personal relationships.

Also, consider looking at the subcategories of each of these areas. Think of times when you tried to achieve a goal but you did not accomplish it. What limiting belief could have been holding you back? Note all the ways that each limiting belief has stopped you from getting what you want. For example, you may find that you are sabotaging yourself from finding a great relationship by thinking a belief such as “There are no good matches for me out there.” If you believe something like this, then you are likely to put less effort into finding a great match for you.

Establish a New Belief

After you identify a limiting belief, you can create a new belief to take its place. It is helpful to write out an affirmation that you can repeat to yourself on a regular basis until the positive belief becomes fixed in your subconscious mind. It is also helpful to say the affirmation when you find yourself thinking the limiting belief. For example, if you catch yourself thinking “I will never have enough money”, you can counter this thought with an affirmation such as “I deserve wealth and can have everything that I want.” Also, visualize what you desire and get into the feeling of it. This will help you to manifest what you want into your experience.

Another method that can help you to overcome limiting beliefs is the 5-step A-B-C-D-E Process described by Neuro Linguistic Programing Center (NLP) co-founder Mike Bundrant.

You may have limiting beliefs that are blocking you from achieving all of the things that you want, both in your professional and personal life. A coach can help you to discover these beliefs, eliminate them, and replace them with empowering beliefs that will lead to your success. Get in touch today.