“Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world.” - Arthur Schopenhauer
Where do our belief systems come from?
We are all raised with a certain set of belief systems, taught to us by our caregivers that shape our world. We use these sets of beliefs to navigate our way through life and encounter new experiences that continue to reinforce our beliefs or change and make new ones. Over time, we also get into mindsets that are our internal dialogue when situations arise that will either help us to move forward or stay put. What we may not realize is that we have a choice to change our thinking, but first we need to uncover the roots of our beliefs and sometimes, those that gave it to us, to make the first move of evolution.
What are limiting beliefs?
These are beliefs that outstayed their welcome. They are beliefs that may have served a purpose when we were younger, possibly to keep us safe, but now they hold us back, a literal limiting of our progression. It's quite possible that a limiting belief can be hidden underneath a desire and it creates a conflict that we may not fully be aware of.
For example, I may want to be a very successful business owner, but deep down, I fear the responsibility of what that would take because I feel that it’s hard to trust individuals with the work I want to give them. My desire may be strong, but underneath it, I have a belief that I have to do most of the work to get the job done well. This limiting belief will, in fact, hold me back from truly getting what I want because I would need to learn to trust on many levels to grow.
“Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.” ―Denis Waitley
How are limiting beliefs harmful to our progress?
Limiting beliefs becomes harmful when we are unaware of them and can’t see how they drive our decision making. Working through your beliefs and checking in with yourself on a regular basis lets you take inventory of your perspective and see what’s stopping you from achieving your goals. Taking stock of your mindset allows you to work through fear and scarcity thinking to adjust to a more empowering and rich way of moving forward.
Learning to set out of old beliefs and mindsets into new ones will feel uncomfortable. Anytime we step out of our comfort zone, it’s scary and that means it might be worth doing. We need to push ourselves to experience more and expand our consciousness into new understandings. That takes new thinking, new mindsets and new beliefs.
“Do the uncomfortable. Become comfortable with these acts. Prove to yourself that your limiting beliefs die a quick death if you will simply do what you feel uncomfortable doing.” ―Darren Rowse
Intentions with clarity: moving through what limits us
Journaling is probably the fastest way to move through what limits us. It’s an active exchange of taking the thoughts out of your head and on to paper. It’s the act of paying attention to what may be written again and again for you to physically look at and decide how you want to change that story and rewrite that narrative. It’s a private conversation with yourself to get clarity on what you no longer want to tolerate and chip away at what you want to move closer to. It’s a step towards bringing intentions into our actions and exposing where the purpose lies within us. It’s a daily unmasking of ourselves that gets to the heart of what we truly and deeply desire.
Setting clear intentions and breaking free from limiting beliefs
We all have the capacity to change our lives and create what we want into existence, when we learn how to have honest conversations with ourselves. When we discover what might be the culprit to our fears and insecurities, we can learn how to spin those thoughts into a mindset that isn’t gripped with dread and keeps us frozen.
Fear is a part of our collective human experience that is difficult to get around, but not impossible. Think of the performer that takes a crowded stage or a speaker that takes a podium in an auditorium or the athlete that is about to take to the field. There may be a level of performance anxiety and fear, but that doesn’t stop the professional from doing what they love. We all have this capacity to achieve our dreams and beyond.
“If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for you.” ―Louise Hay
However we were brought up, odds are that our caretakers meant the best for us in distilling the beliefs to keep us safe and out of harm's way. But as adults, we have to take on the responsibility to parent ourselves and set new ways of thinking that work for us today.
Take some time to go within and see what clear intentions come to mind as we begin this new year and bring in a renewed hope for our collective future.
Dena Rae
Wisdom Healings
Intuitive Energy Healer