Spring is here, daffodils are blooming, there is a stretch in daylight and everything is coming back to life after the long winter stretch, it is time to ditch the winter blues and make way for the new season, and what better way to do it than with a spring clean, and I'm not talking wardrobe clearouts and getting out the rubber gloves to go scrubbing, I'm talking about a spring clean of your mind!
Did you know that the thoughts and beliefs that we hold about ourselves can colour and shape who we are, and what we do with our lives? And while our thoughts can stem into positive actions like doing a course or joining the gym, they can also stop us in our tracks when it comes to progression and moving forward with our dreams and aspirations.
In my coaching practise I work with many people who have a dream or goal but are being held prisoner by their own Self Limiting beliefs.
Self Limiting beliefs can come about from lack of belief in ourselves and our abilities, or a perceived thought of how things "might" turn out if we try them.
Everyone has a dream, an ambition that they want to achieve, are you achieving yours?
An ambition of mine is to do an airplane jump, people talk about the rush of adrenaline, the achievement of doing a jump, floating down through the sky and the sense of freedom and weightlessness. Then the self limiting beliefs creep in: you would never go through with it, you will get up there and chicken out because you will be terrified, and you will feel foolish and silly when you can't make the jump.
Thing is, I have never gone up in a plane with the intention of jumping out, so I have never experienced any of the negatives above but I have myself convinced that it "could" happen, and so that goal is still waiting to be conquered.
Scan your memory now for past or present events where you had an ambition and you stopped your self from following your dream because negative thoughts took over.
I can't, I won't, I'll fail, I have no willpower, I am afraid, I'm not motivated enough, I wouldn't be able, I can't change, I'll never make enough money. Do any of these sound familiar?
Self limiting beliefs are irrational, destructive and will hinder personal fulfilment.
We are the makers of our own destiny, and we are letting our subconscious thoughts stop us in our paths to success.
The good news is that we can banish them. With focus and determination we can take these beliefs and rid ourselves of them.
Think of something you have been meaning to do but are procrastinating on, enrolling on a course, making an important phone call, changing job. Ask yourself why you are stalling? Is it because you're convincing yourself that you do not have the time? That you will be putting yourself under pressure? That you will not have the will or motivation to carry it through?
Then ask yourself is that realistic? Are you being true to yourself? Is it rational to put something off because you have convinced yourself you cannot do it?
The answer's to all the above are No, this way of thinking is unreasonable and is sabotaging your success.
In order to move forward fearlessly you need to be aware of your self doubt, when these self limiting beliefs echo in your head try to imagine a volume button inside your head, turn the switch so that the volume is down low.
Take the negative self talk and immediately turn it into positive self talk.
To replace your negative talk tell yourself the opposite of what you are hearing: I am doing this because it's been my ambition for a long time, I will schedule my time and work load so that I am not under pressure, I have the abilities and skills to go after my dream job and be successful in my career.
This technique does take some time, you need to have focus, and awareness. You need to get in touch with yourself, clear you mind of negativity and fill it full of wondrous positivity about your life, future and success. Train your brain to hear the negatives and train it further to make them positives.
We all know someone who is successful, every day we hear of people that are living their dreams, no body is without self limiting beliefs but some have learned to train this trait.
Richard Branson is one of my favourite examples. He is not a magician, and he was not hand picked at birth to be successful and, he for certain has had self limiting beliefs, the size and greatness of what he has achieved is nothing compared to his sheer determination in achieving it. His ultimate success is no doubt a result of his positive thinking and belief in himself.
Get in touch with your mind, overcome your negative beliefs, shrink them, devastate them, switch them off and in turn switch on the positive, empowering ones that will get you where you want to be.
Remember that not making a decision to change is the same thing as deciding that everything shall remain the same.
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