Are your limiting beliefs shackling you so that you cannot achieve your full potential?
If you look at the world around you, everything exists because someone thought about it and willed it into existence. In other words, their thoughts prompted actions that brought about physical change. All humans are simply energy vibrating at various frequencies, so we bring about that which we think about most. If we think negative thoughts, we will, therefore, experience a negative reality.
Of course, the opposite holds as well. The more you invite positive, calming thoughts into your mind, the more you’ll experience that reality. Even negative experiences can transform into positive as long as you have a glass-half-full approach to life. This is the duality of nature; we have limitless realities available to us in both positive and negative forms. We choose the ones we vibrate the most closely with.
“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.” ? Max Planck
With that said, specific thoughts that tend to run on repeat in our minds can produce less than desirable results. Below, we’ll go over some common negative beliefs that can stop you from living your best life.
Here are five limiting beliefs that prevent you from being more positive:
1 – I’ll never amount to anything/I’m not good enough.
This thought has probably crossed the minds of everyone in existence. We tend to see things from a negative viewpoint because our biology demands it for survival. This is called a “negativity bias,” meaning that characteristics of a negative nature have a more significant effect on our psychological state than positive or neutral things.
If something went wrong when we lived in nature, such as food supplies running low or crossing paths with a dangerous predator, these experiences would significantly shape how we did things in the future. In our modern world, however, this negativity bias can run wild, leaving us always on guard. This triggers our fight-or-flight response, and if we operate with fear 24/7, we will quickly become depleted and depressed.
Limiting beliefs such as not thinking we’re good enough stems from our need to survive. In our modern world, where we don’t have a tribe, the focus becomes more on individual pursuits. This makes us more vulnerable to comparison traps and low self-esteem. However, you have to remember that everyone here has an equal shot. You’re no better or worse than anyone else, except if you believe it.
Whatever you believe will manifest in your reality. So, start thinking you’re good enough to have an abundant life and take action toward your goals. You’ll begin to see positive changes in your life in no time.
2 – Life has no meaning.
This nihilistic way of thinking can make us melancholy and lead to inaction. If we don’t believe our existence matters, then why bother shaping it in any way? Unfortunately, depression is on the rise in our world today for a variety of reasons. Social pressures and environmental concerns are likely contributing to the mental health crisis. However, all of us came here to accomplish something, whether great or small.
We all have unique gifts to offer, so the next time you catch yourself thinking that life doesn’t have meaning, counter your thoughts with these questions:
- What interests or talents do I have that could benefit people?
- Would I feel okay with my life if I died tomorrow?
- What impact do I want to make on people?
- What problems are there that I know how to solve?
In other words, flip the script so that you’re thinking more along the lines of what you can offer people rather than why the world doesn’t need you. You can always choose a more positive way to look at something instead of giving into negative beliefs.
3 – I’ll never achieve my dreams.
As we’ve stated before, whatever you believe, you’ll achieve. No matter if you do or don’t think you can do something, you’re right. You’re the holder of your dreams, the master of your reality. So, if you want a better truth, you have to start thinking in terms of opportunities rather than obstacles. What can you do with what you’ve been given?
In our modern world, with access to the Internet and social media, people are creating businesses left and right. It’s easier than ever to achieve your dreams, whether you want to be a famous author or travel the world. The key is in your hand – all you have to do is figure out what door you want to unlock. Life becomes a lot more fun when we realize we’re in control!
4 – Life is hard.
Life is only hard if we make it that way. If you believe life is easy and things flow to you effortlessly, then that’s the reality you’ll match up with. Matters will just click into place, and it won’t seem like you’re struggling to fit the pieces together. If you think life is hard, then you’ll just attract experiences that make it that much harder.
None of us wants a hard life, but our thoughts run on autopilot and ultimately create a harder reality if we leave them unchecked. It’s quite easy for negative thoughts to run rampant; for example, if you’ve been having car problems, you might think, “What have I done to deserve this?” Then, the next day, you might accidentally spill coffee on your favorite shirt, which makes you late to work. We’ve all heard the saying “when it rains it pours,” but few actually think about how it applies to their life.
Next time a lot of bad things happen in succession, examine your predominant thoughts. Are they mostly negative or positive? Whatever you think about, you’ll bring about, so remember that as you go about your daily life.
Think about peace, love, and happiness, and that’s precisely what you’ll attract more of. Life is simply a mirror, showing you what’s going on in your subconscious mind.
5 – I feel lost.
This is also a pretty standard feeling in our world, but most people think that something outside themselves will alleviate this feeling. However, we can only feel whole by tapping into our true selves. By quieting the mind and feeding the soul, we can start to understand our intuition and what our higher selves want for us.
Limiting beliefs such as feeling lost, will only attract more confusion into your life. For example, if you’re feeling lost, you might take a job that doesn’t line up with your core beliefs and true passions so that you can pay the bills. In the short-term, this might help you financially, but in the long-term, it will only leave your soul feeling depleted.
The best remedy for feeling lost is to become your own best friend. Take time to dive deep into your mind and figure out where any blockages are. Meditation, yoga, spending time in nature, and eliminating distractions such as technology can really help with this.
Here are some positive affirmations to recite daily to help you reprogram your mind and shed those limiting beliefs:
- I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY TODAY
- I’M WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE
- PEOPLE DON’T DEFINE WHO I AM
- I LOVE TO LEARN NEW THINGS.
- I’M FREE
- THE UNIVERSE IS BIGGER THAN MY PROBLEMS.
- MY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AND TO OTHERS
- I CHOOSE NOT TO WORRY
- EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY AS I TRUST THE CREATOR
- I CAN LAUGH TODAY
- I CHOOSE PEACE, NOT HATE
- NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CREATOR
- I’M NOT PERFECT, AND THAT’S OKAY
- I AM STRONG AND ABLE TO GET THE JOB DONE
- I’M ACCEPTING OF OTHERS WHO FAIL ME
- I AM A LOVING PERSON, EVEN WHEN THOSE AROUND ME ARE NOT
- I’M A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND THAT’S OKAY
- I’LL NEVER GIVE UP, EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE HARD
- NO ONE CAN STEAL MY JOY
Write these on sticky notes and tape them all over your house if you have to, or write them in your journal every single day. The mind will allow whatever you feed it, so make sure you nourish it with positive thoughts instead of limiting beliefs!
Final thoughts about how limiting beliefs prevent you from being positive
Where your attention goes, your energy will flow. Notice how you feel when you focus more on positive things instead of negative – do you feel less stressed? Freer? Less angry? When we choose to flip the script and turn a limiting belief into a positive affirmation, we start to see opportunities. Life becomes more enjoyable and less of a struggle when we surrender to the boundless love and beauty that surrounds us. We all have the duality of love and fear in our hearts, but we have to feed the right wolf to experience the best aspects of life on Earth.
