3. Move Beyond Your Limiting Beliefs.
We all have some limiting beliefs. Some of them were given to us by our parents, our environment, and experiences. We often add our own limiting beliefs to this list. I have developed a habit of paying attention to my thoughts, my words, and actions that may display my limiting beliefs. I also listen to feedback from friends.
Author Jack Canfield offers a solution to self-limiting thinking. In his book, The Success Principles, he recommends the following four steps to transform limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs.
Identify a limiting belief that you want to change.
Determine how the belief limits you.
Decide how you want to be, act, or feel.
Create a turnaround statement that affirms or gives you permission to be, act, or feel this way?
Make it a habit of repeating the turnaround statement daily. Remember that our thoughts influence our actions. Our actions do also influence our thoughts.
4. Add Value to Others
Use this quote as a simple reminder, “It’s hard to feel bad about yourself when you’re doing something good for someone else.” John C. Maxwell
I have various limiting beliefs. As I read this post it occurred to me that a problem I’ve had for years might go away if I simply let go of a limiting belief. The belief is: “I’ve had depression a long time so it must be permanent.” Thrown out in the open, that statement doesn’t echo true. Yet it seemed to be planted in my subconscious for some time. I will now try repeating daily a positive sentence about being happy (as you suggest) Was thinking to ask about depression at our meeting today Illens, but then forgot. So it was fortuitous to be sparked to a solution by this blog. Had a flashback to the author David Burns MD who challenges people to actively confront their own negative self talk. Martin Seligman Ph D in his well-known book “Learned Optimism” similarly asserts that it is empowering to see rough circumstances as temporary and limited rather than permanent and global. It has been some time since I read those books. Even great ideas need repetition, encouragement and adaptation to our individual circumstances.
Hi Brett,
Awesome comment supported by credible citations. I am not a clinician. I will not speak from a clinical standpoint. In my experience, it seems that all illnesses including depression can benefit from four areas of energy: Spiritual (higher source of healing), intellectual (clinical), physical (diet, exercise, etc.), and emotional. Your comment encourages me to do more research to support this claim. Limiting beliefs can slow the healing process or block it completely.
Let’s consider for example 2 people who had the same physical injury. They may react to it differently based on their limiting beliefs. In the example (depression) you used in your post, I would encourage you to check your limiting beliefs in these four areas and focus on the 4 areas of energy as sources of healing. It is wise to also understand the full meaning of healing. One may need to take medication for a certain illness for the rest of the person’s life. While the problem may not be completely erased, but the healing process can still be effective.
Just few thoughts to consider. I encourage others to share their insights.