Self-Limiting Thoughts | 6 Steps to Change Them

As above, so below. As within, so without.

A Quick Story

So the other day I was having a moment. It was one of those moments where I felt unnecessarily judgy towards the things around me, and increasingly irritable for what appeared to be no reason. But there’s always a reason.

Ever had one of those moments?

I felt super critical about my surroundings, and even the people in it. But this time, instead of just brushing it off or trying to think positively, I stopped to ask myself why… Why am I feeling so frustrated and judgmental right now? What’s going on? 

Why did I feel so annoyed by these small insignificant inconveniences?

I quickly remembered that what we reject, we project. Typically, what we project outwards is just a reflection of what’s happening internally. Recalling this, I realized that if I was super critical about my external surroundings, it was because I was subconsciously being hyper critical towards myself. And very often the only way our subconscious minds know how to try to alleviate or process that pain, is to direct it outwards. 

So then I thought to myself, why am I being so self critical right now? And ultimately, I found it came down to not feeling like I was enough. The judgmental thoughts I was hearing were saying, “I didn’t accomplish enough today. I’m not doing enough. I didn’t achieving enough.” 

Side Note

First of all, I want to stop and address something for all of the people that working through similar thoughts or beliefs. Your worth is not defined by your productivity. You are just as worthy when you accomplish everything in the world, and equally as worthy when you spent all day on the couch. Your true self worth is not conditional, nor dependent on the things you do or don’t do. You are still worthy of love, and everything your heart desires, exactly as you are.

Any thought, belief, or person, that says differently is just healing from old fear based conditioning that you’re outgrowing.

Why Do Self Limiting Thoughts Matter?

The things you think on a regular basis ultimately embed themselves in your subconscious mind and become your subconscious beliefs. 95% of the time were operating from our subconscious mind and the habits and beliefs that are programmed in it. What you believe ultimately becomes a self fulfilling prophecy unless you choose to shift your beliefs. When the beliefs in our subconscious mind aren’t aligned with the person we want to be and the life we want to live, there’s this disconnect between conscious desires and subconscious behaviors that work against your ability to have your desires.

1. Identify Self Limiting Thoughts

Identify the limiting thoughts you’re telling yourself. If you’re struggling to notice them start with how you feel. Your feelings will always guide you to what’s happening on a deeper level; especially, when you’re in a bad mood or feeling irritable. When you notice this happening for “unexplained reasons, ask yourself why.

• What’s the self limiting thought you’re telling yourself?
• Is it that you’re not good enough?
• Is it that you’re not worthy?
• Are you telling yourself you can’t, when you technically can but are just scared?

You can even use self sabotaging habits to show you what these thoughts or beliefs are too. Think about some unhealthy patterns or habits you may have, and ask yourself what self limiting thoughts might be causing them.

• What’s the thought you think before you repeat those patterns?
• How are you feeling before you do it?
• Is there a memory that shows up, and what might that feeling or memory be illuminating for you?

The first step is awareness. This happens by getting super aware of ourselves, our surroundings, the relationships, and patterns in our lives, and the way we feel on a regular basis.

2. Confront Self Limiting Thoughts

I think the self limiting belief that we’re not enough in some capacity is a false belief that has affected many people. But the best part about identifying a self limiting belief, is that you’re aware of it. Awareness is when things start to shift. Now you can face it, challenge it, come back to your truth, and ultimately reclaim the power you gave to it.

Remember, most self limiting thoughts are just replays of old conditioned self limiting beliefs. Be compassionate if you notice a limiting thought coming from you or the people around you. Be curious, rather than critical. Don’t ignore it, and don’t criticize yourself when they pop up. Get curious, without attaching to it.

Ask yourself

• How is this thought brining my awareness to something that wants to be healed or acknowledged?
• How can I use this thought as a reminder to align with the version of myself or my life that I’m ready to call in?

3. Stop Identifying With the Thought

You are not your thoughts. Thoughts are just thoughts, and until we learn to consciously choose the thoughts we think, they’re often just records of old conditioning we were raised with. You weren’t born with them, you adopted them. Overtime, you heard them so often you began to identify with them as your own, and saw them as an extension of who you are. However, this can happen even when they don’t align with what you know to be true in your heart. If you’re aware of the thoughts, you’re not fully entrenched in it. You’re beyond it, and are able to witness it from a different perspective. 

The limiting thought, belief, or person is not you. You don’t have to attach your identity to it as if it was. It’s just programming that playing from a subconscious place. This is why many people think they can’t control their thoughts, because most of them are subconscious created. This is why it’s so important to question limiting thoughts and consciously choose to reprogram new empowering beliefs that align us with who we want to be, and how we want to live.

4. Question the Thought or Belief

Question your self limiting thoughts and beliefs. At first, this may be difficult because you’ve likely held onto this thought or belief for so long it may be hard to spot how its untrue. However, if the belief isn’t serving your ability to live in the highest expression of yourself, try to detach a little long enough to question is limiting thought your telling yourself absolutely true?

Ask yourself whether the thoughts or beliefs you are actually serving you or empower you to be the person you want to be living the life you want to life. If it’s not, make the decision to let them go. Take it a step further to ask yourself these things

• Is this thought absolutely true?
• Are there any possibilities it’s not?
• Are there any examples I have that shows this isn’t always absolutely true? Therefore showing, it isn’t necessarily true, and doesnt have to be for you.

Once you recognize the ways it’s not true see if you can think of a more empowering belief that does feel true and aligns you with the person you want to be. Then start thinking, acting, and speaking in accordance with those new empowering beliefs.

5. Choose New Empowering Thoughts

You are not your thoughts or beliefs, although they can affect the way you feel. You are you, and the thoughts that don’t serve you, don’t have to define you. If it’s something you’ve grown up thinking or believing of course its going to be there at first, that’s what you’ve been trained to believe. But just as you were trained to believe a disempowering thought, you can also retrain yourself to believe the thoughts that do empower you. And you can change them at will, at any time at all.

It just starts with awareness, and the decision to choose different thoughts that make you feel a different way. It just takes some conscious effort and consistency at first. However, you can change your thoughts, and you can change your life. You always have this power accessible to you, and the choice is always yours. Be present in this moment, and decide who you want to be right now, and what life you want to cultivate for yourself. You do not have to be defined by your past, and can choose to move beyond it.

• What does the version of you living the life of their dreams do, or think differently from the version of you now?

6. Rinse and Repeat Daily

Repeat those new empowering thoughts and affirmations to yourself daily. Whenever you notice yourself thinking or falling into an old thought pattern: take a couple deep breaths, come back to the present moment, and think empowering thoughts aligned with who you choose to be now. Visualize the amazing person you are becoming, and the life you are manifesting for yourself now. The power lies in the present. Power lies in the thoughts, choices, and actions you take in the present moment.

Repetition and consistency are key. Especially, in the beginning when you are reprogramming new thoughts and beliefs. You need to be hyper aware and mindful of yourself during this time of transition. Always take actions aligned with the version of you that you’re ready to be now, not the version of you you’re outgoing. Try being mindful of what habits or actions don’t align with who you’re becoming. It’s equally important to be just as mindful of when you’re out of alignment as when you are.

Overall

What we think to ourselves affects how we feel. And when we feel a certain way it often directs the behaviors and choices we make on a daily basis. Beyond this, when you feel a one way consistently this becomes the frequency you vibrate at. You attract what you are a vibrational match for. So make sure the thoughts you think make you feel good, grateful, and expanded. Many times when you take actions from a certain vibration those actions bring that same energy back. So if you act from a place of scarcity you attract more scarcity. If you act from a place of love, you attract and feel more love.

Remember, you attract what you are, and what you put out comes back to you. So be mindful of the thoughts you’re thinking to yourself because they’re ultimately creating your internal and external reality. If you don’t like the way you feel or the life you’re living, ask yourself,

What thoughts and beliefs may be contributing to this?

Because the truth is, when you change your thoughts, you inevitably change your life. If you think differently, you act differently. You got this.

Love, Simone.