Let's talk about something real, something hard. I've been struggling with finding topics to write about for this blog since I don't have the yamas and niyamas guiding me. I want to talk about something that has popped up a million places for me in the last week, limiting beliefs. This usually means for me that it is time for me to reexamine myself. A limiting belief is something we believe about ourselves that constrains us, it completely impacts how we see ourselves in the world and holds us back from reaching our truest selves. We all have them, and most of us aren't even aware of what they are. But when you face it and acknowledge it, it frees you.
We can all think of things we don't like about ourselves like I have fat legs, or I'm too lazy, or I'm unlucky in love, I'm clumsy, I'm not good at math... did you hear something familiar there? But there is an underlying theme to those things that we say about ourselves, a common thread. There is a few that are common to many people for example "I am not worthy of love", "I am not strong enough" and for me it is "I am not good enough".
So here is the vulnerable, open and honest part. I have been feeling jealous, disconnected and forgettable lately. In my life I have met people who in my head I think are amazingly cool, and I just assume I am not going to be their friend, or I look for these weird signs or vibes from them that reinforce my thoughts that I am not good enough. There it is popping up again! I am not enough. And it is amazing the stuff your brain can find to reinforce the things it believes! I think of myself as forgettable and that people think of me in this "oh yeah, her..." sort of way. I crave recognition. I want people to say I am funny and smart. I want them to fill that insecurity. But it all comes down to my limiting belief that I am not good enough as I am, I am too old, too fat, too weird... The logical part of my brain knows that I am looking for things to fulfill that belief. But you know how it is when your feelings get involved.
The good news is, that your brain is just as capable at looking for things to reinforce the opposite belief. So if I keep practicing and working at telling myself how I am exactly where I need to be, and that I am already perfect, I can find those things too. At teacher training we had to stand in the middle of a circle and flip our limiting belief around and yell it as loud as we could. It was such an unbelievably powerful moment to do that, and then to share everybody else's moment too.
What is the story you tell yourself? Can you flip it? Can you start to tell yourself another story?
"I am perfect the way I am."
"I am worthy of unconditional love."
"I am stronger than anyone knows."
"I trust others."
"I make a difference."
"I am open to all possibilities."
"I am unforgettable."
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