Have you ever thought about doing or pursuing something, and then almost immediately came up with a reason why you couldn’t? Maybe you told yourself that there’s no way that you could do it and be successful. Or that you weren’t smart enough, or capable, or qualified. Maybe you convinced yourself that you didn’t have what it takes or that this goal or dream was too big for someone like you.
If I’m being honest, I’ve thought all of these things.
And for a long time, I believed them to be true. I would see others making moves and pursuing these incredible ventures, and would think, “wow that’s amazing.” But in the back of my mind, I would think I could never make a move like that. Or I could never achieve that kind of success.
But as I mentioned in a previous post, earlier this year I started a self-love/confidence/level up my life journey. And since then, I’ve been working hard to silence those thoughts that tell me what I can and can’t do. I’ve been rewriting the limiting beliefs that once held me back.
So, if you’re like me, and you’ve felt stuck or held back by your own limiting beliefs, I’d like to share with you some ways that you can start letting go of them and actually start believing in yourself.
Change Your Perspective
Start telling yourself that you are just as capable as anyone else and BELIEVE IT.
Really think about it. Successful people are just PEOPLE. They’re people who went after a dream or goal, and worked to make it successful. And even though they are successful now, you don’t know what doubts and fears they might have had along the way on their journeys. Doubts and fears that they pushed through because they were determined to keep going anyway.
So, before you tell yourself that you can’t do something, ask yourself “Why can’t I?” “Who says I can’t?” “Why not me?”
You’ve got just as much potential as anyone else.
Stop Comparing
Remind yourself as often as you need to, that you are in your own lane and on your own journey. And you don’t need to do things exactly how you see others doing it, in order to be successful. You can do it YOUR way.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, what you look like, if you’re more shy or reserved, if you don’t have as much experience, or don’t feel like an expert. Know that you are enough and you can still start where you are.
And you are uniquely you for a reason. There’s no need to compare.
Related Posts:
4 Reasons to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Give Yourself Time to Get There
Dealing with Insecurity: My Confidence and Self-Love Journey
Don’t Be Afraid to Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
-Thomas Jefferson
This might be a little uncomfortable at first, but the more you step outside of your comfort zone to achieve your goals, the easier it gets and the more confident you become.
Sometimes you just have to push yourself. And in most cases, the fear or dread you feel leading up to the thing you’re dreading, is worse than the actual thing itself.
Do the Things
There’s no better way to let go of some of your limiting beliefs than by doing the very things you once believed you were incapable of.
For me, one of those things would be starting this blog, and putting myself out there in the way that blogging requires.
Starting a blog is something that I have literally put off for years, and have been tempted to quit so many times because of those negative thoughts that creep up and tell me what I can and can’t do.
But I keep choosing to ignore those thoughts and keep doing it anyway. And the further and longer I go with all things blogging, the more I look back and see how much progress I’ve made. I prove to myself that despite what I might have thought, I can do it because I am doing it.
So, whatever it is that you’ve been wanting to pursue, YOU CAN! Just start taking some baby steps in the direction you’re trying to go.
Putting yourself out there, and trying even when you don’t feel fully confident or sure of yourself, and yet doing it anyway, will definitely boost your belief in yourself.
You’ll literally be proving to yourself that you’re capable of so much more than you thought you were.
Root for Yourself
Cheer yourself on as you pursue your goals. Hype yourself up! Tell yourself “I got this!” “I can do this!” “I’m doing it!”
A little encouragement can go a long way. And while it can mean a lot when you receive it from others, it’s a whole new level when you believe in and root for yourself.
Acknowledge Your Small Wins
It’s exciting to look forward to accomplishing our biggest goals and dreams, but it also takes some time to get there. And in the meantime, we’re still making moves, and doing things, and experiencing small wins along the way.
Celebrate the small wins! They count!
And when you acknowledge the small wins, you’re able to see more clearly the progress that you’ve made and how far you’ve come. Each small win shows you that you can keep going. That you can win again because you’ve won before. And you can and should be proud of yourself.
Don’t ignore your small wins. They matter just as much as the big ones.
If you’ve been allowing your limiting beliefs to hold you back or talk you out of doing something before you’ve even tried, I hope you’ve been encouraged to start believing in yourself.
You have so much potential. There’s no need to limit yourself.
Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. And don’t feel like you need to compare your journey to anyone else’s.
You can pursue your dreams and goals right where you are and with what you already have, because you are enough.
You just have to try. And you can start where you are and figure it out as you go.
It won’t be perfect, because new beginnings rarely are. But it’ll be worth it because you’ll never have to look back with regret, and wonder what could have been.
You’ve got this!
Start rooting for yourself! I’m rooting for you!
What are the limiting beliefs that you’ve had about yourself that have held you back from pursuing your goals? Let me know in the comments below!
And if this resonated with you and you know someone who needs to hear this, share it with a friend!