Whether you are beginning your journey of addiction recovery or you are already on it, you can find yourself struggling with self-limiting beliefs that keep you from making positive breakthroughs. This can be difficult for anyone who is trying to make change in their lives and sometimes, self-limiting beliefs can throw you completely off track. But, being aware of what those self-limiting beliefs are allows you to take your power back and keep up with your continued progress.
What are Self-Limiting Beliefs?
We all have them — self-limiting beliefs. But what separates us is if we allow these beliefs to hold us back or not. Of course, it can seem simple to brush off the negative conversations you have in your head about yourself, but the truth of the matter is, it is one of the greatest challenges for even the most emotionally intelligent. That is because our self-limiting beliefs do not just develop out of thin air, rather they are often rooted in deeper thoughts and beliefs about ourselves.
Self-limiting beliefs are simply beliefs that you have in your mind about yourself that keep you from being the best you can be. These beliefs may have been molded in your childhood by others around you or they may be a result of distorted thought processes. Regardless, finding ways to overcome self-limiting beliefs and keep them from holding you back is critical in order to reach your full potential.
5 Self-Limiting Beliefs That are Keeping You Stuck
So, you are working on your recovery. You may be new to it or an old-pro, but you are feeling stuck in your progress. Taking time to consider what may be holding you back might reveal to you that your self-limiting beliefs are standing in the way. But, what are those self-limiting beliefs? That is up to you to explore and uncover along the way. However, there are several very common self-limiting beliefs that many people grapple with at some point in their lives.
“I can’t do it!”
In a society where every aspect of people’s lives are constantly being compared via social media, it can be hard to think that you can achieve as many great things as those around you. Your lack of confidence in yourself holds you back from trying new things, making changes in your life, and believing in yourself. Regardless of why you feel like you “can’t do it,” allowing yourself to continue to believe in that is a recipe for disaster. When you think that you are unable to do things, you immediately count yourself out of several things. Striving to build your confidence and change your negative thinking patterns that hold you back can help you break free from the “stuck” feeling you are experiencing.
“I don’t have time”
There is no doubt that life gets busy, even in the midst of a global pandemic where many of us are staying confined to our homes and nearby areas. The idea that you do not have enough time to reach a goal is one that will absolutely hold you back. Time management is notoriously difficult for recovering addicts and alcoholics, as well as those who have a mental illness. It’s even difficult for people who do not face these challenges! Working towards managing your time better not only shows you that you do, in fact, have time, but also that you can make the things you want happen in your life. Continuing to listen to the self-limiting belief of “I don’t have time” will only keep you trapped exactly where you are.
“I’m not worth it”
So many people struggle with feeling like they are worth their own time and effort. This is an extremely common self-limiting belief. For many, this belief comes from childhood and/or traumatic experiences that involve abandonment, racism, abuse, and other adversities. Learning your worth can be difficult and even challenging at times, but when you are able to make that breakthrough, you open up the doors to countless new possibilities that can help you grow in positive ways.
“I will be judged”
Not everyone is born with a thick skin where they can glide through the negative judgement of others and still maintain good self-esteem. Lots of people fear what others will think of them. This is especially true for those who have social phobias. Those who keep from doing the things they want or saying how they feel out of concern of what others might think run the risk of remaining stuck in the same place. Thankfully, learning skills to keep from letting the judgment of others stand in the way is (while challenging) possible. Once you know what to do, putting the plan in motion can help release you from the position you are feeling trapped in.
“I am a failure”
Everybody experiences failure in their lives. It is absolutely impossible to be great at every single thing that you do. In failure, however, lies power. If you possess the self-limiting belief that you are a failure and you allow that belief to keep you from moving forward in your life, you can become mentally and emotionally stuck. Something as simple as combatting the “I am a failure” self-limiting belief with “Failure is OK” can dramatically improve the success you have in your life.
No matter what your self-limiting beliefs are, know that you do not need to stay stuck because of them. There are ways to address those negative beliefs so that they do not continue to control your life.
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If you are having a difficult time in your recovery, or if you are looking to begin recovery, reach out to us right now. We can help you get moving in the right direction so that you no longer have to doubt yourself.
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