4 practices to overcome limiting beliefs and build confidence
do you ever have an idea or feel called to do something, but hesitate or stall because you're afraid to own it?
might you be worried about the ramifications of stepping into it?
of being that person?
of what other people will say or think?
or how it will impact your relationships?
fearful that you aren't ready/good/rich/connected/skinny/(fill in the blank) enough to do it?⠀
how could things be different if you were able to reduce the amount of time that self-doubt, fear, or insecurity held you back?
if we know in our heart of hearts (aka our intuition is telling us) that this is something we need to step into, that's enough info. and the funny thing about the concerns of other people's criticism, unfollows, blocks, bad reviews, lack of purchases, talking behind our backs, etc is that....
a. very few people are paying as much attention as your think they are
b. of those who are, someone needs to hear/see/experience this thing…
otherwise your intuition wouldn't be telling you to do it.⠀
c. maybe that person is you and it has nothing to do with anyone else.
maybe you need to experience it and learn this lesson and that's more than reason enough to do it.⠀
i challenge you with this: use that powerful imagination that you're using to predict an unknown future where all this stuff could go wrong and try imagining what it would be and feel like if it went right?!?! same practice you're already using… entirely different outcomes.
i was on a podcast the other day and the host said to me, "you have so much confidence!" to which i replied, “thank you, but actually, the #1 thing i struggle with is feeling not good enough, which wreaks havoc on my confidence.”
i went on to tell her about about the things that have helped me to overcome that, which are 4 practices that help to combat these limiting internal narratives:
take action. it’s kryptonite to these doubting voices in our heads. if we sit with them for too long, those thoughts become our beliefs, and then our beliefs become our reality. intentional action is a positive misdirection tactic to quiet the inner critics (even if you don’t know all the next steps that come after the first one).
borrow confidence from others who see in you what you don’t yet see in yourself. do this until you can fully embody it for yourself. and, one way to keep a record of that for when you need it is to:
make a hype file: a spreadsheet, note, or folder where you store all the kind things people say about you. in moments of doubt or feeling down, go back and read some of those messages to remind yourself that you are making a positive impact on at least one person, and that’s what matters. use that as fuel to keep going.
look for historic evidence to prove or disprove whether or not the things that are holding you back are true. you’ll typically find that the data isn’t there to support them, which makes it easier to move into action and dispel the myth. (takes you back to idea #1.)
i go into much more depth on this and other corresponding topics in this program, as well.
just remember that everyone was once a beginner and you’re running your own race, so there’s no great reason to compare your progress to theirs.
also, look back at you 6 months, 1 year, or 10 years ago, and remind yourself of all the progress you’ve made. give yourself credit and use that energy to keep moving through your limiting beliefs.