I started writing this ‘note’ on Facebook, but I couldn’t really do it justice by trying to say everything in 420 words or less. You would not get the true benefit of my own personal experience with a limiting and very disempowering belief. What I am going to do it to briefly explain my personal experience and then talk about the methods you can use to overcome or move through the limitations that exist.
So I realised in the last few months that I have a pretty strong disempowering belief that says: “it is bad to interrupt or inconvenience people”. I am pretty sure that I picked up this belief statement during my childhood, innocently enough, when I got a clip around the ear or told to be quiet and not interrupt. Sounds harmless enough and it is pretty harmless when we are 7 years old, but now let’s fast-forward that belief about 35 years…to a time where I am growing and ‘promoting’ my new business.
I am not sure how much you know about advertising, but I think you will agree with me, in Advertising 101, they do not teach you that you “must not interrupt a potential buyer or client”. In fact, it it the opposite. Get that persons attention. Interrupt them from what they are focusing on, and have them focus on the thing you are promoting or marketing. So in my case, in my new business, the belief statement ‘ that I should not interrupt or inconvenience people’ is not only limiting, but it is affecting my ability to succeed. Which is tied in with happiness, self-esteem, fulfilment, etc, etc, etc.
So what can we do?
Here is where I will outline a few steps to overcoming disempowering beliefs (that we all have):
- Identify exactly what the disempowering belief statement is
- Get very clear that your belief is not 100% true 100% of the time (it is not a universal law like gravity) and therefore it might not actually be true. Which allows you the ability to change it
- Consider that the opposite might also be true…some of the time
- Replace the old disempowering belief with it’s opposite. In my case that could be: “It is ok to interrupt or inconvenience people” (especially if it may be of benefit to them)
- Repeat the new belief like a new mantra
- Start acting as if the new belief is true. Try it out. Maybe on something small to start with and then build up to something more significant. What you want to do is to ‘prove’ your new empowering belief is actually true.
Limiting beliefs can really limit your life, your success, your happiness, your energy, your fulfilment and conversely empowering beliefs can bring you success, happiness, fulfilment, deeper relationships, more energy, more wealth. and greater results in life.
So here’s to removing the (mental) bonds that are holding you back!! And just so you know; if you would like to get help with overcoming any of your limiting beliefs, I am going to interrupt you now and say that one of the key themes to our 30-Day Happiness Challenge is ‘removing disempowering beliefs’.
Because…”It’s ok to interrupt or inconvenience someone if it is for a good cause or adding value for them”… 😉
Thanks for the opportunity to share.
Carl