Limiting Beliefs and How They Could Be Holding You Back

What you perceive as the truth may be completely different from what others see in you. Shutterstock

The way we think has an enormous impact on the way we feel and behave, and we often have a set of limiting beliefs that play a role in our struggles. If you struggle with anxiety, you may be able to use techniques to limit beliefs and replace those ideas with healthy ones.

What Are Limiting Beliefs?

Limiting beliefs can be roughly defined as any thoughts or ideas you have that may be getting in the way of healthy function, success, and/or goals. Most limiting beliefs boil down to negative self-talk that we’ve picked up along the way.

Consider the following examples of things you might say and the limiting beliefs that may lie at the root of them:

• What you say: “I’m just naturally shy.”
• What you tell yourself: “I’m not worth socializing with.”
• What you say: “I don’t have time for that.”

What you tell yourself: “I’m a failure, so I’ll just fail at that, too.”

• What you say: “I’m terrible at sports.”

What you tell yourself: “Everyone’s going to judge my ability. If I can’t play well right away, I probably won’t get any better.”

• What you say: “I’m too old to go back to school/start a new hobby/make new friends.”

What you tell yourself: “People will judge me because I don’t have it together at my age.”