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How to Get Rid of Limiting Beliefs That Block Your Enthusiasm (11 Ways)
Do you know how to get rid of limiting beliefs?
Maybe a better question is whether you believe you actually hold any limiting beliefs. And if you are, which I guarantee you are, can you learn how to get rid of limiting beliefs?
You may firmly believe you aren’t holding onto limiting beliefs, that you’re fairly brimming with confidence and self-esteem.
Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but there is a strong chance that you do hold limiting beliefs, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.
So given that it’s pretty likely that you aren’t as free of limiting thoughts as you might have thought — bummer, I know — just what are your beliefs about yourself and your abilities? How might they be affecting your life?
And can you unlock the secret to learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs?
Surprising Examples of Limiting Beliefs That Are Negatively Affecting Your Life
Okay. So how do you know if you’re letting limiting beliefs get in the way of all that you desire in your life?
You’d think it would be an easy question to answer. But often we’re the last person able to see the limiting beliefs to which we’re clinging, even as they’re glaringly apparent to just about everyone else.
It’s just much more difficult to see within ourselves. Such is the nature of the human condition.
When your mind is packed with negative or limiting beliefs, you construct solid obstacles that stop you from achieving dreams. Dreams and goals are basically the same desires, but goals are more specific. The truth is, first you must know what your dreams are and then you can begin to set goals. By doing so you need to do the ground work and rid yourself of negative or limiting self-talk and beliefs. (Margaret Marshall, 2017, The Huffington Post, Eliminate Your Limiting Belief System.)
If your life feels lacking in sufficient levels of enthusiasm, it may be time for a closer examination of any self limiting beliefs about yourself to which you’re unwittingly clinging.
Perhaps it would be helpful to give you some typical examples of limiting beliefs.
Do any of these phrases ring any bells with you?
- I’m too old to start a new career.
- I worry about making a fool of myself.
- I’m horrible at math so I can’t apply for that job in finance.
- People don’t like me because I’m too quiet and shy.
- I don’t look good in that dress/pair of pants/shorts/bathing suit.
- I’m afraid people are judging me.
- What if I fail?
- There’s a limit to how much money a person like me can make.
- I will never feel happy or content.
- I’ll get started one of these days.
- Someday I’m going to change jobs.
- I don’t have enough time.
- I don’t have enough money.
- I’ll never be better than I am now.
- I’m stupid.
- I’m too fat/skinny/young/old.
Seriously, I could go on and on with this list, but I think you get the idea.
The point is, there are virtually no limits to the negative thoughts we carry around and the limits we place on ourselves. And none of us are immune.
Any time you catch yourself giving in, giving up, or uttering a negative phrase about yourself, you’re allowing limiting beliefs to hold you back.
The Startling Origins of Your Limiting Beliefs
Now that you are willing to accept that you likely have more than a few limiting beliefs, you might be wondering just where those self limiting beliefs originated.
To make it harder to identify which beliefs are limiting you in some way, it’s not only those we currently hold that can affect our behavior and thinking—it’s also the beliefs we’ve held in the past, especially those that you were brought up with as a child. Even if your perception of reality has flipped to the opposite end of the spectrum, the effects of those earlier beliefs can stick with you for a lifetime. (Joel Falconer, Lifehack, Find & Replace Limiting Beliefs.)
And if you’re like most of us, you’d like to make your dreams a reality. Identifying their origin is a big step toward removing subconscious blocks.
Many of our limiting beliefs originate in childhood. 
Perhaps a parent or other adult figure in your life complained that lack of opportunities or financial means stopped them from realizing their dreams.
It’s not too big a leap to think you might have learned to blame your inability to realize your dreams on similar perceived limitations.
The Insidious Ways In Which You Sabotage Yourself
Your self limiting beliefs may stem from past failures. Or perhaps they’re the result of harsh criticism in the past from someone you held in high esteem.
Such events can form barriers in your mind, preventing you from trying again.
And if you place mental barriers on yourself, you tend to stop whenever you hit that barrier. And that prevents you from succeeding where you once failed.
You assume that success isn’t possible and cease any further attempts.
Experiences like these can harm your self esteem and self confidence going forward.
Which is a shame since the best way of building self esteem and building self confidence are to succeed at the very thing that was once a failure.
Your limiting decisions have shaped everything you do. They have prevented you from seeing opportunities and maybe even discouraged you from trying at all. Time to bring them out of hiding! Once you do that, you have choice. So how to identify those pesky devils? First, what do you say to yourself about that area? For example, if you’re having trouble finding a relationship, maybe you explain it with something like, “Women only want men who have a lot of money” or “Guys are only interested in younger women.” Anything you say to yourself to justify why it isn’t working out for you is a limiting belief. (Dr. Matt James, 2013, Psychology Today, 4 Steps to Release Limiting Beliefs Learned From Childhood.)
It’s always good to remember that a failure is nothing more than a learning experience. You’ve merely learned what didn’t work.
Now it’s time to try something else; to approach the situation from a new direction.
11 Simple Steps To Learn How To Get Rid Of Limiting Beliefs
1. Admit that you are holding onto limiting beliefs.
Like so much in life, the first step to learning how to make positive changes is to admit that you need to do so.
It sounds so simple, yet we’re often loath to admit when we need to change. That, in itself, is a limiting belief.
When it comes to learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs, acknowledging that we hold them is a critical first step in tearing them down.
After all, if we think everything is just hunky-dory, there’s no need to change, right?
But if you’re not realizing your life’s goals, clearly there is a need to do something new. Admit that and go from there.
2. Be open to learning new ideas, techniques, and strategies.
Much of the time when we’re stuck in a process, or repeatedly failing at our attempts to reach a goal, it’s because we aren’t looking for alternative solutions. 
When you find yourself continually falling short, step back and ask yourself if there’s another way to solve the problem.
Examine steps taken by others who have succeeded at what you’re attempting. How can you emulate them?
Coming at your obstacles from a different direction and mindset will often unlock the metaphorical door on which you’ve been knocking.
Be willing to acknowledge that the problem is not insurmountable. It’s just that there’s another, better, way you haven’t yet tried.
3. Take little steps toward your goals.
Don’t try and make a 180-degree change overnight. The reality is that that is often the quickest road to failure.
Just as you must recognize that you can do most anything you make up your mind to do, taking on too much too fast can lead to discouragement.
Discouragement leads to giving up. And guess what that does?
That’s right. Giving up merely serves to solidify your self limiting thoughts; definitely not how to get rid of limiting beliefs.
So give yourself a break. Start out small, gain a little confidence, and then move forward. Chances are before long you’ll be taking the next steps more quickly.
4. Catch yourself in negative self-talk.
Learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs means eliminating negative self-talk. Many of the self limiting beliefs you hold are a direct result of how you speak to yourself.
If you’re serious about removing subconscious blocks, you have to stop talking to yourself in a negative way. Saying things like “I’m stupid” or “I’m an idiot” or “I’m too shy” are not doing you any favors.
Every time you utter, or even think, a negative thought about yourself, you’re building a wall that hinders your ability to make your dreams a reality.
Change negative self-talk to positive self-talk and watch your limits begin to fade away.
5. Be willing to challenge your self imposed limits.
A willingness to challenge your self imposed limits is crucial to living a life without limits.
If you seriously want to learn how to get rid of limiting beliefs, you must be willing to challenge your self imposed limits.
We’ve already discussed the need to recognize where and how you’re placing these limits on your life. The next step is to challenge those limits.
Whether it’s clearing limiting beliefs about money or about relationships, when you challenge your limiting beliefs, you’re on the way to overcoming them.
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy when it comes to making progress or moving forward in life. Life coach Yasemin Demirtas points out that the most common kind of self-negating mindset is when an individual is afraid of changing his/her current situation due to self-limiting beliefs. Some of these self-negating thoughts include “am I really good enough?” or “is it going to be really any better?” (Health Magazine, 2018. Clean Up and Clean Out Your Life.)
6. Stop letting the negativity of others stop you.
It seems that no matter how much we tell ourselves to stop letting the opinions of others get in our way, we still fall victim to it time and again.
I know that it’s easier said than done, but if you really want to learn how to get rid of limiting beliefs, you must stop worrying about the opinions of others.
You’ll probably never be privy to the nature of the limiting beliefs to which your critics subscribe so why allow their opinions to stop you?
Other people are not living your life. They don’t pay your bills. They can’t determine what you deem critical to your happiness.
So don’t let their opinions hold you back. Yours are the only ones that matter.
7. Change “I can’t” to “How can I?”
Believe it or not, a simple shift in your mental outlook can pay huge dividends. When you catch yourself saying “I can’t,” stop and readjust your internal dialog.
Instead, ask yourself, “How can I?”
Become a problem solver. For every obstacle you place in your path, brainstorm ideas on how to get around it. 
It’s a simple mind shift, but a powerful one. Instead of giving up and giving in, become a problem solver.
8. Recognize that skills can be learned.
Okay. So maybe you don’t know how to bake a cake or put together a meal for a family gathering. The mere fact that someone else has done it successfully is proof you can learn to do it too.
Whatever it is you believe you can’t do because you lack the knowledge or skills, the chances are excellent that you can learn.
Babies don’t learn to walk before they learn to crawl. They just keep trying until they’ve mastered the skill.
Lucky for those babies, they haven’t yet learned the not-so-fine art of inventing obstacles. It never occurs to them to give up.
We can learn a thing or two from these little ones.
9. Learn to identify self limiting thoughts and turn them off.
Sometimes self-discipline is in order when it comes to learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs. In this case, it means recognizing self limiting thoughts when they happen and nipping them in the bud.
At first, it may feel uncomfortable to turn off your negative thoughts. But over time, with practice and discipline, you’ll find it gets easier.
10. Acknowledge that a belief is not a truth.
When you acknowledge that a belief is not the same thing as a truth, it’s a game changer. Your beliefs are just that, a belief. Once you recognize that fact, it’s a simple step to asking yourself just how much truth is behind that belief.
We learn to believe any number of things about ourselves during our lives, much of it not based on a lick of truth.
We believe we can’t cook; we can’t change jobs; we can’t have a lasting relationship. But these thoughts simply are not true.
Recognize that a belief is not a truth. That recognition is a powerful first step toward kicking your negativity to the curb.
11. Learn to recognize your strengths.
Finally, while we’ve been focusing on limiting beliefs and negative thoughts, we’ve been neglecting to acknowledge that each of us possesses unique strengths and positive traits. It’s too easy to focus on the negative.
Try shifting your focus to what you already do well, on your innate and learned strengths. Let them lead the way toward learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs.
There is already a lot you’re doing well. Commend yourself for that.
Tying It All Together
When it comes to learning how to get rid of limiting beliefs, like so many of life’s challenges, it often starts with acknowledging that you’re building your obstacles yourself.
And the good news is, you can tear those obstacles down.
You can live the life of your dreams and achieve all of your desired goals. You just have to believe in yourself and kick your limiting beliefs out the door.
Just be sure to give that lock a good turn while you’re at it.
If you’d like to explore more ways to learn how to get rid of limiting beliefs, head over to our downloads shop to find the perfect audio download to get you started.
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