So here it finally is: the episode that gave me so. much. grief. that it almost destroyed the Ex-Gifted podcast. Having pushed past my brain's objections and my limiting beliefs, I present it here to you, today. From this side it doesn't seem so threatening, but while I was in my head, I was deep in there, caught up in all the nuance of the topic.
Respect your limits, but throw out your limitations.
A limit is a boundary - a line that you can't or shouldn't cross. Limits are great to set to protect yourself emotionally and physically. But be careful - there can be great experiences found in discomfort. Learning your limits will help you take care of yourself, while still stretching and pushing what you once thought you could do.
A limitation is an inability. The last sentence in the previous paragraph - about what you once thought you could do - that's about your limitations. Or at least, what you thought were your limitations. Although we all have some hard and fast limitations, we usually believe in a whole lot more limitations than we actually have.
And when your thoughts get in your way, and impose (in whole or in part) a limitation upon you simply by your belief in them - that's a limiting belief. A limiting belief has to actually impose a limitation in itself. If your limitation is caused entirely by external factors (like the laws of physics), or by your complete disinterest, then it's not a limiting belief - it's just common sense.
Cure limiting beliefs with a healthy dose of skepticism. Find a troubling belief about yourself, and pick it apart. Question every bit of it. Consider if there's any possibility - however small - that your belief may not be entirely true. Ask if there might be other circumstances where it might not be true. Ask if you're enough of an expert when it comes to the topic in question (climbing Mt Everest or whatever it may be) that you're the best person to even judge exactly what circumstances would need to change to make it untrue - especially considering you aren't even a mountain climber (or if you are, insert one of your own limiting beliefs.)
Is it possible you don't know as much as you think you do? I sure as hell don't.
Make your belief stand trial and force it to prove itself beyond a shadow of a doubt. Use the words "maybe" and "yet" as much as possible.
And then next week I'll talk about the other side of limitations - the part no one wants to talk about. If you're not already a supporter at Ko-Fi.com/reneliza then this will be a good time to sign up for video episodes, because... it's a heavy topic.
Make sure to be back next week for me to talk about Acceptance.
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Also, check out chaoticorganized.com for more executive dysfunction tips and commiseration.
Music
Kawai Kitsune by Kevin MacLeod
