What are limiting beliefs?
Examples of limiting beliefs:
I’m not going to try this because I know I can’t do it
I’ll never be good enough
Money is evil
This is never going to get better
There’s no way they actually like me
All humans are bad
Limiting beliefs block us from accessing our highest potential. These beliefs may stunt our emotional growth, which can make us feel stifled in life, as if we aren’t going anywhere and nothing will ever be good enough. At worst, limiting beliefs sever our connection to others, potentially damaging our relationships, and preventing us from fully experiencing life and emotional freedom.
We can overcome limiting beliefs by practicing patience and compassion, living in the present, not becoming too polarized, and learning to move with effortless effort. Let’s unpack these together.
Practice patience. Be patient and forgiving towards yourself and others. Try to look with a nonjudgmental view, or try to understand where others are coming from. No need to over analyze here. Just allow yourself to explore new perspectives. When practicing patience, you can start with small things, like allowing someone to go in front of you at the grocery store, or becoming cognizant of road rage. Then you can work up to more complicated situations and beliefs, like exercising patience towards loved ones or people who may trigger you.
Living in the present moment. Becoming an active participant in your life means removing distracting thoughts and allowing yourself to experience the present. Sometimes it is helpful to notice things without trying to change them. Take a bird’s eye view. Qigong practices are especially good for people who need help grounding and centering.
Not becoming too polarized. It isn’t wrong to experience emotions or have beliefs. In fact, I think it’s a core part of the human experience, but we don’t want to get so attached to one extreme that it prevents us from connecting with others, resolving problems, or experiencing life. Practice challenging yourself, and begin to explore where your thoughts and emotions are coming from. Ask yourself, do I really feel that way? What part of me is hurt? Have I felt this way before? What sensations do I feel in my body? Is there a flip side or positive to this situation?
This is also a practice of not becoming polarized within our physical life. For example, we don’t want to become too lazy or overwork ourselves.Moving with effortless effort. Learn to create space between thought, emotion, and reaction. This will decrease physical tension in the body, allowing it to maintain a state of balance. There is a saying in Qigong, “resistance to the flow creates suffering; moving with the flow creates effortless effort.” Notice which thoughts create physical reactions in your body. Begin to explore these thoughts and their sensations. Try not to judge yourself, or your body, during this practice. Having a consistent meditation practice helps.
Practicing compassion. Practicing compassion is huge, as it interconnects with the other topics in this practice. Some say a state of unconditional love is the highest state of being. It is showing love to all sentient beings, whether they disgust or please us. Let’s say someone you admire gets a job that you really wanted. Instead of thinking, “I’m not good enough,” or “I’ll never be as good as them,” try sharing in their joy and success. This is a process of tearing down emotional barriers. What would it look like to tear down those walls?
Practicing compassion does not mean having no boundaries. Practicing compassion means having compassion for yourself. Honor your needs and boundaries, be honest with yourself and your relationships, and if it fits, add gratitude or mindfulness practices into your daily routine.What does emotional freedom look like?
This will vary for everyone, but the Taoist view of humans is that we are a conduit of energy between heaven and earth. When the three forces are aligned, and we live in harmony with nature, energy flows freely through us, and we feel inspired, peaceful, and healthy. Conversely, when energy is stagnant, blockages are created, and we get stuck physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Emotional freedom unblocks stagnant energy via awareness and behavioral changes. For most, this path is not linear, and requires consistency and effortless effort.
As we continue our practice, we will be less susceptible to taking on other people’s energy, and we will develop a healthier relationship with our emotions, ourselves, and people in our lives. We will understand ourselves and our needs better, and we will become conscious of how we are showing up within our own life and within our community.
Removing limiting beliefs is not a state of intellectualizing. It is a state of being. Of actualization. This practice isn’t a state of numbness or carelessness. Rather, it is an openness to life’s potential.
Are you ready to take the next step in your personal transformation? Try some of Move with Love’s Qigong and meditation classes, available in person and online. Happy awakening!
