“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves”
I’ve tried a ton of diets, joined dozens of gyms, online programs, you name it, I just can’t lose weight.
“I just can’t lose weight.” If I had a dollar for every time I heard those words I’d be sleeping on hundred dollar bills each night. We’ve all heard ourselves use similar words, it might not be weight loss for you, it might be commitment to a goal, it might be securing a job, it might be running the marathon or finding a suitable partner. Regardless of what challenges us in life, occasionally we find ourselves thinking “I just can’t do that”, however, we haven’t always said that to ourselves.
Crawling, standing, walking, drawing, colouring, talking, writing, additions, subtractions, the list goes on. So many things as children we learned and conquered regardless of how many times we fell over, regardless of how many times we drew off the page and onto the carpet, and regardless of how many times we got the answer wrong. I bet for the number of times you fell over trying to walk as a child, you could subtract the number of diets you’ve tried that have failed and you’d still have a number over 100. So if we were so capable of achieving as children, why is it so easy to accept defeat as adults? Our limiting beliefs.
“Limiting beliefs are those which constrain us in some way. Just by believing them, we do not think, do or say the things that they inhibit. And in doing so we impoverish our lives.”
These limiting beliefs can come in many different forms and are generally learned and instilled over time. They can be based on our abilities, rights, permissions, duties, our own identities, other people and the world as a whole. Limiting beliefs can often be identified in our own speech when we say things like ‘I do/don’t’, ‘I am/am not’, ‘I can’t’, ‘I must/mustn’t’ and ‘Others are/will’. Some limiting beliefs are there for a reason and are based on facts but most of them are non-factual and have been incorrectly ingrained in our minds over time.
Let’s use the starting statement to this blog as an example:
Statement: I can’t lose weight
Limiting belief: I am incapable of losing weight
Factual/Non Factual: Non Factual, I can lose weight, though nothing I have tried so far has worked.
You might be thinking, ‘Well that’s all well and good but I work a 60 hour week, have school drop offs and pickups, have to cook dinner every night and try to maintain some form of sanity in the meantime. I don’t have time to lose weight.’
‘I don’t have time to lose weight.’
Let’s look at the limiting beliefs in that statement.
1 – You don’t have time.
2 – Losing weight requires more of the time you don’t have.
If you remove even just the second of those limiting beliefs what could you do to help yourself lose the weight? Research quick easy meals that are healthier, do walking meetings at work, listen to health podcasts in the car to and from work, workout on your lunch break, purchase ready made healthy lunches, the list goes on.
By removing the limiting belief in your mind that losing weight requires more time, immediately you are able to think outside of the box you have been limited to and explore strategies you haven’t tried.
Self belief is pivotal when it comes to achieving goals and especially when you’re a successful working woman who is juggling the balance of life. Let’s take a look at how you can break some of your limiting beliefs with the 4 steps to success!
1: Write down one non factual limiting belief you’ve identified that you would like to break through.
Example: I don’t have time to exercise
2: Write down why this limiting belief is non factual
Example: I have time, I just prioritise it with other things. I can also exercise while doing other things, it doesn’t necessarily mean I need more time.
3: Brainstorm 6 things you could do if your limiting belief was broken. Write them quickly, don’t think just write.
Example: I can start a time log and track my time for a week to see where I might have gaps of free time, I can buy an exercise bike and do some work from my tablet on the bike, I can do walking meetings at work, I can suggest that we do some active things together as a family on weekends, I can get up 10 minutes earlier and find a 10 minute body weight program to do at home in the mornings.
4: Choose one option to move forward with this week. There is no right or wrong option, only action.
Example: I will begin walking meetings at work this week.
Remember the 4 steps to success don’t work unless you do. By identifying your limiting belief, acknowledging that it is non factual and exploring possible options, you are now left with no excuses and only action. Apply this immediately and reach new limits!
Last but not least, as always, if you are having trouble with any of your 4 steps to success, don’t hesitate to contact me through our contact page on this site or our socials.
When women support each other, incredible things happen.
Jx