How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs and Unlock Your Potential

Hey girl, grab a cozy drink and/or snack, get comfy, and let me talk to you about something that kept me stuck for YEARS without me even realizing it.

Limiting beliefs.

Wait, before you think this is some woo-woo thing, hear me out. Because I used to hear "limiting beliefs" and think it was just something people said when they wanted to sound deep on podcasts. I did not get it. At all.

But then I started actually paying attention to the things I was telling myself on repeat. And babe?? Some of that stuff was HARSH. Things I would never say to a friend. Things that were literally blocking me from doing what I wanted to do.

Like, I would want to post a video and my brain would go "who do you think you are? Nobody cares what you have to say." Or I would think about charging more for something and immediately hear "you are not experienced enough for that." Or I would meet someone new and assume "they probably think I am annoying."

Those are limiting beliefs. And they were running the show without my permission! And to be honest, I'd be lying if I said I didn't still struggle with certain beliefs to this day.

But once I learned how to actually recognize them and, more importantly, change them... everything shifted. My confidence. My relationships. The opportunities I said yes to. How I showed up in my own life.

So let me break this down for you. What limiting beliefs actually are, where they come from, and most importantly, how to get rid of them so they stop running your life!

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What Are Limiting Beliefs?

A limiting belief is basically a story you tell yourself that you have accepted as truth, even though it is not actually a fact. It feels like a fact because you have thought it so many times. But it is just a thought that got stuck on repeat.

These beliefs create invisible walls around what you think is possible for you. They are the reason you do not apply for the job, do not shoot your shot, do not start the thing, do not leave the situation.

Not because you CAN'T. Because you believe you can't.

That is the difference. And that hit me so hard when I first understood it!

How Limiting Beliefs Form

Most limiting beliefs do not just appear out of nowhere. They come from somewhere. Usually one of these places:

Childhood experiences. Things your parents said, how teachers treated you, what you saw growing up. If you heard "money does not grow on trees" a million times as a kid like I did, you probably have some beliefs about money being hard to come by.

Past failures or rejections. That one time you tried something and it did not work out? Your brain filed that under "never try that again" and created a whole belief around it.

Things people said about you. Someone calls you "too much" or "not smart enough" or "the quiet one" and suddenly you build an identity around it. Same, it's okay.

Social conditioning. Messages from media, culture, society about what people like you can or cannot do. What is "realistic." What you should want.

Comparison. Looking at other people and deciding you are different, less than, not capable of what they have.

The tricky part?? Most of these beliefs formed before you had the awareness to question them. They just slipped in and made themselves at home. That is why they feel so true!

The Cost of Limiting Beliefs

Here is where it gets real. Limiting beliefs are not just annoying thoughts. They actually shape your life.

When you believe something about yourself, you act accordingly. If you believe you are bad with money, you do not try to learn about finances. If you believe you are not the relationship type, you push people away. If you believe success is not for "people like you," you do not put yourself out there.

Your beliefs become self-fulfilling prophecies. You believe it, so you act in ways that prove it, which makes you believe it even more. A whole cycle!

And the wildest part?? You think you are just being "realistic" or "practical." But you are actually just repeating a story you learned somewhere that may not even be true.

I had a belief that I was "bad at consistency." Like, I just accepted that about myself. And guess what? I kept proving it right because I would give up the second things got hard, believing "well, I am just not consistent." The belief was the problem. Not me!

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Common Limiting Beliefs (And Their Truth)

Let me call out some beliefs that might sound familiar. And I am going to give you the truth for each one.

"I Am Not Good Enough"

This is the big one. The root of so many other beliefs.

The truth?? "Good enough" compared to what? Who decided the standard you are measuring yourself against? Usually it is some made-up ideal that does not even exist!

You are already enough. Not when you achieve more or look different or have more followers. Right now. As you are. Your worth is not up for debate. It is not determined by productivity or appearance or success. You exist, and that makes you worthy!

"Money Is Hard to Come By"

If you grew up hearing that money is scarce, that rich people are bad, that you have to struggle to survive... that programming runs deep.

The truth? Money is a tool. It flows to people who believe it can flow to them. Yes, systems are unfair and starting points are different. But within your own reality, your beliefs about money affect how you interact with it. Do you believe opportunities exist for you? Do you think you deserve to be paid well?

My complete guide to manifestation goes deep on abundance mindset if this one resonates with you!

"I Do Not Deserve Success"

This one is sneaky. You might not even realize you have it. But if you self-sabotage right when things are going well, or you downplay your wins, or you feel guilty when good things happen... this belief might be running in the background.

The truth? You deserve good things simply because you are here. Success is not reserved for certain people. It is available to anyone who believes they can have it and takes action toward it!

"It Is Too Late for Me"

Oh, I have thought this one so many times. "I should have started earlier." "Everyone else my age is already ahead." "The window has passed."

The truth? The only moment you actually have is right now. Comparing your timeline to someone else's is pointless because you are not on the same path. People start over at 30, 40, 50, 60. Your next chapter can begin whenever you decide! Not to mention, time is an illusion ;)

"People Like Me Do Not..."

Fill in the blank. People like me do not get rich. Do not find love. Do not become successful. Do not get that opportunity.

The truth? What does "people like me" even mean? You are one unique person with your own combination of experiences, skills, and potential. There is no category you fit into that determines what is possible for you!

I used to think "people like me do not get taken seriously." Because I am young, because I am bubbly, because I'm silly in my content. That belief almost stopped me from charging what I am worth and going after bigger opportunities. I had to actively replace it.

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5 Steps to Overcome Limiting Beliefs

Okay okay okay, here is the part you came for! The actual process. I am going to walk you through how to actually change these beliefs.

And let me be clear... this is not a one-and-done thing. It is ongoing work. But every belief you shift opens up a new possibility in your life. So it is worth it!

Step 1: Identify the Belief

You cannot change what you are not aware of. So the first step is catching the belief in action.

Pay attention to your thoughts, especially when you feel stuck, scared, or held back. What are you telling yourself? What assumptions are running in the background?

Some questions that help:

Why do I think I can't do this?
What am I assuming about myself right now?
If I was not afraid, what would I do?
What would I tell a friend who felt this way?

Write them down. Get specific. "I am not confident" is too vague. What specifically do you believe? "I am not confident enough to speak up in meetings because I think people will judge my ideas." THAT is a belief you can work with!

If you want to go deeper with this, my post on stop negative self-talk has more exercises for catching your inner critic.

Step 2: Question Its Validity

Now that you have the belief in front of you, interrogate it like it is on TRIAL.

Is this actually true? Or does it just FEEL true because I have thought it so long?

Where did this belief come from? Who taught me this?

Is this belief helping me or hurting me?

Would I say this to someone I love?

Most beliefs fall apart under questioning. They are built on old experiences, things other people said, or fear. Not actual truth!

I had a belief that I was "not smart enough" for certain things. When I actually questioned it, I realized it came from one teacher who made me feel dumb in seventh grade. SEVENTH GRADE. And I had been carrying that for like...a decade.

Step 3: Find Counter-Evidence

Your brain loves evidence. So give it some!

Think about times when the limiting belief was proven wrong. Even small examples count.

If your belief is "I always fail," think about times you succeeded at something. Graduated school?? That is success! Learned a new skill?? Success! Got through a hard day?? Success!

If your belief is "nobody likes me," think about people who have shown you love. Friends who check on you. Family who supports you. People who engage with your content.

Write these down. Your brain needs to see that the old belief is not the whole story!

Building self-esteem is a big part of this process. My building self-esteem guide has more on collecting evidence of your worth.

Step 4: Create a New Belief

Now you replace the old belief with a new one. But here is the key... it has to feel somewhat believable to you. You cannot jump from "I am worthless" to "I am the most amazing person ever" overnight. Your brain will not buy it.

Instead, try bridge beliefs. Something in between!

Old belief: "I am not good enough."
Bridge belief: "I am learning and growing every day."
New belief: "I am capable and worthy."

Old belief: "Money is hard to come by."
Bridge belief: "Money is available and I am learning to receive it."
New belief: "Money flows to me easily."

Start with the bridge. It feels more realistic. And as you gather evidence that supports it, the new belief becomes easier to accept.

Positive affirmations can help reinforce your new beliefs. But they only work if you actually believe what you are saying, at least a little!

Step 5: Reinforce Through Action

Here is the part most people skip. You HAVE to act on the new belief. Otherwise it is just words.

If your new belief is "I am capable of starting a business," you have to actually take one step toward starting a business. Apply to something. Research something. Create something!

Action creates evidence. Evidence strengthens belief. Belief inspires more action. A positive cycle!

And when the old belief pops back up (it will), you catch it, question it, and choose the new one. Over and over. It gets easier with practice.

Having a growth mindset vs fixed mindset makes this whole process smoother. If you believe you can change and grow, changing your beliefs feels possible!

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Tools for Belief Work

Let me give you some actual tools you can use to work on this.

Journaling Exercises

Journaling is one of the best ways to uncover and work through limiting beliefs. Here are some prompts:

The "Why" Ladder: Start with something you want but do not have. Ask yourself "why do I not have this?" Write the answer. Then ask "why?" again. Keep going until you hit the core belief.

Letter to Your Younger Self: Write to the version of you who first developed the limiting belief. What do they need to hear? What would you tell them now?

Future Self Visualization: Write as your future self who has already overcome this belief. How did they do it? What advice do they have? (This one's my favorite)

Belief Inventory: List every belief you have about yourself, money, relationships, success. Do not filter. Just dump it all out. Then go through and mark which ones are serving you and which ones are not.

Affirmation Replacement

Once you have identified limiting beliefs, you can create replacement affirmations. But like I said, they have to feel somewhat believable.

Here is my method:

1. Write the limiting belief.
2. Write the opposite.
3. Find something in between that feels true.
4. Repeat that daily until it feels natural.
5. Then level up to the next version.

For example:

1. Limiting belief: "I am bad at consistency."
2. Opposite: "I am naturally consistent at everything."
3. In between: "I am building consistency one day at a time."
4. Repeat daily, celebrate when you ARE consistent!
5. Level up: "I am someone who follows through."

The goal is not to lie to yourself. It is to gently shift the narrative until the new story feels like yours.

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My Personal Belief Work

Let me get real with you for a second.

I have had to work through so many limiting beliefs. Some I still catch popping up sometimes. This is not about becoming perfect. It is about becoming aware.

One of my biggest ones was "I am too much." Too loud. Too excited. Too energetic. Somewhere along the way I learned that taking up space was bad. That I needed to dim down.

And for years, I did. I held back. I second-guessed myself. I apologized for my energy.

But then I realized... "too much" for who?? For people who are not my people anyway? The right people LOVE my energy. They are drawn to it. Dimming down was keeping me from connecting with my actual community!

So I replaced it. "I am too much" became "I am exactly enough for the people meant for me." And slowly, by showing up fully, by being unapologetically myself, I gathered evidence. Comments from y'all saying my energy lifted your day. Opportunities coming because of my personality, not despite it.

The belief that I thought protected me was actually the thing holding me back. That was wild to me!

If manifestation is not working for you, limiting beliefs are usually the block. You can visualize and affirm all day, but if deep down you do not believe you deserve it or can have it... it creates resistance.

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Start Today

You do not need to overhaul your entire belief system overnight. That is overwhelming and honestly not realistic.

Just start with one belief. The one that feels the most active right now. The one that came to mind while reading this.

Name it. Question it. Find evidence against it. Create something new. Take one small action.

That is it. That is the whole process.

And then you do it again with the next one. And the next one. Over time, you are literally rewriting the story of who you are and what is possible for you!

Your beliefs are not permanent. They are just thoughts you practiced until they felt like facts. You can practice new thoughts. You can create new facts.

You are not broken. You are not stuck. You just learned some things along the way that are not serving you anymore. And you have the power to unlearn them.

I believe in you. I really do. You would not be reading this if you were not ready for something to shift.

Go gently. Be patient with yourself. This is big work.

I am so proud of you for even being curious about this!

I love you!!

Lyss