“Which belief once protected you, but now confines you?”

—James Clear, American Writer and Speaker

Image from Unsplash by Rahul Saraf

It’s unsettling to realize your safety net has become your cage.

Maybe you once clung to “I must not stand out,” shielding yourself from criticism.

Now, as opportunities pass, you wonder who you could be — if you dared to show up boldly.

Or perhaps your old faith in “hard work above all else” built your career, but left you isolated and exhausted.

The beliefs that shielded us as children can become the walls that box us in as adults.

What armor did you put on that is now rusted and weighing you down?

Isn’t it time to peel off what no longer serves you and stand exposed, courageously ready for something new, something better?

EXERCISE:

After identifying a limited belief, deliberately write its opposite or a positive reframe.

Repeat and embody this new statement, both in written form and by saying it aloud regularly.

This can help reinforce a more empowering perspective and loosen the old belief’s grip.