What if you’re wrong about your limitations?
What if your limitations aren’t really limitations at all?
I have depression, ADHD and an autoimmune disease (I commonly refer to these diagnoses as, “my issues”) on top of being a wife, mother, coach, and the ins and outs of everyday life.
These “issues” present me with mental and physical challenges daily and it’s very easy to see them as limitations. Unsurpassable roadblocks between me and my dreams, if you will.
In fact, for over two decades, the predominant thought plaguing me has been some version of…
“Your issues will always prevent you from achieving your goals and dreams so why bother trying?”
For so long I believed this thought was simply a fact. My brain saw evidence everywhere to back up this belief. Any time I was challenged due to “my issues”, my brain would say, “See? Everything is harder for you. It’s just not in the cards for you. Accept your limitations and give up.”
Though this thought still pops up frequently, I can honestly say that I no longer believe it. I see it for what it is-total b.s.
This didn’t happen over night. Over the past few years I’ve immersed myself in learning the tools of mind management and have actively applied them every step of the way.
As my understanding and awareness increased, I realized that “my issues” weren’t what was standing in my way. Ironically, what was limiting me was the thought/belief that my issues were limiting me (read that again).
In the coaching world, we actually call this kind of thought “A Limiting Belief.”
Beliefs are usually thoughts you’ve thought countless times over the years (often subconsciously). And over that time, your brain has gathered lots of evidence to back up your thought. At some point, that thought becomes a deeply ingrained belief and you start to see it as truth.
Sometimes beliefs serve us but, when it’s something that keeps us from overcoming or achieving something in our lives, it becomes a “Limiting Belief”.
That’s what happened to me. I genuinely believed that my issues were limitations and beyond my control. This belief kept me from seeing any other possibilities or different routes to my goals and dreams. When you can’t see your possibilities, you can’t live them.
Now I see “my issues” as challenges and challenges have solutions, finite limitations don’t.
I found new thoughts that I believed (or practiced believing) that actually served me. Thoughts like…“I’ll accomplish whatever I want, I’ll just get there in a different way.” Or, “I’m creative and can find creative solutions.” Or, “I’m not in this alone.” Or, “I can delegate things to other people to free up my energy.” Or, “God will direct me to solutions.”
Thoughts like this directed my brain to other, often unconventional, ways of doing things. And the more ideas I had, the more confidence I had that I would find even more solutions. Eventually, I came up with unique strategies for working around “my issues” and overcoming my challenges.
Now, when I’m tempted to give up or believe that I’m limited, I know better. I challenge myself to find a strategy for each obstacle standing in my way.
I’ve been amazed time and time again with what my brain has come up with and the inspiration I’ve received as soon as I was open to it.
Our brains are powerful tools for good when we are willing to believe something different and I know that there are unique solutions out there for you too.
Practice seeing your limitations as challenges that you can create strategies for and see what happens. And when you’re ready, reach out to me.