Growing up, we were told to dream big, think as openly as possible, and embrace our wildest imaginations.
However, as we grow older, it’s drilled into us from almost every angle that our dreams are far-fetched, our imaginations unrealistic, and our passions fruitless. We are told to be realistic, to stick to the traditional path and stay in line, that those who venture out and branch away from tradition are setting themselves up for failure. Naturally, we become accustomed to limiting ourselves and leaning into others’ ways of living, thereby denying our innate wants to stay aligned with whatever others are doing. We stick to the norm and do what others do to avoid questions and sentiments that may feel hard to hear.
Living in a way that is inauthentic to us can be difficult. We run the risk of feeling unfulfilled, dissatisfied and truly lost. And then by chance, when we do pluck up the courage and think to branch out, forging a path that aligns more closely with what we want, we are paralysed with fear and immediately discouraged.
Naturally, if your goals, wants, needs and passions have been questioned, mocked or disregarded, you’ll feel discouraged. As a result, your confidence may be low. You may feel unsure of yourself and riddled with fear, uncertain of how to proceed.
Feeling limited, you might think it easier to stick where you are and not try.
However, we want to encourage you to stop limiting yourself. To stop being paralysed by fear. To stop discouraging yourself and to stop dwelling in negativity. Life is difficult, challenging, overwhelming and all of the above, and you might dread the thought of adding more to your plate by pursuing what you want. Why add more to your plate? Although it may be easier to stay where you are, we want you to consider whether you’re happy, fulfilled or excited. If you enjoy your average day or every morning, you are already overwhelmed. If that’s the case, we urge you to take the necessary steps to change your life. Limiting yourself and holding yourself back from the life you want is only harming you. It is you who sits miserably and is stuck in a redundant pattern.
By changing your mindset, embracing positivity and believing that the opportunities available to you in life are truly limitless, you can live a life that is more joyous and more aligned with what you want your life to be. Below are our top tricks for stopping the self-limiting behaviour and living more authentically.
Change Your Mindset.
The most important step in no longer limiting yourself is first to change your mindset.
If you have been in a space of negativity, doubt and uncertainty for a while, it can be difficult to think beyond that. You may feel limited in your capabilities and even in your worthiness. As a result, it may be challenging for you to look ahead positively, as you may feel clouded by doubt and uncertainty.
This is why you must identify and challenge limiting beliefs by changing your mindset. Recognise when you are thinking negatively or spiralling in doubt and disbelief, and challenge it. Reframe negative thinking by practising gratitude instead, recognise the steps you are taking and the pride you should feel for beginning a new journey. Minimise negative internal dialogue by leaning into the positivity of your journey and regularly reinforcing the excitement of your new chapter.
Recognise when you are dwelling in self-doubt or despair, and take the time to step out of that space by living in the moment.
Changing your perspective is a lucrative step in growing your confidence and becoming bolder. By changing your mindset, you can embrace growth and no longer feel limited by others’ expectations, the burdens of life, or past decisions.
Be Audacious
Audacity is often talked about negatively. As though being audacious, confident or bold is a bad thing.
Well, here at GirlDreamer, we’re here to tell you that it’s not, and that if you want to change your life and become unburdened by limitations, you must become audacious. Changing your mindset and becoming more self-assured, confident, and daring will ensure that no amount of negativity or discouragement will make you doubt yourself. You will remain self-assured, motivated and aligned with your path, doing whatever it takes to become the person you want to be.
Audacity is a good thing. Confidence, audacity and self-assurance will ensure that the life you live is one that you choose. That you will pursue your goals and objectives and do whatever it takes to achieve them.
Don’t Take Knockbacks Personally
Life is difficult, and sometimes things come up that we don’t expect. Therefore, if you want to live without limitations, you mustn’t take knockbacks personally.
Knockbacks are inevitable. Sometimes things will not go our way. It is important that you do not get bogged down in negativity and caught up trying to rationalise every bad thing that has happened to you. Acknowledge it, process it and move on. Do not get caught up trying to understand or intellectualise why certain things have happened.
Instead, move forward. Make a plan, then another, and then another. Do this again and again until you are on the right path and are making progress.
To no longer feel limited, you must be able to move on and move forward again and again. Changing your mindset, being bold, audacious and daring will ensure you can persevere and continue on your journey of living more authentically and without limitations.
