Limiting Beliefs
This past weekend I went on a hike on my own at Elmore State Park in Vermont. It is a gorgeous park with amazing views from the top of the Elmore Mountain Fire Tower,, which stands at an elevation of 2,608 feet.
Going on a strenuous hike and climbing the fire tower are not things I would usually do. I have an incredible fear of heights, and I have A LOT of limiting beliefs- a limiting belief is a thought or opinion about yourself that you believe to be absolutely true. These beliefs have held me back from enjoying so many things in life. You see, these limiting beliefs keep me in my comfort zone, but they totally prevent me from being my true self.
Limiting beliefs about ourselves come from our subconscious. They are often a defense (coping) mechanism to protect us from stress or difficult feelings. It can feel easier to miss out on things than to possibly fail at them.
I often tell myself that I am not athletic, I don’t have a body made for hiking, or that it will be embarrassing to take breaks when my body needs them. I’ve come to realize that I can do hard things. It doesn’t matter that my body is different than other bodies. It doesn’t matter how many breaks I take, as they help me enjoy my surroundings rather than just focus on completing a task.
I spent 4 hours hiking the trail, which had more obstacles and a steeper incline. I enjoyed every moment, from being out of breath to stopping to look for bullfrogs in a murky pond. Did I cuss the entire journey? Yes, I did! Did I want to quit? Yes to that as well. Did I shake the entire climb up the fire tower, standing in the fire tower, and going down the fire tower? Yep, and it’s amazing the photo turned out, given how hard my hands were shaking.
This summer I plan on doing more hard things my limiting beliefs have kept me from. Not all of them involve such strenuous tasks. I am going to try an art class, meet new people outside the work I do, and add something totally new to my business plan… I know I might need to try, fail, and try again on this journey, but I know how precious and short life is, so it’s worth making the most of my one wild and precious life.
