In last week’s blog, we talked about the importance of goal setting in creating lasting habit change. This blog explores the second component of behavior change, our limiting beliefs.
The way we think of ourselves…who we believe we are…is often one of the most resistant obstacles to changing our behavior. When we believe that our behaviors are unchangeable, we easily give up and say to ourselves, “I knew I could never do that.”
To explore what limiting beliefs you may have, take a few moments to reflect on the following statements. As you read each one, make a note if the statement is rarely true, often true, or very often true. Don’t feel the need to be exact but consider a response that seems like a reasonable assessment.
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Keep in mind two things:
No matter where you assess yourself now, there is an opportunity to improve with practice.
There is no right way to respond.
Are these rarely true, often true, or very often true for you?
I just can’t maintain an exercise program.
I’m not the kind of person that can stick to my goals.
I get more distracted than the average person.
I am too busy to prepare healthy food.
I can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle because of the challenges in my life.
My mind is too busy to get a good night’s sleep.
If these statements don’t relate to your particular healthy habit, take a moment to consider ones that relate to your situation. One way to begin might be to become aware of the silent messages you send to yourself. Tip: These messages become more noticeable when we experience a setback or are thinking of giving up.
Action to Take This Week:
Over the next week, pay attention to the silent messages you send to yourself, related to your goals. As these messages come into your awareness, take a moment to reflect on these questions:
How do I know it is true?
What evidence/information would suggest that it may not be true? For example, are there situations where you acted in a different way than this belief means?
Then, visualize what changes you would make in your life if this limiting belief were not true.
The next blog will describe how you can anticipate obstacles and challenges in goal achievement and how to develop an action plan to deal with them before they occur.