Do you ever feel like something is holding you back from achieving your goals or living the life you want? Do you have thoughts that tell you that you’re not good enough or that you don’t deserve success?

These thoughts are known as limiting beliefs, and they can have a significant impact on our lives.

Limiting beliefs are negative thoughts or attitudes that we hold about ourselves, others, or the world around us. They can show up in many areas of our lives, such as our relationships, career, health, and self-image. These beliefs are often formed early in life and can become deeply ingrained in our psyche, leading to self-sabotage and a lack of confidence.

Understanding Core Belief Systems

Limiting beliefs can often be traced back through to our core beliefs, which are the long-held beliefs formed from our experiences and the messages we receive from the people around us, especially in childhood. Our core beliefs can be positive or negative, and they influence how we think, feel, and behave.

For example, if you grew up in an environment where you were constantly told that you’re not good enough or that you’ll never succeed, you may develop a core belief that you’re unworthy or incapable. This core belief can then manifest in many different areas of your life, such as your career, relationships, or health. Many of us will go through life without every really questioning why we think a particular way, so if you’re here reading this, that’s a good sign and leads us nicely to the next important factor, awareness.

The Importance of Awareness

The first step in overcoming limiting beliefs is to become aware of them. Often, we’re not even conscious of the negative thoughts that are holding us back. We assume these thoughts are simply the truth, and we don’t even consider examining them. However, when we start to pay attention to our thoughts, we can begin to identify the negative patterns and beliefs that are limiting us.

One way to increase your awareness of your thoughts is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and observing your thoughts without judgment. When you’re mindful, you can observe your thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them, which can help you identify negative patterns and beliefs.

Journaling can also be an effective tool in increasing awareness of your thoughts. By writing down your thoughts and emotions, you can examine them more objectively and identify any negative patterns or beliefs that may be holding you back. Writing also helps to clarify your thoughts, making it easier to recognize any limiting beliefs that you may have been previously unaware of.

Through journaling, you can also track your progress in overcoming limiting beliefs. You can reflect on any changes in your thoughts and beliefs over time, and celebrate your successes along the way. Additionally, journaling can be a helpful outlet for processing difficult emotions and experiences, which can ultimately lead to a greater sense of clarity and self-awareness.

Using the Validity of Cognition Scale (VOC)

Once you’ve identified your limiting beliefs, you can use a tool called the Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale to determine how strong they are. The VOC scale is a measure of how valid or true a thought or belief is. It ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 being extremely true and 0 being not true at all.

Using the VOC scale can help you gain a more objective perspective on your beliefs. It can also help you track your progress as you work to rewire your beliefs through tapping.

Tapping and Neuroplasticity

Tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a powerful tool for reprogramming limiting beliefs. One of the most fascinating aspects of tapping is its ability to harness the power of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to new experiences. When we tap on a negative thought or belief, we’re essentially sending a new message to the brain. Over time, this can help to rewire the neural pathways associated with the limiting belief, creating new, more positive patterns of thought.

Tapping on Limiting Beliefs

Here’s a simple tapping exercise you can try to overcome a limiting belief:

1. Identify the limiting belief you want to work on. For example, “I’m not good enough to succeed in my business/career.”
2. Rate the strength of this belief on the VOC scale from 0-10. For example, you might rate it as 7.
3. Identify the specific emotions or physical sensations that this belief triggers in you. For example, you might feel anxious, tense, or defeated when you think about this belief.
4. Tap on the specific points on your body while repeating a tapping phrase that acknowledges the negative belief and encourages a more positive belief. For example, you might tap on the side of your hand while saying, “Even though I believe I’m not good enough to succeed in my business/career, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
5. As you tap on each of the EFT points, beginning with the eyebrow point and moving down your face and body towards the top of your head, it can be beneficial to repeat reminder phrases to yourself. These phrases can help to identify and address any negative thoughts or emotions that may be holding you back. For instance, your reminder phrases may include “I’m not good enough”, “I’ll never make it”, “I’m not qualified enough”, “I feel afraid when I think about this”, “My shoulders feel tense when this fear arises”, “what if I fail”, and “not feeling good enough is overwhelming”. By repeating these reminder phrases as you tap on each point, you can effectively address and overcome any limiting beliefs or fears that may be hindering your progress. Continue tapping through the points until you’ve expressed your thoughts, emotions and feelings regarding the limiting belief.
6. After several rounds of tapping, rate the strength of the belief again on the VOC scale. You may notice that the strength of the belief has decreased.
7. Continue tapping on the belief over the course of several days or weeks, monitoring the strength of the belief and adjusting your tapping phrases as needed.
8. When you feel ready, introduce a preferred empowering belief, such as “I am fully capable and wholeheartedly deserving of success in my business/career” and use the chart to positively measure your validity of cognition, as shown in the image below.
9. Make a consistent effort to tap on your new, desired belief each day until it feels genuine and deeply ingrained within you. To reinforce this process, it can be beneficial to visualize positive outcomes for future events related to your career or business. You can also draw on past positive experiences to anchor in feelings of confidence and self-efficacy. By doing so, you can build a stronger sense of belief in yourself and your abilities, ultimately allowing you to approach challenges and opportunities with greater resilience and success.

By using tapping to rewire your limiting beliefs, you can overcome self-sabotage and unlock your confidence. As you tap on these beliefs, you’ll begin to create new, more positive patterns of thought that support your growth and success.

Conclusion

Limiting beliefs can hold us back from achieving our goals and living the life we want. However, with awareness, the VOC scale, and tapping, we can rewire these beliefs and unlock our confidence. By acknowledging our negative patterns of thought and using tapping to reprogram them, we can create new, positive beliefs that support our growth and success.

Remember that overcoming limiting beliefs is a process, and it takes persistence and dedication. However, by taking small steps each day and committing to the process, you can achieve lasting change and unlock your full potential.