1 - Limiting Beliefs, How Not Be Your Worst Enemy

When I was little, everyone used to say to my brother, "What a handsome boy he is.” 

Nobody told me I was pretty. So, I created the following thought in my mind: "If no one tells me I'm pretty, I must not be pretty. 

Over time, this idea became a limiting belief that made me doubt myself and kept me stuck in many areas of my life. 

Believing that I was not beautiful for most of my life (i.e., not being comfortable with my external image) made me feel insecure about myself, my image. It kept me in the background, not daring to ask for what I deserved on a personal, professional level. 

Don't you find that you are often your own worst enemy by perpetuating limiting beliefs based on ...... nothing? 

These beliefs limit you. In the end, they are nothing but opinions, ideas, and negative thoughts coming from your environment (family, friends, teachers, bosses, trends, etc...). You internalize them without questioning because you believe how I value others to be accurate, although, in reality, they are not. 

Why should you spend time identifying your limiting beliefs? 

"I don't know if I am enough...", 

"I don't know if I deserve...", or 

"I don't know how to..." 

These are limiting beliefs that have you stuck and keep you from moving in the direction you really want to go. 

Discovering who you are or what you truly are, gives you the strength, confidence, and motivation you need to embark on your chosen path. This time straight to the goal! 

How can you stop your limiting beliefs? 

A straightforward technique to eliminate them is: 

• Be aware of what the limiting belief is and ask What is hurting me? What is it benefiting me? What would my life be like without this limiting belief?
• Replace the limiting belief with a positive or empowering belief that will help you progress.
• Finally, repeat, repeat and repeat the new empowering belief (as a mantra) until it is fully integrated into your life. If you practice this exercise every day, you will begin to smile more and act more positively in less time than you think. 

So what are your empowering beliefs? 

Empowering beliefs (positive thoughts) are an endless source of energy and vitality. When we integrate them into our lives, we enhance our personality, shine with our light and generate a positive impact on our daily lives. 

It is essential to define empowering beliefs because they help you align with your values, feel more focused, and give you the strength to keep moving towards your goals. 

When you face a challenge or need to generate a good dose of self-motivation or self-confidence, make a list. If you also want to build your list and don't know how to start, I recommend you identify the positive emotions that the things you like to do are the most productive in you or think about the strengths that make you irresistible. 

These are the five empowering "I am" beliefs that I have written for myself this week and that I hope will inspire you to build your own: 

I am authentic. 

When I was 27 years old, I worked as a journalist for the ABC television network in New York. For the first few weeks, I worried that my accent didn't "sound" 100% American English. 

My editor-in-chief, a stocky man with an incredibly captivating voice, told me, "Silvia, your voice, even if it sounds different to you, is precisely what makes you authentic, be true to it and never change it.” I have always remembered this advice and try to make everything I do reflect my true self.

I am a "believer" in my dreams. 

As Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true if we dare to pursue them." 

I believe in this statement with all my heart and mind. Dreams are the power of life; that’s why I will keep dreaming and working to achieve them. 

I am generous. 

One of my main priorities in life is to be generous with others, but if I don't value myself, how will I value others?

And if I don't take care of myself, how will I take care of others? 

And if I don't say nice words to myself every day, how will I be able to tell them to others? I discovered a long time ago that I first have to be generous with myself to be generous with others. 

I am empathetic. 

I like people, which motivates me to get involved in solidarity projects mainly related to the welfare and empowerment of women and girls in different parts of the world. 

I like to listen to others and put myself in their shoes to understand them and see the best way to help them. 

Although I am sensitive and feel things deeply, I like to live with an open heart. 

I am persevering. 

It is a positive value that I have always kept in mind in my life. It helps me increase my self-esteem, learn from my mistakes, get up when I fall, and improve my abilities and skills. 

I am positive. 

I am realistic and optimistic; even in the most challenging moments, I always see the positive side of things. Being positive is good for everything, including having good body-mind health. 

Everyone knows the influence of this state of mind in reducing depressive, inflammatory, or autoimmune diseases. 

The more positive you are, the stronger your heart will be. Although we are living in a time of great uncertainty, I encourage you always to be positive. 

As Gandhi said: 

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become YOUR WORDS. 

Keep your words positive because your words become YOUR BEHAVIOR. 

Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes YOUR HABITS. 

Keep your habits positive because your habits become YOUR VALUES. 

And for my part, remember: 

Choose always to be the woman you decide.

With much love, 

Silvia