Did you know, until around the age of 4, children don’t have an internal voice and they just say everything they think? It’s obvious when you think about it because kids have no filter, a bit like drunk people. It is not until they reach this age that well meaning parents or carers inform them ‘oh no, we can’t say that out loud’ or ‘nice children don’t say things like that’. At that point we start to develop ‘mind chatter’. For someone who suffers with anxiety, my internal voice is at times my worst enemy. This has especially been true during isolation, feeling stuck in my head with thoughts ruminating.
As part of my course with The Coaching Academy, I have to identify and address my own limiting beliefs in order to help others do the same when setting their goals. What exactly is a limiting belief? It’s something that someone once said to you that stuck in your mind. Because we only ever believe the bad things people say and not the good.
I have constant thoughts of, I’m not good enough, I don’t know enough, I don’t have enough experience to do this. But I still do it. Having power over your own limiting beliefs doesn’t mean they disappear, it means you understand and respect them, but you don’t let them control your actions. Ok so I might be really shit at this, but what if I’m not? Ok so maybe I’m not good enough to do this, but what if I am?
Setting goals and achieving them is the premise of coaching, the coach just helps you to achieve the potential your limiting beliefs kept from you. Recognise those beliefs and challenge them. Where did this belief come from? Is there evidence that it’s true? Can you change this belief into a positive?
In the coming months as I embark on my journey to become a life coach, I will be doing free coaching sessions. There will be 100 thoughts in my head of me not being good enough or not knowing enough. I know the only way for me to become a good coach is to practice, the same as with yoga teaching. So that’s what I’m going to do, and I’m going to face my limiting beliefs head on. Because despite the negative thoughts I have about myself, I know deep down I am good enough.
