L Is For _____________

That title looks funny, doesn't it. It looks like I've got this far into the alphabet and suddenly couldn't think of anything to say about L.

I mean no offense to L. It is a perfectly useable letter. Easy to write, too. And it could stand for so many things, ideas, attitudes. Love comes to mind. Loss. Laughter (but I just did Humor). Life. That's a good, all purpose word that starts with L.

But I wrote the title as I did because I want to talk about something that is NOT there. Hence, L Is For (Blank).

That blank stands in for L-i-m-i-t-s. Now, what the heck does that mean? Am I saying that there are no limits? What about speed limits? Weight limits? Spending limits? City limits? There are limits all around us. You might even think this post is of limit-ed use.

But the limits I'm talking about, the limits that are NOT there, are the limits that you train yourself to believe exist. Let's parse that last sentence and pull out the most important words: limits, self, and believe (or it's noun form, belief). The limits that I am saying do not exist are those described by self-limiting beliefs.

Let me give you an example. I graduated from college magna cum laude (no brag, just fact), but I squeaked through the one required algebra course with only a C grade. (Oh, the shame!) For as long as I've been able (or willing) to think about it, I've told myself that I am not good at math. Later, when I became more linguistically sophisticated and politically correct, I told myself that I was “numerically challenged”.

Being numerically challenged, in my case, does not mean that for me 2+2=purple, as someone said. It just means that when I see three or more numbers gathered in one place, my vision goes foggy and my mind goes blank. But that is merely a Pavlovian response to numbers. It is an illusion that I have allowed my mind to create in the service of an erroneous belief (actually, two erroneous beliefs: 1. that I cannot do math and 2. that if I ignore the numbers, they will just go away).

If I put my mind to it, I can balance my checkbook. I can do rudimentary sums. I can even understand some scientific jargon (though I tend to skim over the numbers). The point is, I can do math. The limit in that self-limiting belief, does not really exist. It is all in my mind.

What self-limiting beliefs do you have? That you're not worthy? That you'll never be able to lose weight and keep it off? That you are not loveable? That you _________________(fill in the blank)?

Let's look at the matter theologically. When Moses asked God for a letter of reference, God responded I AM THAT I AM. God knew that to say anything more would necessarily limit him (You see? By applying the male pronoun, we have already limited God.). But there is no limit to God.

Now, if you believe in God and if you believe that we are created in the image of God, is it not just possible that as there is no limit to God, there is no limit to us?

When we 'name' ourselves with negative terms, we create limits that are not really there. We create a “reality” that doesn't exist (that's called an illusion). When we 'name' ourselves positively – I AM worthy! I AM able to lose weight and keep it off. I AM loveable. I AM ______________(fill in the blank) we silence those self-limiting beliefs, we acknowledge that there are no limits and we create that reality.

Try this exercise: Write down your self-limiting beliefs – the negative things that you keep telling yourself about yourself. Then turn that around. Take out the negativity, break down the limits. On an index card, write I AM in big block letters. On the other side, write a positive.

Instead of “I am numerically challenged”, I would write I AM on one side of a card and on the other, I would write something like “able to do math.”

Make as many of these cards as you need to give the lie to all those self-limiting beliefs and any time you find yourself getting down on yourself or thinking a negative thought or believing a self-limiting belief, go to your cards. Read them aloud: I AM able to do math (or whatever). Feel empowered by it.
Think it. Speak about their reality. Act out that reality. Receive that reality.

You'll create a mindset in which there are no limits. L is for ___________________!