Why in the world would we think about ourselves as disempowered? That makes no sense, right? Why would I, in a leadership role that I really care about, fail to see my opportunity to influence things? Totally illogical. And it happens every day, to all of us.
A helpful starting place is to understand how my subconscious is influencing everything I think. Let’s explore paradigms for a second here. In simple terms, your paradigm is the lens through which you filter all input from your environment. It’s constructed of all your past experiences, what you decided about them, and then the core beliefs you formed from the pattern of things you’ve experienced and interpreted in similar ways. For example, if I grew up in an environment that was unstable, and my family kept running out of food, and I kept getting sick and not getting the medical help I needed, I might form beliefs like ‘the world is not safe, and in order for me to be OK, I have to constantly seek out more help from others.” This belief moves from my conscious mind into my subconscious mind, so I don’t need to recall the belief to drive my behavior, it’s just there influencing me without having to consciously think it. My paradigm is essentially a constellation of beliefs that I no longer consciously think about, but they color the way I perceive situations and what I choose to do about them. It’s like I’m wearing orange tinted glasses as I look in to the world, but I don’t think i’m wearing glasses. I assume everyone else sees everything as orange. (or unsafe, or miserable, or threatening…)
So, applying this to my own personal responsibility, we need to become aware of how we have programmed some beliefs into our subconscious mind that hold us back from taking responsibility, or being in a place of empowerment. I hear leaders talk about these beliefs all the time when I push them to become empowered and change a situation they are in. I hear limiting beliefs like ‘Oh, she’ll always be this way no matter what I do,’ or ‘people don’t really change, so you just need to fire them if it’s not working,’ or ‘it’s not my place to tell my boss what I think about that.’
In our journey towards personal growth and fulfillment, it\’s crucial to understand how our subconscious can hold us back. In this article, we\’ll explore practical strategies to identify and overcome these sneaky limitations, allowing you to shift back into a place of empowerment.
Here are 5 incredibly helpful tips:
1 / Discover the Influence of Your Subconscious Mind:
Explore how your subconscious mind shapes your thoughts, beliefs, and actions, and how it can either propel you forward or hinder your progress. Ask yourself, ‘what old beliefs do I have that might be coloring this situation?’ By acknowledging its influence, you gain the power to reshape your mindset.
2 / Spotting the Sneaky Manifestations of Subconscious Limitations:
Learn to recognize self-doubt, fear of failure, negative self-talk, and self-sabotaging behaviors as signs of subconscious limitations. Armed with this awareness, you can proactively counteract these patterns when they arise.
3/ Embrace Personal Responsibility:
Take charge of your life by accepting personal responsibility for your thoughts, emotions, and actions. By doing so, you empower yourself to make conscious choices that align with your goals and values. Ask yourself, what about this situation did I cause, participate in, or allow to occur? THERE you will find your opportunities for influence and empowerment.
4 / Cultivate Self-Awareness and Mindfulness:
Develop a keen sense of self-awareness and practice mindfulness to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. These tools will help you catch yourself when you drift away from personal power and guide you back on track.
5 / Embrace a Growth Mindset and Positive Change:
Adopt a growth mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities for growth. Instead of focusing on negativity and limitation, believe in your ability to learn, adapt, and overcome limitations. Embracing positive change will propel you towards personal empowerment.
By understanding how your subconscious mind can influence your life, recognizing its sneaky manifestations, and taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions, you can unlock your true potential. So, let’s break free from the chains of subconscious limitations and step into a life of growth, fulfillment, and personal power.