Unsticking the Story: A Personal Reflection on Limiting Beliefs
We all carry stories about who we are. Some are given to us. Others we pick up along the way. Many are so deeply ingrained that we don’t even notice how much they shape our lives.
Limiting beliefs are like quiet rules we live by. They often come from experiences meant to keep us safe, especially in times of trauma or hardship. At first, they feel protective—don’t speak up, don’t take up space, don’t expect too much. But over time, they become boxes that keep us small, quiet, stuck.
I’ve lived in many of those boxes.
I’ve believed I was too much. Too loud. Too broken. Too tired. I’ve worn the labels of fat, fit, in control, out of control, strong, weak. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia and central sensitization syndrome, I believed I’d always be in pain. That belief ruled my life for years. I adapted to it. I stopped hoping for better.
But those beliefs didn’t allow space for my complexity, for the truth that being human is messy and constantly shifting. Sometimes I feel broken. Sometimes I feel strong. Sometimes I feel both on the same day.
Recently, I had the worst pain flare I’ve had in a year. My brain went straight back to the old script: “My treatments aren’t working anymore. I’m going backward. What if this is forever?” It’s wild how fast we fall into old stories.
But here’s the thing: I listened. I rested. I gave my body care. I shifted the belief. It’s not perfect—I still can’t look left without pain (thanks neck!)—but I’m not trapped in that box anymore.
So I’ll ask you this:
How would your life change if you let go of the belief that you’re not worthy? What would open up if you stopped believing you have to do it all alone? That you’re deserving of more?
What if you’re not broken, just finding your way home?
Limiting beliefs are sticky, but they’re not permanent.
If you’re ready to unstick from yours, reach out. EMDR can help you move through the survival responses that keep old beliefs alive, and create space for new, healing truths to take root.
You’re allowed to believe something different.
With love and appreciation,
Alyssa
