Today’s Mandala Message: Overcome another limiting belief
This week I’m working through Principle #33 from Jack Canfield’s “The Success Principles” entitled “Transcend Your Limiting Beliefs”. I set my intention today to ponder overcoming another limiting belief. As a reminder from yesterday’s post, Canfield suggests making a list of any (and all) limiting beliefs that are limiting us. He then offers the following steps to overcoming limiting beliefs:
- Choose a limiting belief from the list
- How does it limit you?
- Declare how you want to be, act, or feel
- Create a turnaround statement that affirms or gives you permission to be, act, or feel in this new way
My limiting belief for today is a combination of several beliefs that essentially states that “I am an awful, lazy, out-of-control, disgusting person for being fat”. Like yesterday’s, this is a “huge” one for me. All through my youth (decades ago) I heard variations on this theme about how awful other people were for being fat: from jokes and ridicule to down-right disgust and loathing. Mind you, up until I was in my early 30s I was thin and I knew that none of that applied to me…until I started gaining weight. Twice since then I’ve managed to return to my goal/desired weight only to go back up again, which is where I am now…35lbs over my goal weight which for some people doesn’t seem like much but when you’re barely 5’2”, every ounce makes a difference. So now I catch myself beating myself up for being fat. Intellectually I understand that being fat doesn’t make me awful, lazy, out-of-control, and/or disgusting, however emotionally…whole different story. Ok…so let’s move on with the remaining steps.
(2) The main limitation of this belief is that I don’t want to be seen, because I fear being negatively judged for being fat. It keeps me from being full-on my true self and going after my full potential because in my mind no matter how great I may be, all I or other people are going to see is a fat person. It also limits me from buying fun clothes that I would love to wear because I think they will over-emphasize my overweight-ness…so why would I want to do that?
(3) I want to love and accept myself regardless of my body size. I want to feel good and safe in my body, regardless of its size. I want my inner light to shine brightly, being fully present, being fully loving and lovable regardless of my body size. I want to allow people to see me, the real me, regardless of my body size.
Where yesterday, Van Gogh was my inspiration, today Lizzo is my inspiration. I am in awe of everything about her especially how she doesn’t let herself or anyone else limit her from being and doing _her_.
“You know how long it took me to fall in love with this body? My butt was my least favorite thing about myself. And I learned to love it. And now it’s the thing everybody can’t stop talking about … Be you. Do you. Don’t let anybody steal your joy.”
— Lizzo
(4) My turnaround statement: “I love and accept myself. I embrace all of who I am. I am safe. I allow myself to be seen. I allow myself to be me.”
A good mindfulness practice would be to converse with another limiting belief.
So how about you? Are you ready to work on another limiting belief? What’s the next one you would choose?
“The only thing
— Ken Piorot
limiting you
is yourself.”
Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
All Things Mandalas
An Invitation
I invite you to color along with me this year as part of what I’m calling “The Year of Self-Exploration and Expansion” with all of my “Mandalas of the ___” (day, week, month, year). If you’re interested in more of a self-exploration approach to coloring, check out my “Coloring Mandalas as Meditation”. You can download this mandala at MandalaoftheWeek.com.
Mandala of the Day 