Self-imposed limits are a result of our own thinking based on past conditioning. They are boundaries we’ve set in our minds about what we can’t be, do, have or achieve. These limits are not real; they only exist in our minds.

If you’re frustrated with boundaries and feel ready to expand your life, I encourage you to identify your self-imposed limits. Once you know what they are, you can free yourself from restrictions.

Self-imposed limits feel constricting and depressing. They often sound like the following

• I should stay in this career since this is what I earned my degree for.
• I am too old to even try now.
• I shouldn’t risk it; it could take too long and be too much work.
• I’ll never earn much money. No one in my family has ever made over $75,000 per year.
• I don’t have the time to “just do it.” I am too busy.
• I can’t publish a book; I am not a professional writer.

Self-imposed limits are false restrictions we place upon ourselves that stop us from taking further action and turning our dreams into reality. Imagine fully believing in your true potential rather than holding back because of self-imposed limitations.

This week, prepare yourself to jump out of the box and start creating your life from a much bigger space.

1. Make a List of the Limits You Place on Yourself.

Once you bring your awareness to the boundaries you’ve built, you can decide to make different decisions that align with what you really want. You no longer need to tell yourself “I can’t.”

Become inspired and open to all possibilities for recreating your life.

2. Change Your Beliefs.

Ask yourself whether you are truly limited in the way you previously thought. Why would you believe you are limited? What could you do without these limits?

Replace your negative, false beliefs with true and empowering ones.

3. Improve Your Self-Image.

Start seeing yourself as the highest and best version of you. Ask your highest self for daily guidance and listen to your intuition. By listening to your highest self, you start to develop a higher level of confidence.

What would your best and most confident self say to those limitations?

4. Have a Positive Expectation.

Expect the best with complete certainty. When you free yourself of limitations, you create space to fully see and believe in all that you’re capable of. Positively expect amazing outcomes. When you let go of self-imposed limits, you naturally release worry and need for perfection. You become present in the moment.

You were born to succeed and that is the beautiful truth. Now, fully expect it with certainty.

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Empowerment Expert , and Master Certified Coach Karen Fagan publishes her “Live in Your Brilliance” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live bold, brilliant and rich in your life and business, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Live in Your Brilliance at www.karenfagan.com. Want to see more secret tips? see Karen’s blog at Karen http://www.karenfagan.com/blog/

This Week’s Question:

Karen,

I can’t seem to do anything right! I made a New Year’s resolution that this would be the year that I would lose the 30 lbs. I gained during my pregnancy two years ago and do whatever necessary to build my online business to new heights. Here it is, the middle of April, and nothing has changed.

I feel like I will always be the one who just hopes and dreams to no avail. My girlfriends have tried to help, but I don’t think they can understand. They all work for someone else and don’t have all of the pressure and responsibility of owning a business. None of them has the weight problem I do. Whenever I tell them how I’m feeling, they just tell me it will all work out and that I worry too much.

I go to bed every night promising myself that tomorrow will be different – that I’ll quit spinning my wheels and accomplish more. But, for whatever reason, I keep failing to live up to my promises to myself, and I feel like I’m disappointing my husband and possibly even my friends.

What’s wrong with me – and how do I make it right?

Kelly -Frustrated in Florida

Karen’s Answer:

I am so glad you wrote in, Kelly! I reallywant you to hear me say this – “There is nothing wrong with you”!

The real truth is that you can be or do anything you desire.  It’s not too late for you to meet your goals; in fact, you can turn things around starting today!  So, let’s cut to the chase and ditch that entire BS that there is something wrong with you, and get you in a much better place, instead.  Continuing to think you are flawed and unable to move forward is just holding you back and blocking you.

My Five Steps To A Better Place

Here are 5 steps that will shift your energy, motivation, and mindset.  Decide to apply them today and watch your life and business begin to transform – instantly!

1. Practice Motivation & Clarity. Let’s break this way down. My sense is that the combined thoughts of losing 30 pounds AND moving your online to new heights is depleting you – rather than motivating you. You see, you CAN accomplish it all and have it all – but first – let’s re-focus and break it all down into doable steps.Would you feel better thinking about losing 5 pounds instead of thirty? I bet you said yes! You see, you’re not giving up on losing thirty; you are simply shifting your focus for the next month to that of losing 5 pounds. It is what we do with consistency and momentum that allows us to achieve our goals.Breaking your goals way down into doable steps is key to unlocking your success. Instead of the much broader concept of taking your business to new heights – let’s get clear – what specific area of your business would you like to bring to a new level?  Pick just one area of your business, and once you accomplish your goals in that area, then move on to the next area in which you would like to improve. Once you get clear, break it down into do-able steps and your motivation will sky rocket!  Without motivation, we fail to take new action – and new action is always needed to create different results in our life.

1. Ditch the “I promise and I’m hoping to.” Begin, immediately, to take ACTION. Take action like you mean it!  The truth is – promises mean nothing. That is why, as you said, you keep failing to live up to your promises. You need new action! I cannot stress this enough – it’s all in the action.Once you gain more clarity about your goals and break them down into doable steps, then just look at them month-by-month. For example, by the end April define what you want to accomplish and then define the new action you will need to take to achieve this goal. If losing 1 ½ pounds by the end April is the goal – define the action(s) necessary to achieve this goal – such as: “Get rid of all junk food in the house and shop for nutritious foods that will support my goal to lose 1 ½ pounds by April 30th, and set my alarm 30 minutes earlier every morning to ensure enough time for a walk.”

1. Stop worrying about what others think. The only person you are disappointing is you.  No one else cares more about your life than you do, so take back your power NOW, by focusing on you! When you focus on what others think, you instantly disempower yourself, which is a complete distraction. It keeps you focused on what is not working and no new action will ever transpire in this place.  You have no time for that. Your current level of happiness is less than what you deserve right now. You can’t disappoint others – they choose to be disappointed – remember this, o.k?You desire to live fully, intently, and with massive passion.

1. Mindset – shift it now. I want your thinking to shift into that of being a winner! From this point forward no more thinking about what you haven’t done – once again, this does nothing but disempower you and keep you in the position of victim.  Instead, imagine and fully see yourself as a winner, already in obtainment of your goals. How does this feel? Connect with this daily and often. See yourself in possession of you goals. This will make you feel so good and motivate you to take continued action.

1. Find and Utilize Support. It’s important for you to build connections with like-minded people who get where you are in your goal setting, and can offer you helpful direction and guidance. This could mean making new friendships, joining a local group for businesswomen, or even hiring a private coach who can offer you important and effective tools you may be overlooking.