letting go of limiting beliefs

As I take a step back and look at how far I've come in my business and where I still want to go personally and professionally I decided it was time to re-engage with one of my coaches. This coach helped me when I was still in my coaching certification at the Hudson Institute and just launching my business. I remember in our first session I said - I just gave notice at my job and I'm done with advertising. Not yet certified to be a coach officially but I was moving forward anyway - I was claiming what I knew I wanted my next chapter to be. So it was wild to speak to Eileen again today, 2.5 years later, and fill her in on all that's gone on. And more importantly where I see my future going - Austin as well as some upcoming professional opportunities that are pretty noteworthy for me.

She very quickly was able to hone in on the story going on in my head and she asked me: Are you going to allow yourself to live the life you know you want? VERY powerful question. And I thought I already was but the reality is my life is about to embrace yet another large transition - relocating myself - and that's bringing up some fears, beliefs and other stuff that my coach quickly helped me see how that's only limiting me. For example, the fear of more debt and not knowing the best time to make this move given tax season, the move costs, my current business projections, etc. So we got underneath what was driving that fear and I was able to be honest and admit that I have these made up "glass ceilings" of debt numbers in my mind that I don't want to exceed. And the reality is those numbers serve no real purpose other than contributing to my spiraling over them. And then she asked me - what's the worse that would happen if my debt was double what it is now?

What struck me the most about that question is I ask it of my clients all the time - I say let's name the worse case scenario and spend some time looking at it. Because often when you do - when you say it out loud and talk through it it's not nearly as scary as you've made it in your mind. Or it might still be scary but you can talk through it and in doing so develop a plan for how to avoid that said outcome. So that's what we are in the process of doing - making a money plan while I continue to ponder what really would change in my life if my debt doubled? And the reality is, not much. As long as I stay committed to making an income, I'm responsible as I always am and I have a plan - what's the cause for concern. After all, who can really start a business without any debt? So maybe I've put all this undue pressure on myself to live as I was taught growing up - which was to never spend more than I can afford to pay that month. Not a bad lesson but not something that's serving me right now because when I look around I realize all it's doing is limiting my possibilities. And THAT was a huge thing for me to recognize - that a fear of debt is causing me to play it small and my self created glass ceiling is limiting my own possibilities to grow and ultimately be living the exact life I want. Wow.

So with that I'm left continuing to answer the question of how I can allow myself to live the life I want - and I'm working on a plan that allows me to move forward vs feel stuck. And in doing so - all I can say is look out Austin, I'm coming for ya sooner than you think :)

Ask yourself - are you allowing yourself to live the life you truly want to be living? What's getting in the way of what you want? These are powerful questions to spend some time reflecting on. Let me know what you come up with!