When the Voice Gets Loud/ A Rebellious Aging Reflection on Limiting Beliefs

Lately I have been wrestling greatly with those sneaky, "sketch", familiar whispers that tell me to stay small. Ya know the ones, right? "Who do YOU think you are?" "Why would anyone pay attention to you?" "You are so OLD, stay in your lane. Don't be so out there."

And so it goes, the chorus of limiting beliefs. You have heard it, right?

The truth is, even at 83.5, even with decades of life, learning, loss, ups and downs, strength, weakness, and lots of sparkle behind me, those old voices still pop up often and with vigor and determination. They are persistent. They are loud. And they are wrong—and only to be put immediately in their rightful place, OUT OF YOUR WAY.

I know I am not alone.

Brene Brown reminds us that "Vulnerability is not weakness. It is our greatest measure of courage." So maybe sharing ourselves and our ideas and our joy and our spunk is vulnerable. For sure it is exposing and at the same time, possibly brave.

Brene teaches us that being willing to be seen is the most courageous act of all. When we step forward trembling, we are not being fragile, we are being fierce. (I needed that, how about you?)

Mel Robbins reminds us: "YOU are one decision away from a completely different life." Yup, limiting beliefs freeze us. Mel calls it the hesitation trap. She has her 5 second window theory; in that 5 seconds fear talks louder than our dreams.

So what the heck is the antidote? Tough up AND act anyway. Move before the limiting belief can shut you down. (I am actually here because of Mel's 5 Second Rule, a crazy story for another day). Take the tiny step, post the message, start the project. Share the spark.

Courage first, confidence later.

Buddha teaches: "What you think, you become." Limiting beliefs are not just thoughts, they are patterns that shape who we allow ourselves to be. Buddha reminds us that these beliefs are illusions. They are simply stories, not destiny.

So change your thoughts. Change your path. Observe the fear. Loosen its grip. Choose compassion and dissolve the judgment.

Jay Shetty says, "Don't let other people's doubts become your reality." But here is the twist. Sometimes the "other people" live in our own minds. They are echoes from years ago, from culture, from conditioning, and many from moments that were not our fault. Jay teaches that we must separate identity from the noise.

Truth is we are not our limiting beliefs. We are the awareness behind them.

Remember, our brains are not wired for happiness. They are wired for survival.

Hugs,

Suz xo