Beliefs are like signposts. We go in the direction they point towards whenever we’re in a territory we have never been in before. Without them we will be lost. But that doesn’t mean that they always point in the right direction. If we aren’t careful, our beliefs might nudge us far from where we want to be.

They might do that by telling ourselves things like, ‘you can’t do this because you’ve never done it before’ or they might deflate our spirit with statements like, ‘you won’t succeed because you have failed in the past.’ The worst thing about limiting beliefs is that they are obstacles that we don’t realize exist.

That means that even without us knowing their presence, limiting beliefs can and do stop us from achieving our goals. Provided you want to root them out and get rid of them once and for all, try out these two super-helpful tips and tricks:

#1: Write down your thoughts
One of the best things you could do to expose (and overcome) your limiting beliefs is by writing them down. As long as they were inside your head, they had power over your actions. Once they are on paper, the tables have turned. You can do something about them. Let’s explain this point with an example.

Imagine for a moment you have negative thoughts about an upcoming exam. You fear that you won’t be able to pass it with the needed grade. Writing down this fear on a piece of paper – and pasting the paper where you can see it every day – will let you do something about the fear.

You can try and study harder, consult a tutor who can better prepare you or go online to get better guiding material than what you currently have. All of this will be only possible after you’ve written down your thoughts, as it will only be afterward that you can do something about them.

#2: Talk to your loved ones about your limiting beliefs
It may help to talk about your limiting beliefs with someone you trust. That person might be your life partner, a friend, a family member. Talking to them will help you because they will give you a much-needed (and unique) perspective on your thoughts.

Provided you do that, it will be as if you’ve subjected your negative thoughts to UVC. You might feel afterward as if you’ve neutralized them with a UV lamp. That even though they are in your mind, their potency is no longer lethal.

Research also lends credence to this ‘talk it out’ theory. It turns out that venting to a trusted friend makes it easier for us to break out of negative thought patterns. As a bonus, your relationship with the person you are discussing your limiting beliefs also gets stronger.