I believe that the majority of our limitations are self-imposed.

Why? Well, we follow a God and we are created by a God without limitations. A God who is unlimited in nature, in character, and in ability. If we believe that God can break through limitations, why do we limit ourselves in so many ways?

In Philippians 4:13, Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I want to believe that in my life as well. Yet so often, I find myself in the middle of these doubts and insecurities that bring me back to a place of self-imposed limitations.

The question is, how do we overcome the self-imposed limitations in our lives? How do we shift our mindset from one of limitations to one of possibility in Christ?

I’m going to walk you through four practical and simple steps you can take today to overcome self-imposed limitations in your life. In order to illustrate these steps, I’m going to share an example from my own life. Specifically, this example comes from my experience as a person with a limb difference.

For so long, I believed I couldn’t do a push-up. I told myself I couldn’t do push-ups or any sort of plank. This was a limitation I placed on myself during high school track practices and gym class and even in my own workout time. My coaches excused me during these activities, and I’d modify by doing something else instead. For example, while the others were doing push-ups, I’d do jumping jacks. While the workout instructor on a YouTube video was doing mountain climbers, I’d do high knees. And the list goes on.

But that idea that I couldn’t do push-ups or planks simply wasn’t true. I imposed that limitation on myself, but a few years ago, I came to the realization that it was time to overcome that belief.

Here’s how I did it, and here’s how you can overcome your self-imposed limitations as well.

1. Identify the limitation as self-imposed.

The first step to overcoming a self-imposed limitation is to identify it as such. I was telling myself I couldn’t do push-ups and planks, but I didn’t see this as a self-imposed limitation. I saw it as truth. I saw it as obvious. How was I supposed to do a push-up with one arm? I know some people are strong enough to do one-armed push-ups, but arm strength isn’t my gift. A traditional one-armed push-up wasn’t an option for me.

So I couldn’t do it.

But in college, I started working out with my friends and I wondered if perhaps there were ways I could modify positions without changing them entirely. Perhaps I could do some sort of push-up and start building up my arm strength.

For the first time, I saw that this limitation was self-imposed. I placed it on myself. There’s no rulebook that says one-armed girls need not attempt.

2. Distinguish the reasons behind this self-imposed limitation.

After you’ve identified a self-imposed limitation, your next step is to figure out why you placed that limitation on yourself. Was it out of insecurity? Fear of failure? Lack of confidence in your own ability? Worry about what others might think?

It’s probably a combination of several different things. For me, it was a mixture of fear of failure and worry about how my one-armed push-ups would look to others. I didn’t want to try and mess up, or realize that I really can’t do lots of exercises with one arm. It was safer to place these limitations on myself than try and fail. I also thought a girl with one arm doing push-ups and planks was going to look clumsy and awkward and altogether strange to anyone else in the gym.

And you know what? It probably does. But it’s not healthy to center our mindsets on the opinions of others, or on the fear of failure… which brings us to our next step.

3. Ask God to transform your mindset.

Now that you’ve identified the motives behind your self-imposed limitations, ask God to transform your mindset. In Romans 12:2, Paul wrote, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The pattern of this world is filled with doubt, fear, insecurity, worry, and all those things that might be behind your self-imposed limitation. The gift of Christ is peace, joy, hope, faith, and confidence in His ability to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. Prayer is a powerful way to begin to experience this transformation.

4. Create a plan.

Finally, create a plan to make your self-imposed limitation a reality of something you can now accomplish.

My plan wasn’t to put all the stress in my left arm and do a full-fledged one-armed push-up. Instead, I tried using a prop beneath my “little arm” to even out the length of my arms. I used everything from a chair to a foam block to a small medicine ball. Now, I typically use the ottoman in our living room because it’s the perfect length of a forearm. By using a prop, I can do all sorts of planks and have been able to work on my push-ups (though I’ll be the first to admit, they’ll never be the most beautiful push-ups in the world).

Create a plan that works for you, and take action!

Friend, I hope you found these four simple steps helpful as you approach some of the self-imposed limitations in your life.

And never forget… you are onederfully created in the same Christ who will work to renew your mind.

Love,
Becca