Gently Release these Three Limiting Beliefs Keeping You Small and step into your power
I went to journal one morning and the page opened to the very first journal entry and it was from 2022. And other journals held entries from even 2020. I wrote about starting a business, the same business I have been trying to start even to this day in 2025. And the fact that I have built such a strong work ethic, have held high responsibility roles, and have invested in certifications as well as different qualifications lets me know that I am not shy to or afraid of hard work. I am afraid of something else.
As a pharmacist, I was trained to rely on evidence, protocols and structure. There was no room for uncertainty, let alone vulnerability. But stepping into the world of entrepreneurship, vulnerability wasn’t just new and uncomfortable, it felt like a threat.
There is something incredibly tender about wanting to share your inner world, your creativity, and your dream with the world, but feeling like every time that you try, fear pulls you back into that comfortable space. When we work hard for others, we are rewarded with validation and predictable outcomes. But working for yourself is personal. And when you are someone who has always been counted on and maybe even shaped your identity around being dependable or exceptional in a certain system, removing these titles and stepping into something completely new can be paralyzing.
When I decided to step away from healthcare and into entrepreneurship, I thought that the hardest part would be building my business and brand. But it wasn’t. The hardest part was letting myself be seen, fully and imperfectly.
But I knew what this feeling was. It is a deep protective instinct that says if I stay small and hidden, I will stay safe. But the truth is, you were never meant to shrink. And you don’t have to carry these limiting beliefs that don’t serve you.
Below are three of the most common beliefs that I have had to release and still work through to this day as I transitioned from a structured and traditional career to one rooted in authenticity, visibility and risk.
Let’s go through them to unlearn them and replace them with grace.
#1: I have to be fully healed before I help others.
But your lived experience is part of your medicine and your story. If you feel this way as well, share from the pieces of your story that placed you where you are today. Talk about what you have learned and how you are still evolving. You never know who will connect with or be inspired by your story.
#2: People will judge me if I show myself.
Yes, they probably will. But that won’t change the fact that there are people that are meant to connect with you and be seen by your truth. Start small. Share something authentic and practice safe expression. You can do this by recording a voice memo, film a video just for you or writing an unfiltered journal post to allow yourself to feel safe with expression.
#3: I’m not ready yet.
Ready is often fear in disguise. Ask yourself, what would I do today if I believed I was ready? And then do one tiny piece of that. Show your body and your nervous system that it is safe to act before you are perfect. I mean, is that not how we learn?!
You cannot step into your power without stepping through vulnerability. You cannot connect with the people that you are trying to serve if you are hiding behind perfection. If you are someone who is starting over, pivoting or slowly building something that feels raw and terrifying, I want you to know this:
You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just have to be willing to be seen right here, right now as you are.
You are not here to play small. You are here to take up space and thrive. Gently releasing beliefs that do not serve you is the first step back towards your true power. Which of these beliefs are you holding onto?