When I began learning about the power of the mind and the law of attraction, I realized that I, like most people around me, had very limiting beliefs that were actually working against me.
Most people don't understand the power of their minds, much less the harmful beliefs they carry around, assuming to be their truth.
In this article, I will give four common limiting belief examples that most people have that are actually preventing their desires from manifesting.
How do you overcome limiting beliefs?
Overcoming limiting beliefs is easier than you might think, as it really involves becoming aware of the belief itself.
The first step to finding a limiting belief is to look at an area in your life where you feel you're struggling. It could be your finances, relationships, or health, for example. Whatever it is, get a sheet of paper and write your problem out at the top.
Next, while contemplating this issue in your life, think of all the thoughts that come up about it. If your issue is low self-esteem, gently ask yourself, "Why do I struggle with loving myself?" Some beliefs will start bubbling to the top of your consciousness in the form of answers: I've done unforgivable things, I'm not normal, there's something wrong with me, I hate how I look, I can't ever get it right, etc. Those are examples of beliefs someone may hold that prevent them from loving themselves.
This exercise brings your beliefs to the surface for you to realize. Sometimes even becoming fully aware of a belief can be enough to begin slowly releasing it. Most times though, you'll want to begin reprogramming your subconscious mind with a new belief.
This article is mostly focused on sharing the 4 common limiting beliefs many people hold, but you can read this article I wrote on the subconscious mind and how to begin reprogramming it with new beliefs that will serve you.
What are core limiting beliefs?
Negative core beliefs are deeply ingrained in you that you don't question and assume to be true.
These beliefs can be the most damaging because we assume them to be true and not a belief. But a belief is just a thought you've thought many times, and beliefs are only true if you believe them to be.
When we get into quantum physics and the nature of reality, we learn that we truly choose our every experience. Again, most people believe in the reality created by mass consciousness from generations past and current, which greatly limits them because mass consciousness is far behind in accessing what's truly possible for us.
Negative core beliefs are things we assume to be absolute truth, beliefs that we don't even think are BELIEFS because we don't realize there is another option to believe.
4 common limiting beliefs
For a very long time, I was a pessimistic person. I didn't think of myself as unhappy per se, but I wouldn't have told you I was excited about life. I thought I was "realistic," "logical," and bursting at the seams with "common sense."
Little did I know I was holding myself back from a life with so much more to offer. Looking back, I can see exactly where I was going wrong.
Changing these four limiting beliefs has changed my life and what I've been able to manifest for myself, and they can for you, too.
1. I am a victim of my circumstances
Most of the world sees themselves as a victim. They take little to zero ownership of their experience and instead believe outside forces make them broke, sick, unhappy, lonely, etc.
When we make ourselves victims, we take away our own power. When you blame someone else or outer circumstances for your current reality, you make your situation hopeless because you are essentially saying you can't change it or do anything about it. And something can be done for absolutely anything imaginable.
Every single thing in your reality is a reflection of what you have chosen to believe is true for you. It started out with a thought, turned into a chronic pattern of thinking, morphed into a belief, and was sent down to your subconscious mind, where it cemented itself. Once a belief makes its way down into your subconscious mind, it is then executed and put into motion. Your beliefs will always confirm your reality.
But people like to be victims. It takes away the responsibility and gets people to console and feel sorry for you (at least, you think they do). They become enraged if this victim mentality is threatened, saying, "How dare you say that I attracted this horrible situation into my life?" This is the nature of our Universe, though–like attracts like.
When you understand that your thoughts are vibration and energy, you realize you are your ship's captain. You no longer have to let yourself thrash around in the ocean in a crappy life preserve.
Never see yourself as a victim. Get back behind the wheel of your ship and navigate it to calmer waters.
2. I have to see it before I believe it
Most people believe current reality is all that there is. Physical reality is actually residual from past thinking. When you look at current reality, you're witnessing the past.
This means that to bring forth a desire, you must believe it BEFORE you see it. This is how things are created–made in our minds first and then manifested physically on the outside.
People believe many things aren't possible for them based on what they've seen, which, as we've just discussed, is no basis for what can be.
My close friend, Mama Instincts, decided she was tired of dealing with mosquito bites, so she shifted her belief that mosquitoes affect her. When I was staying with her this past summer, I saw three mosquitos on her leg simultaneously and later noticed she had no signs of mosquito bites while my legs were covered with them.
Most people wouldn't believe this to be a possibility. She used to believe mosquitos affected her and that she suffered from their bites, but now her body no longer reacts to them. She kept affirming to herself her new belief, and once the belief made its way into her subconscious mind, it became a reality she could see.
How many things do you believe aren't possible simply because you're basing your belief on what you've seen for yourself or others? What's possible for all of us if we base our possibilities not on tangible proof from the past but on what we can imagine to be true in our minds first?
Believe it, and you will eventually see it; that is how our universe operates.
3. You have to work hard for what you want
Working hard is a virtue in Western society. We put struggle, exhaustion, and sacrifice on a pedestal so that we can feel okay about receiving good things. This stems from most of us not really feeling worthy of good things unless we work hard for them. It's also based on a very outdated premise once again: that we aren't in a vibration-based universe that yields to us what we put out vibrationally.
The more we value struggle, the more of it we get. It's a universal law.
You don't have to work hard for what you want. You didn't come here to struggle most of your experience. Sure, some struggle helps clarify what we truly want, but it was never meant to be the majority of our experience.
We came to have fun, to grow, learn, and discover—but mostly to have fun! Doesn't this resonate in your bones? Don't you absolutely love inner peace, loving others, and feeling passionately alive? Of course you do; it's your very nature.
You don't have to work hard any more than you have to see things first to believe they're possible. You have to hold your vision in your mind, feel it as real in your inner experience, and allow it to manifest in your outer experience. I'm not saying action won't be taken because it will.
When you're in alignment, you want to take action. But the action will be irresistible to every fiber of your being. It will not feel hard.
Your only work is to make the desire vivid and real in your mind. From there, your subconscious mind will execute the desire, and it will show up in the most fulfilling ways. No struggle or sacrifice is needed.
4. Professionals/others know what's best for me
I can't tell you how many times I've seen people shot down by others for not listening to the advice of a professional or a well-meaning relative/friend. From a young age, we are led to believe that someone else always knows better than we do about ourselves and that we can't trust our feelings and thoughts.
Bring your inner child up to the surface so they can be here to read these words with you: YOU CAN TRUST YOURSELF. You are worthy of that trust.
We all have a voice inside ourselves that tells us what's in alignment with us or not, and it's actually always playing a game of hot or cold with us.
When you're getting far from the truth, you feel negative emotions such as fear, depression, hate, resentment, and guilt. This is your inner voice saying, "COLD, YOU'RE SO COLD!! COME BACK OVER HERE WHERE I AM."
When you're getting close to the truth, you feel positive emotions such as joy, love, contentment, peace, and forgiveness. This is your inner voice saying, "YOU ARE SO DANG HOT, WHOOOHOOO!! THIS FEELS SO GOOD!"
I tell my kids this all the time because it's a great thing to understand that when you're not feeling good, it's because your inner voice/being does not have the same thoughts as you. When you feel fear, you feel horrible because your inner being doesn't agree with your fearful thoughts.
When you feel elated and on top of the world, you feel amazing because your inner being is soaring with you.
Stop seeking so many outside opinions and trust that all of your answers can be found within. You aren't alone in there; you've got an inner being always holding your hand.
EXPLORE FURTHER
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this article and found something to take away with you.
To receive my weekly, self-care focused email that inspires you to go deeper inside the magic that is you, sign up for the Dwell in Magic weekly newsletter.
If you’d like weekly digital resources, guidance, and community with me and others, come and join the Dwell in Magic Patreon. We have a book club too!
For self-paced inner work, visit the shop for transformational bundles and guides.
With love,
Jessica
- How Self-Care Sets the Frequency for Everything You Manifest This Year - January 13, 2026
- Magnetism vs Hustle: What True Manifestation Feels Like - July 26, 2025
- Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards: Understanding the Key Differences - March 11, 2025
Kathy
Wow, I'm in San Tan Valley. We are neighbors. Love your blog!
Jessica Dimas
You're in San Tan Valley too?! Wow what a small world!
Style Scout
Love it! So simple yet makes all the difference
Jessica Dimas
Yes! 🙂
Mjb
Thank you so much for all these blogs and ideas. I have gotten away from dreaming and planning and had returned to the victim mode. I am so inspired by all your ideas. I'm excited to put them back to work in my life. I can feel the spark being relit and that energy and passion for life returning. I'm so grateful I found your blog!
Jessica Dimas
I totally know what you mean, I get those ruts too and return to victim mode. The good thing is that you recognize it now so you'll always know when you've strayed. Makes it easier to return to the magic! I'm so happy you stumbled across my blog and found some inspiration, hope you have a magical 2017 xo
Ryan
I totally agree with everything you said here. I try to preach this to people but it is hard to get them to understand. you truly csn manifest your life! And ince you start you begin tk have evidence that it works and it becomes addictive because you realize the true power of manifestation. #1 is the MOST important. You can not play victim! Yaaassss! Great post.
Jessica Dimas
Thanks Ryan! So true, it really does become addicting once you've seen that it really does work. Thank you for leaving a comment, lots of love to you xo
Kacy Danae
Love this!
I also feel like my life did a 180 the day I found Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance on a dusty flea market shelf. I see you also found it inspiring.
Jessica Dimas
Oh yes, that book is one of my favorite daily books! I really love her perspective!
Sarah
Hi!
Thank you very much for all those resources for self-help!
I know that manifestation works. It did, many times, in different areas of my life and concerning things of different importance. However, there are still some topics where I struggle a lot with the common concepts of manifestation:
1. Ok, I totally agree with you that the inner voice knows best and that what feels wrong IS wrong. But what to do if you're in a position when you can't decide for yourself and/or your social environment exerts a lot (I mean an overwhelming lot) of pressure on you?
Same goes for that work-hard-belief. What if your social surroundings punish, threaten or humiliate you, if you don't show more afford and self-sacrifice? What if you can't easily escape such a toxic environment, because you are bound by higher forces (e.g. government/law)?
2. What triggers the initial spark of victimization? How do we attract the first experience that makes us internalize those unhealthy beliefs about ourselves?
3. Are we really only responsible for our own feelings? Wouldn't that mean that we could go bully, humiliate or even torture anyone and claim that it's not your fault they feel bad, but that they could just choose to feel great, because they are the only ones responsible for their feelings? I met psychological therapists who just said that! But honestly, I don't think so. I do believe that we have a responsibility towards our fellow humans. And bullying and torture are meant to break someone emotionally and mentally. It's not like a test, that if you meet certain criteria they would suddenly stop it and accept you. They will only increase their afford to break you. So, how to resolve this with the responsibility for your own feelings? There certainly IS such a thing, but where to draw the line?
Sarah
4. What about contradicting manifestations? Let's say, there is a crossroads with traffic lights. A pedestrian has visualized how today every traffic light in front of him/her would be green and how great this feels. And then there is a car driver who visualized the same with the same intensity of great feelings. Now they come to the crossroads at the same time. Who will get the green light?
Sarah
5. What about surprises? How are they possible? Imagine, you're in a great mood, everything's fine and suddenly something bad happens that leaves you shaken. Ok, in that case one might argue, if you were really in such a great mood, if there wasn't a tiny subconscious doubt or feeling of anxiety... But there are good surprises, as well. Imagine, you are completely down, seemingly nothing works in any area of your life. You have no hope of ever getting better. But out of the blue something good happens that changes your life to the positive.
I'm pretty sure we all know either situation. But how can it happen? If you're down and convinced that everything is hopelessly lost, then according to the law of attraction nothing good can come.
6. How to find the right balance between repetition of your intention to enhance the energy of your visualization and just releasing it with trusting thought?
7. There are moments when we feel gratitude that at least [insert any positive circumstance here] is good and right after this life takes away exactly this relief. For example, you had a stressful day, lost your job, got into a rain shower and while hurrying home you twisted your ankle. Now you're waiting for the doctor. Despite everything that went wrong today, at least the waiting line proceeds relatively fast. You are grateful for that. But next moment an incident happens that stops the queue from proceeding any further. You're sent home without the doctor examining your twisted ankle.
Maybe not to that extrem, but I'm pretty sure that most of us experienced such moments when a big relieving Yeah turns into an unnerving Nay. But why? When does gratitude work for us to free us of bad circumstance and when does it turn into bad circumstance, as well?
Swear, this was the last one.
Jessica Dimas
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and layered comment. I can feel how deeply you’ve reflected on these topics, and I really appreciate you bringing such important and real questions into this space.
You’re not alone in grappling with these paradoxes, things like systemic pressure, emotional responsibility, the unpredictability of life, and how manifestation fits into all of it are big and complex. It’s so valid to question the nuance that’s often missed in oversimplified teachings.
To touch on a few of your points:
When you're in environments that are toxic or oppressive, it’s not about “just choosing a better thought.” That’s spiritual bypassing, and it’s not helpful. Real change often starts with acknowledging the pain and pressure, and then working with small shifts that help you reclaim some internal space or power, even if your outer world hasn’t changed yet.
We’re not solely responsible for everything that happens to us, but we are responsible for how we respond to what happens. That distinction matters. And yes, we absolutely have a responsibility toward each other as humans—compassion, boundaries, and justice coexist with inner work.
Contradicting manifestations, surprises, and gratitude “turning” on us are all signs that life isn’t linear or mechanical. Manifestation isn't a vending machine...it’s more like a dance with energy, intention, and trust. Sometimes, what we receive isn’t exactly what we asked for but leads us somewhere even better or gives us the clarity we need to shift.
Your example about feeling grateful one moment and then being hit with more chaos is so relatable. What I’ve found is that alignment isn’t about control, it's about trusting. It’s not about avoiding all bad things, but being resourced enough to meet life when they happen.
Thank you again for your honesty and curiosity. This conversation really matters and I hope you keep asking and trusting your own inner knowing because that’s where real alignment lives.
Warmly,
Jessica