How to Reduce Mental Clutter That ’s Keeping You Stuck

Do these statements sound all-too familiar? I’m too old for that. I’ve never been good at that. I don’t have the time. I just can’t do it. They may sound all-too familiar because these kinds of sentences run through your mind any time you want to try something new, any time you have a goal, any time you want to make a change. Any time, there’s an inkling of “I’d like to try that,” a similar soul-crushing thought pops up, and stomps on your desire before it ever takes flight. You think you’re simply being rational or realistic. You’re just being sensible and pragmatic—like any responsible, reasonable adult. But really, you’re keeping yourself stuck. But really, you’re silencing yourself. And there’s no good reason to do that. The above are examples of limiting beliefs, “beliefs that we hold about ourselves and our circumstances,” according to Natalia van Rikxoort, MSW, ACC, a social worker, therapeutic arts facilitator and life coach who specializes in ADHD and family coaching. And they might be the most common type of mental clutter. Van Rikxoort likened mental clutter to material clutter: “Just like material clutter, when mental clutter gets in the way, we are unable to navigate around obstacles and identify a clear path toward those things we wish to achieve.” In other words, mental clutter stops us from pursuing our goals, because we tell ourselves, in all sorts of ways, that they’re clearly impossible. Another common example of m...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Creativity General Habits Happiness Inspiration & Hope Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress Success & Achievement Assumption clutter Motivation Personal Growth risk-taking Self-Esteem Source Type: blogs