Self-imposed limitations can, and most inevitably will at some point, have detrimental (or at the very least extremely negative) repercussions on a person’s ability to be successful and happy in life and can completely eradicate any chance of the feeling of fulfilment and satisfaction in regard to their existence.
The adverse ramifications that can result from these self-limiting behaviors can manifest in damaging one’s physical health, emotional stability, mental state and, in the most extreme capacities, be damaging to one’s ability to secure even their most basic needs for survival such as food, water and shelter.
The following are 4 incredibly harmful ways that self-limiting harmful thoughts or behaviors can impact any individual who has succumbed to them:
PHYSICAL
If you have low self-esteem, or lack the appropriate amount of self-confidence, or you are in the habit of continuously ‘body shaming’ yourself, then undoubtedly, but possibly unknowingly, will impose limitations on yourself that prevent you from being healthy in the physiological sense.
You may tell yourself that you inherently lack the self-control or will power to change whatever bad eating habits that you have or that you will never have the physical power or strength to participate in any kind of activity that involves exercise.
As with all of the undesirable consequences of self-limiting behavior, this attitude is very indicative of a person who truly does not feel that they are capable of adopting the ‘mind over matter’ doctrine in their daily lives, when in reality, all people are capable of mastering their own daily routines, although in most cases it is definitely easier said than done.
MENTAL
If you are someone who consistently weighs yourself down with self-limiting behaviour, you are imposing a mental ‘ceiling’ of sorts on yourself by probably just adopting the notion that you are incapable of a certain level of thinking as fact and not just how you view your mental acuity.
If you have repeatedly told yourself that you are simply incapable of a certain level of thinking or lack the ability to educate yourself to work in careers that are considered to be a ‘higher’ profession, than you are experiencing one of the most tragic manifestations of self-limiting behavior.
EMOTIONAL
Depression, be it clinical or environmental, is most certainly one of the potential implications that those who impose self-limitations on themselves experience. Those who continuously have engrained thoughts of ‘you are not good enough’ or ‘you are not smart enough’ or ‘you are not strong enough’ inevitably become a much worse enemy and inflict far worse damage to their psyche and feelings of self-worth than any outside force could ever possibly do.
SURVIVAL
In the most extreme cases of those who impose limitations upon themselves, the simple ability to provide oneself with the basics of food, water, and shelter can be dangerously compromised.
This is the case with a large part if any homeless population in any given area, and although much homelessness and destitution is the result of mental illness or instability, there exist a large percentage of indigents who are in the situation that they are because of the terrible effects that imposing self-limitations has on human brain.
Once a person has decided that they are simply incapable of functioning at the level that the majority of society is capable of living, then their options become limited or even non-existent and eventually there is a descent into a state of living that can be described most accurately as ‘just giving up’.
Sad as it is, this level of existence is most certainly in many cases another casualty of a person having imposed limitations upon themselves and not having given their own self a chance to succeed.
