Rewrite Your Story: Transforming Self-Limiting Beliefs with Neuroplasticity

Have you ever noticed how the stories we tell ourselves about our abilities shape our reality? By telling ourselves self-limiting belief stories, we are rewiring our brains to believe them, which then changes our behaviour.

When we say things like, “I wish I could make it to that spin class, but Mondays are too tough,” or “I hate eating greens, so getting enough veggies feels impossible,” we’re actually reinforcing those beliefs in our brains. These narratives become our truth, influencing our behaviour and decisions. You may never consider going to that spin class on Mondays anymore, or even bother trying to eat veggies because the story you’ve told yourself is that it’s impossible.

The fascinating part is that our brains are actually plastic, which means that we can change how our neural connections are wired through building habits, patterns and repetition. This means that what you share with others, you strengthen that story within yourself, and it reinforces that connection within the brain.

If you’re as fascinated by the brain as I am, you’ll find this concept of neuroplasticity intriguing! I also find it fascinating that I use this stuff daily within my work. As an adaptive fitness and rehab coach, I work a lot with clients on rewiring their neural connections through specific movement patterns and cerebellar drills to help manage symptoms from their conditions, such as foot drop or chronic pain. Just as poor movement patterns can become ingrained with practice, consistently practicing new or adapted patterns can make them the default for the brain and body.

The crucial point to understand is that this rewiring can lead in both beneficial and not-so-beneficial directions. The stories we tell ourselves can either be stepping stones toward our goals or barriers that hold us back.

Changing the narrative by changing your story

The examples above about spin class and eating greens are real life ones from some of my peers. Can you identify any of your own self-limiting stories that you tell yourself or others? Take a few minutes to think this through or start writing a list. Try and identify where these stories came from—did they come from yourself, a peer, school, or perhaps a parent?

Once you’ve identified these stories, try to rephrase them in a positive way that reflects what you want to achieve. For example:

“My health goals are important to me, so I am going to make it to that spin class on Monday.”

“I find creative ways to get enough greens in my diet.”

This exercise is powerful and can help us rewire our brains to benefit us and allow us to grow, build confidence and succeed in our goals and desires. Plus, it can be applied to all aspects of life, not just health and fitness.

Barbara Hudson (formerly known as Stanny), a life and money coach that I personally follow for my own personal goals, states, “Language is powerful. There is a direct correlation between what you think, the words you use and the life you have. If you have to change your life, change your story.”

So this week, I challenge you to consciously change one narrative. It might feel strange or even uncomfortable at first, but remember that change takes time and practice. By consistently rewriting your story, you can gradually reshape your reality and move closer to your goals.

Your coach,
Megan Williamson

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