Expanding Your Comfort Zones: The Key to Your Success – Part 3 of 3
Written by Carol Look
PART 3 of 3
It is incredibly exciting to shine a light on expanding your comfort zones and limiting beliefs…it gives you the power to change your life. Without knowing where these are, what they are, or that they are protecting you from changing, you would never change!
Remember, limiting beliefs are the convictions you have that support your comfort zones. For instance, your comfort zone might be to earn $50,000 a year. This might be supported by a limiting beliefs that says “No one in my family has ever earned more than $50,000 a year, so I am not allowed to either.” Or maybe you have a limiting beliefs that follows this line of reasoning: “I’m not worthy of earning a six figure income” or “I don’t deserve more money since there are so many poor people in the world.” If you are not where you want to be financially, assume you have some very simple convictions that are keeping a lid on your success.
FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE
You continue to express a desire to move to the “next level” financially. Maybe this is represented in an increase of $50,000 per year in annual income. Will you stay within your comfort zone if you make this leap?
Usually, if you want to know what your comfort zone is in your financial life, look at your bank account and assets from year to year.
* Is your salary or savings account increasing?
* Do you blame the economy for your salary or lack of earnings?
* Do you earn more or less than your peers in the field?
* What risks do you associate with earning more money?
* What are your “excuses” for staying in the salary range you are in?
* Even though I can’t make more money because of this economy, I accept who I am and my earning potential.
* Even though I have fear about earning more, I accept these limitations because I know I am changing them.
* Even though a part of me is reluctant to move to the next level, I accept who I am and how I feel.
Now imagine yourself earning 20% more than last year. How does it feel? Is there any discomfort you feel in your body or mind about this jump? (If there is anxiety, tap until you can picture and feel it as a “reality” and then move on to the next level.)
Now imagine that you have earned 30% more than your current base salary. What does this feel like? Any uncomfortable feelings or “excuses” about why this can’t happen? (If there are any uncomfortable feelings or “yes, buts” that you notice, begin tapping on them until you can clearly imagine yourself making the 20% leap with emotional ease.)
Now imagine that you have made a 50% leap in your annual income. Pretend to hear yourself telling someone about this leap. Hear what they say back to you…your reaction to them…and measure the responses inside of you. (If there is any discomfort at this level, identify the feelings and fears and tap until it feels easy to make this imaginary advance in your annual income.) Continue with this process of raising your income until you are satisfied with the new dollar amount.
* Even though I won’t feel like “me” if I earn more money, I accept and honor who I am.
* Even though I’m not sure I want to change how things are right now, I deeply and completely love and accept myself anyway.
* Even though I don’t want to upset my colleagues, I accept this conflict right now.
If you do not address this anxiety about raising your annual income, you will forever stay in your current range. I am always being told by clients that yes, they really DO want to make more money, but when I ask them to visualize and feel themselves in a higher income range, they instantly show me their blocks through their body language and facial expressions. They’ve attended countless seminars about improving their resume, searching for the best marketing skills or making a treasure map, but no one has asked them about their energy around the new salary figure!
Fill in the blanks of the following statements to uncover some of your limiting beliefs about financial abundance:
If only I knew ___________________, I would be able to earn more.
If only I believed ___________________, I would make more money.
If only I could learn __________, I would be able to attract the right business opportunity this year.
If only I didn’t have to worry about ______________, I would change right now.
If only I didn’t have to tell anyone_______________, then I would be able to accept the changes.
Play with more “if only statements” to uncover the emotional blocks that you have hidden in your financial life.
Tap as follows:
* Even though I don’t want to rock the boat, I accept who I am and allow myself to earn 20% more a year.
* Even though I’m afraid of what they might say when I get promoted, I accept who I am and that I am capable of earning more.
* Even though I don’t want them to be jealous of my wealth, I accept who I am and how I feel.
* Even though it feels risky to earn more money because my relationships might change, I have decided to change my sabotage patterns anyway.
BUILDING A PRACTICE
I supervise dozens of Tapping Practitioners and therapists. They all agree Tapping works wonders, but they have trouble applying it to themselves for some of their own issues such as attracting the right clients, attracting full paying clients, or building a full practice. No matter what your business is, you may use the questions and tapping suggestions below to identify limiting beliefs and eliminate your current comfort zones.
First, repeat the following statements out loud and rate how “true” they feel on a scale from 0-10: (10=totally true)
* There is enough business for everyone. (0-10)
* I have the ability to attract the perfect clients right now. (0-10)
* I have enough training and experience to build my practice. (0-10)
* I am truly skilled at delivering . (0-10)
If any of these statements were rated below a “7” you are clearly blocking yourself about building your practice. (If you in fact do need more training in this particular field, by all means, sign up for workshops and watch the DVDs! There are exceptional resources available and there is no excuse to being poorly trained.) Start tapping on the reasons you don’t feel these statements are more true.
For instance, you might start tapping as follows:
* Even though there aren’t enough clients for every practitioner in my area, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
* Even though I’m afraid my colleague will get all the business, I accept who I am and that I am attracting the right clients.
* Even though I don’t believe I have what it takes to advance in my business, I accept my skills and who I am.
Now imagine yourself with your ideal schedule. How many hours a week do you work, how many workshops are you leading, what are your fees? Does it seem out of reach or something you will be able to attain? What is your comfort zone around attracting and maintaining your ideal business/practice?
Suppose you are a writer suffering from classic writer’s block. Ask yourself the key questions before proceeding:
* How does this serve me to be blocked?
* What am I afraid of if I move forward?
* What if I AM truly successful at this?
* Which friends/family members will be conflicted about my success?
* Even though I’m afraid I (and they) won’t be able to handle more success, I accept who I am anyway.
* Even though they said I can’t handle money, I accept my feelings and my worthiness.
* Even though no one has ever believed in me, I have decided to believe in me.
Many people have a hard time admitting that their limiting beliefs are indeed serving them in a positive way. Continue to ask yourself the “downside” of moving forward, and you will uncover the beliefs and fears that Tapping will neutralize.
How Do I Know If This Is Working?
First of all, make sure you don’t go digging up the seeds you planted only yesterday. Tap on your limiting beliefs and comfort zones and give it some time. It is exhilarating when it works immediately, but sometimes we need to mix a little patience along with Tapping. Just know for sure that when you change your energy around these issues, the results in your life MUST change.
You will know this is working when:
* you can imagine yourself at your goal weight without anxiety or insecurity
* you imagine yourself being promoted and enjoy handling the responses of your peers
* you can accept the attention you will get for your new pain-free body
* you are eager to show up for the appointment rather than sabotaging your new job
* you get the audition of a lifetime, and know that you got the part
* you stop saying “I can’t afford it.”
* you pay more attention to your feelings than the opinions of others
Again, look at your life and the results in all areas of health, relationships and finances. You won’t be “working” hard at it any more. You will find that successes come more naturally, that certain opportunities come “out of the blue” and that everything works more smoothly.
When you have become more comfortable with your new level of success, return to the above exercises and start all over again. There is no stopping you…
It is good to learn this………..