EP.27: Self-Perception + Limiting Beliefs – 6 Weeks of Journaling Prompts Part 2
Part 2 of our 6-week journaling series dives into self-perception, limiting beliefs, and God’s truth about who you are. Explore powerful prompts to reflect on how you see yourself, uncover beliefs that may be holding you back, and reframe your thinking to align with God’s purpose for your life. Listen now and begin your journey toward clarity and transformation.
Part 2 in a 6-Week Series of Journaling Prompts to Guide You Through the End of the Year
Introduction:
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Be Still With Bobbi podcast!
Last week, we kicked off a 6-week journaling series with Episode 26, titled: Stillness, Introspection, and Taking Inventory. In that episode, we walked through what it looks like to take an honest inventory of the year that’s nearly over, in an effort to create a starting point for us to dream about the year ahead.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, I encourage you to start there. It’s all about reflecting on where you are right now—your routines, your commitments, and the areas of your life that feel either fully aligned or potentially out of balance.
By taking an honest look at all aspects of our lives in this way, we can easily spot the areas that need attention. Plus, it’s fun to dream about what the coming New Year might hold.
This series is designed to help you close out the year with clarity and step into the next year with purpose. So, whether you’re just starting a journaling practice or looking to go deeper, these prompts will guide you toward greater self-awareness and connection to God.
And, as I mentioned last week, I totally get that the holidays are two of the busiest months of the year. If you don’t have time to journal during this season, it’s okay! Bookmark these 6 episodes for later so you can come back to them in the new year. Listen now, write later.
On that note, let’s dive into Week 2!
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Setting the Stage:
As I was preparing for this episode, I came across a post in a Facebook group I belong to. A mom shared a heartfelt question:
“Now that my last child has gone to kindergarten and all of my kids are in school full-time, I’m feeling a little lost. I’m not sure what to do with all of my free time. I had a lucrative career years ago, but I’m not sure I want to go back to that. But I’m also not sure what else to do.”
Her vulnerability struck a chord with me. Within minutes, her post had dozens of comments, with women offering advice: “Volunteer!” “Take up a new hobby!” “Go back to work!” They said.
While all well-meaning, this flood of advice missed something important. The truth is, none of these women knew what this mom truly needed. They were just offering suggestions based on what they would do.
When we feel lost, our instinct is often to fill the void—to look outward for answers. But what’s truly needed in moments like this is to pause. To be still. To turn inward and listen.
Our culture encourages us to seek solutions externally—to ask others what we should do or look for examples of what worked for them. But the deeper questions – the ones like, What should I do next? Who am I meant to be in this season? What do I really want?—can only be answered from within.
This is why stillness and introspection are so important. By quieting our minds and tuning into God’s voice, we can uncover the unique desires He has placed on our hearts … and ours alone. Instead of following someone else’s path, we can discover the one meant specifically for us.
This doesn’t feel natural at first. Because we’ve been taught to fit in at all costs. But learning to seek answers from within has the power to transform the way you see yourself, your life, and your future.
That’s our focus for today: How you see yourself, how God sees you, and how your beliefs—both limiting and empowering—shape your path forward.
So with that … let’s dig into some prompts:
One quick side note: What I hope you get out of these episodes is a question or two (or maybe three or four) from each category that deeply resonates with you. Let those questions be the ones you answer and take into your journaling time. You don’t have to answer them all. You’re not being graded … I just want you to have several to choose from.
Let’s start with a handful of prompts about how you see yourself.
- What are three words you would use to describe yourself right now?
- How would your closest friend or family member describe you? Do you agree or disagree with them?
- What accomplishments are you most proud of?
- When you think about yourself, do you focus more on your strengths or your weaknesses?
- What areas of your life do you feel confident in, and why?
- What areas of your life do you feel unsure about, and why?
- If you were to write a letter to yourself, what encouraging words would you include?
- When was the last time you felt truly proud of yourself? What were you doing at the time?
- What is one thing you wish you could change about how you see yourself?
- How does your self-perception influence the way you interact with others?
I’m hopeful you can answer these prompts with as much honesty as possible. When I’m working through exercises like this, once I’ve hit on a question that resonates, I like to sit with it for a minute before writing down my answer. I need the knee-jerk, surface-level answers to come up first so I can get them out of my system and get to the truth.
When you’re ready, let’s move to the next set of prompts that are all about how God sees you.
Prompt 2: How Does God See You?
These questions are designed to help you explore God’s perspective:
- What do you believe God thinks about you? If you’re up for it – ask him. (My story)
- How does God’s unconditional love show up in your life?
- If you imagine God speaking directly to you, what words of encouragement or reassurance do you hear?
- Who or what reminds you of God’s love and purpose for you?
- Where in your life do you feel God calling you to grow or step forward?
- What gifts or talents has God given you, and how can you use them for His purpose?
- How does knowing you’re created in God’s image change the way you see yourself?
- If you could ask God one question about your purpose, what would it be? More importantly – go ahead and ask Him. Then listen for whatever you hear or whatever comes to mind.
- What fears or doubts do you need to surrender to God today or in this season?
- How can you embrace God’s grace when you fall short of your own expectations?
What I love about these God-centered questions is the fact that every single time I start asking God what he thinks – without fail – he shows up and answers the question I’m pondering.
I know this sounds crazy. But I really want you to try it. Sitting with your journal and your pen. Write the question that’s most prominent on your heart. Then … just listen. Breathe. Write down whatever happens next in the stillness. The coolest part about this exercise is that it works. And learning how to tune in so you can hear God’s voice when he speaks to you is one of the most powerful tools you’ll ever learn.
Our next set of prompts is about identifying your limiting beliefs.
Prompt 3: Identifying Limiting Beliefs
In order to address the beliefs that may be holding you back, you must first uncover what those beliefs might be:
- What phrases or thoughts do you catch yourself repeating when you feel stuck? Phrases like, I can’t? That’ll never work? I don’t know how?
- When you think about pursuing a dream or a goal, or anything new at all, what’s the first “reason” that comes to mind for why it might not work?
- What was a past failure or setback that you haven’t fully let go of?
- Where do you feel like you’re not “enough”? (Smart enough, good enough, strong enough, etc.)
- What belief about yourself feels like it’s always been true, even if it might not be?
- Who or what shaped the beliefs you hold about your worth and abilities?
- What areas of your life feel heavy or hard? What beliefs contribute to that feeling?
- Are there specific moments when you feel like an imposter or inadequate? Why?
- What’s one thing you avoid doing because you fear failure?
- If you could remove one belief that’s holding you back, what would it be?
I love these prompts. Because believe it or not, uncovering your limiting beliefs doesn’t solidify your weakness. It allows you to see these beliefs for what they actually are – lies. Especially when you compare these beliefs to the truths you just uncovered about the way God sees you in the previous exercise.
Limiting beliefs are not from God. In fact, anything that makes you feel less than isn’t from God. God is love. God is comfort. And from my experience, He’s not in the business of shaming us for being human.
And.
We have to know what to do with these unhelpful beliefs once they’re unearthed. Which leads to the last set of prompts for today – about how to reframe your beliefs once you know what they are.
Prompt 4: Reframing Your Beliefs
These questions are here to help shift your perspective and (hopefully) create new beliefs:
- For each limiting belief you’ve written down, what would the opposite belief look like?
- How would you act differently if you believed you were capable of achieving your goals or if you started to think that your dreams, no matter how far-fetched could come true?
- What evidence do you have that contradicts the limiting belief you hold?
- If a friend shared the same limiting belief with you, what encouragement or advice would you give them?
- What is one small step you could take today to start challenging a belief that holds you back?
- Who in your life inspires you to think bigger or believe in yourself more? What would they say about your limiting beliefs?
- How does aligning your beliefs with God’s truth change the way you see your circumstances?
- What would it look like to live fully aligned with the new belief you want to embrace?
- What Bible verse or affirmation can you repeat to remind yourself of this new, empowering belief?
- What’s one way you can celebrate progress, no matter how small, as you reframe your thinking?
You may have guessed that this part of the process is ongoing. Beliefs are sticky – especially the limiting beliefs. They may have been ingrained for a long time and they don’t really give up that easily.
But, as long as you’ve done this exercise, it will be easier for you to begin being aware when they arise. And even better if you have someone who can gently remind you when you’re thinking small or forgetting what’s actually true.
All of this … journaling, stillness, prayer … it’s a journey. Not a one-and-done system. So you may have to revisit these questions, often. In my experience, every time I stretch myself to grow a little farther outside of my comfort zone, new limiting beliefs surface and I have to deal with them first before I can move forward. And that’s okay.
Conclusion:
That’s it for today’s episode. It feels like we covered a LOT of ground.
Thank you for joining me this week. These are deep and powerful questions, and the work you do here can truly transform how you see yourself and the path you’re walking.
I hope you take your time with these prompts and come back to them as often as you need.
If you’re feeling the need for additional support and connection, I’d love for you to join The Be Still Collective. It’s a safe and encouraging space to reflect, share, and grow alongside other women navigating similar journeys. The doors are open until the end of November.
If you’re listening to this episode in real time – it’s November 22, 2024. I’ll put a link in the show notes so you can read more about it and possibly join us. If you’re listening to this episode at a later date, you can always get on the waiting list for the next time the doors open to new members by visiting www.bestillwithbobbi.com/community.
Until next time, may you find your own moments of stillness, clarity, and peace as you reflect on who you are and who God created you to be.
Bye for now!
Link to The Be Still Collective: https://bestill.myflodesk.com/thebestillcollective
Link to The Be Still Collective Waiting List: https://bestillwithbobbi.com/community
