Shedding the Old Stories: My Journey with Limiting Beliefs

There are beliefs I’ve carried for so long, they started to feel like facts. Whispers that told me I wasn’t enough, not ready, too much, or not quite right. They wrapped themselves around my thoughts like vines—quiet but tight.

But over time, I began to notice them. In the way I hesitated before trying something new. In the way I spoke to myself when no one else could hear. So I began the work—not to banish them in a blaze, but to sit beside them and listen. Gently, curiously.

These days, I’m working on the belief that I have to be perfect before I begin. That one kept me frozen—waiting for a moment that never came.

But now? I'm learning that I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to be present. That I can begin exactly as I am.

This shift didn’t come all at once. It’s come in quiet moments. In journaling by candlelight, in rituals where I let things go, and in choosing a new story—one that holds me with compassion.

I wanted to share one of the ways I’ve been working through this, in case it speaks to your heart too.

🌿 A Gentle Ritual: Letting Go by Candlelight

This is how I’ve been releasing the beliefs that no longer serve me. You don’t need much—just a moment of stillness, a flame, and the willingness to let go.

You’ll need:🕯️ One small candle📝 A piece of paper🔥 A fireproof bowl or dish

1. Light the candle in a quiet space. Let this be your container of calm.

2. Write down the belief you're ready to release.

3. Hold it for a moment. Ask yourself—When did I first start believing this? What did it try to protect me from?

4. When you’re ready, say (aloud or silently):“I release this belief with love. It no longer defines me.”

5. Burn the paper safely. Watch it dissolve. Imagine yourself becoming lighter.

6. Sit in the glow of the candlelight. Breathe. Let yourself just be.

This ritual helped me feel like I was taking my power back—not forcefully, but with softness. It was a turning point.

📓 Journaling: Planting a New Story

After the ritual, I like to journal. It helps me re-root myself in a new truth. Here are the questions I return to:

• What would my life look like without this belief?

• What new belief do I want to grow in its place?

• How can I remind myself of this each day?

I wrote my new belief—“I am allowed to begin, exactly as I am.”—on a little card and tucked it into my mirror. Every time I see it, it grounds me.

This practice has helped me feel more free, more myself. Like I’m finally peeling back old layers to step into something more true. If you’ve been feeling stuck in a story that doesn’t fit anymore, I hope this gives you a place to begin.

You are not alone. You are not behind. You are allowed to begin too.

A gentle brush of light on tangled roots, letting them loosen and breathe.

Blessed Be,

Bobbi Ann