Boundaries, from the time we are small we have to deal with them. Initially, parents or caregivers set our boundaries, but over time we begin to do so ourselves. Through our upbringing, our own experiences and our character, over time we determine for ourselves where we set our limits. This mental boundary can also be a physical boundary. This depends on many things.
To make sure you can push your limit if you have that need but can't figure it out on your own, in this blog I'll cover ways to push mental and physical limits.
Pushing mental limits
Mental boundaries often depend on our beliefs and our comfort zone. That zone is say anything you do without thinking about it. You already get to the edge of the zone when you are excited about it, but if you still do it.
Only when you really need to do something that you find scary, but which is not in itself life-threatening do you cross that boundary of the comfort zone. This is often the boundary where you feel you are taking a real risk and that the consequences could somehow be serious if it doesn't turn out well.
Daring to take more risk
Pushing a mental boundary can therefore help with risk-taking. Taking risks is something we unconsciously do almost every day. The chance of an accident on the road , for example, is not super small, but because we have influence over how we use the road, it is still a lot less scary than taking the risk of an airplane flight , for example.
If you find it difficult to take a leap of faith, in whatever area of your life this is, you need to ask yourself what you are actually afraid of.
The best part is that in the Netherlands you don't have to take much risk in terms of your livelihood. There is a social safety net that allows you to be helped if something is truly disastrous, but how likely is that now with pushing a boundary?
Self-hypnosis can help you push your boundary to take more risks. You can do this, for example, by using hypnotic suggestions that reduce your fear of risk.
You first relax and then repeat the suggestions given to you by a hypnotherapist. These might include:
If something doesn't work well, I can go back to doing what I was doing.
I'll regret not trying.
I am my own frontier.
I only fail if I don't try.
Be able to learn better
Another mental frontier you can push is the frontier of learning something new. Lifelong learning is something that often benefits yourself. If it's not good for your work, it's actually good for your brain.
This mental boundary can be very strong, because lounging around all day or couching at night is obviously much easier.
By setting yourself goals, such as "I want to learn how to play guitar," you are already starting to push your limit. With whatever goal you start learning new things:
- I just have to do my best.
- I should get at least a 7.
- I want to be able to do X at the end.
You will improve significantly, but if you set a clear goal as in the last example you will have the biggest difference from when you started learning.
Of course, setting a clear goal is also very exciting because then there is also a clear way you fail if you fail. If you just tell yourself to do your best and it doesn't work out, that's not a disaster.
Again, this is actually pushing your limit of how you motivate yourself. In doing so, always keep in mind that you don't really fail, as it often only affects you yourself and people around you may not even notice that you are working on something new.
To then reach that new goal, you need a strong focus. You're probably more automatically focused already because you know what you want to focus on to learn your new goal.
An additional way you can stay focused is with mindfulness. By applying mindfulness while reading or doing, you stay in the moment. Instead of thinking about couching whatever you could have been doing, you stay focused on the task at hand.
Gain new experiences
New experiences help you become more confident to do new things more often. Therefore, this is actually another tip in line with daring to take risks. There are multiple benefits to gaining new experiences.
You get used to leaving your comfort zone.
This happens step by step. Because at first you naturally try the things that are not scary, but over time you will find yourself doing more and more exciting things.
In the process, this can also help them learn new things.
You will have new opportunities.
By trying something new, you can discover things you enjoy that you never really thought possible. This whole business came about because I tried hypnosis and discovered that I could really help people with this.
If you try something new, you too can have such an epiphany.
Do you get bored easily, such as while couch surfing?
Then it really is time to try something new. Trying something new means getting new stimuli that you have to process. This is incredibly fun and helps you pass your time in a positive way.
You grow mentally by trying something new.
Trying new things often creates new experiences and therefore new thoughts. These thoughts can even create new beliefs. Therefore, trying something new can certainly make you mentally stronger.
To enjoy something new even more, you can also use mindfulness. Mindfulness during an activity allows you to be completely absorbed by it and enjoy the new experience properly.
Pushing physical limits with hypnosis
In addition to pushing mental limits, hypnosis can also help push physical limits. Initially, hypnosis can already help you get motivated to start exercising, then while exercising you can push your body's limits with the help of hypnosis.
Improving running through hypnosis
Starting to exercise is a good step at first. In doing so, pushing your limits is a logical second step. In running, this may involve running faster or running longer distances.
Hypnosis can help you with this by positively changing your mindset for running.
For example, you can use self-hypnosis to visualize running and how it will go to get that positive mindset.
Self-hypnosis can also be used to visualize the purpose why you run, such as for better fitness or a more athletic body. For example, your fitness will enable you to play with your children or grandchildren.
In the process, self-hypnosis for running also helps you keep your goal in mind while running. Then you'll be fine with pushing that limit.
Mindfulness while walking can also help well in not getting distracted by thoughts of quitting.
Weightlifting improvement with hypnosis
Like running, weightlifting is in many cases a battle against yourself, but don't set unrealistic goals to avoid an inguinal hernia caused by weightlifting.
What many bodybuilders do before a workout is visualize what their body is going to look like. For example, by visualizing the muscle group you are going to train, you can ensure that you can go that extra mile when needed.
Mindfulness during weightlifting also makes weightlifting itself a kind of meditation. You feel the weight working on your muscles; you may even feel the sweat on your forehead. Thoughts of quitting can be pushed away by staying focused on what you are doing.
Pushing your limits whether physical or mental is mostly a matter of how you feel about your own abilities. Building self-confidence and focus is key to pushing boundaries. This is all possible with hypnosis, mindfulness and meditation.
Want to learn more about mental techniques to achieve goals in your life? Then come to a seminar or workshop. Also check out the training courses offered by the Hypnosis Institute Netherlands.
Sources:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002961015005978
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/trying-new-things
