Self-limiting Beliefs and the Balance within our Feminine and Masculine Energy

Self-limiting and negative beliefs are our negative perceptions or assumptions about ourselves and our place in the world. They impact our feelings, thoughts, and behavior. They determine the quality of our relationships, shape our life satisfaction, and affect our well-being. However, these beliefs are not merely cognitive ideas in our minds; they are deeply embedded in our nervous system, affecting us in our physical body.

The Roots of Self-Limiting Beliefs

Most of our beliefs are formed in early childhood, particularly from birth to age seven. This is a period when the child’s nervous system is most receptive, absorbing every experience and making them susceptible to internalizing the emotions, attitudes, and behaviors observed in their caregivers and environment. These formative years lay the groundwork for beliefs that can limit our potential and shape our view of ourselves and the world.
Self-limiting beliefs typically develop during early childhood in response to painful experiences but continue manifesting throughout our adult lives. For example, if someone was raised in a family with insecure attachment styles, they may have grown up believing that they are not good enough if they don’t meet others’ expectations. They justified their parents’ unloving or neglectful behavior by thinking of themselves as inadequate and unlovable. This will impact and reflect on how their masculine and feminine energy develops.
For example, if you have this “I am not lovable” belief due to childhood trauma, your feminine energy will be wounded, as this negative belief might make you self-doubting and needy. So, in your adult relationships, you may be insecure and overly demanding, controlling, or dependent for fear of losing your partner and relationship.
So, these beliefs are deeply ingrained in ourselves, but they can be overcome.

The Somatic Connection: How Negative Beliefs Are Stored in Our Bodies

Our nervous system holds onto these early memories. They are not just in our mind. According to neuroscience research, the brain remembers experiences more vividly when emotions are involved. As a result, emotionally charged experiences such as childhood trauma tend to stay with us, influencing our mood, beliefs, health, relationships, and all other aspects of our lives.
Stressful or traumatic experiences related to these negative beliefs can materialize physically and frequently without our conscious awareness. You may experience symptoms such as prolonged tightness, shallow breathing, or a constant sense of unease as physical manifestations of deeper emotional conflicts.

The link with Feminine and Masculine Energy

Do you feel this deep-seated tension in your body, as if a persistent inner voice urges you to constantly work, overachieve, and be at service to others because “you just have to”? Or does it push you to constrain emotions, be tough, perfect, and “need to have everything under control”? Does your worth depend on how productive, flawless, or helpful you are because “If you work more, you will finally be seen and accepted for who you are”?
These are examples of how our behaviors are linked to our negative limiting beliefs and how they affect our inner balance.
Most people in Western cultures are usually mostly grounded in their masculine energy. We have been taught from early childhood to be active, assertive, and efficient, to avoid vulnerability, and to suppress our feelings because “it could be weak” to allow them. However, feminine energy, which is the energy connected to our emotion, nurturing side, and intuition is something that most of us, regardless of our gender, are not encouraged to accept and nurture.
When we are not aligned with our feminine or masculine energy due to our beliefs or experiences, this can manifest emotionally and physically in our bodies. Excess masculine energy might lead to chronic stress, burnout, heightened irritability, aches, and an inability to relax as your body remains constantly in overdrive. Conversely, an imbalance favoring feminine energy can result in feelings of lethargy, lack of direction, and difficulty in making decisions or asserting oneself. You may also experience anxiety and a constant need for reassurance, reflecting the inner turmoil.
Embodying both feminine and masculine energies can benefit anyone, regardless of their gender or sexual identity. An embodiment of these energies means recognizing, embracing, and expressing qualities such as intuition, emotionality, and receptivity, in case of your feminine energy or rationality, strength, and assertiveness in case of your masculine energy in our bodies, thoughts, and behavior with BALANCE. This balance promotes overall well-being and personal growth. But it’s hard to reach if we hold onto self-limiting beliefs.
So how do you overcome them so that you can successfully start embodying your energies more?

A Holistic Approach: Recognizing and Releasing Through Somatic Practices

Through somatic practices such as body scanning or breathwork, you can:
• identify areas of tension and discomfort in your body associated with them
• resolve suppressed emotions that are linked to the beliefs
• learn to regulate your nervous system consequently to be able to return to balance with your energies
A skilled holistic coach can guide you on this journey, but the real work is in your hands. They can help you recognize and nurture this wounded part of yourself, assisting in the reintegration and balance of both energies. They will encourage you to slow down and listen to your inner wisdom. They will also encourage you to ask critical questions about the truths of your beliefs so that you can embrace and connect with your true authenticity.

Conclusion

Self-limiting beliefs are more than thoughts; they are deeply ingrained in our minds and bodies, and they have an impact on our inner energetic balance, as well as each aspect of our life. The body remembers what the conscious mind often forgets. However, through somatic work, we can access and transform these deep-seated beliefs, opening a world of personal growth, authenticity, and happiness. This journey may be challenging, but it offers the potential for profound transformation.