Limiting Beliefs Inventory & Reframe
Identify, Examine, and Replace the Beliefs That Keep You Small
Limiting Beliefs Inventory & Reframe
Identify, Examine, and Replace the Beliefs That Keep You Small
Beliefs are not facts. But they feel like facts — which is why they're so powerful. A limiting belief is a thought pattern that has become so well-worn in your brain that it feels like truth. It shapes what you try, what you avoid, who you think you are, and what you think is possible for you. Today we name them. Then we dismantle them.
PART 1: THE 30 MOST COMMON LIMITING BELIEFS
Read through this list and check every belief that resonates — even a little. Don't overthink it; go with your gut.
Category A: Beliefs About Worth and Deserving
Category B: Beliefs About Capability
Category C: Beliefs About Safety and Risk
Category D: Beliefs About Time and Readiness
Category E: Beliefs About Relationships and Love
Category F: Beliefs About Money and Success
PART 2: THE ABCDE REFRAME MODEL
Based on Albert Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), the ABCDE model is one of the most research-validated tools for changing limiting beliefs. Use it for every belief you checked above.
A — Activating Event: The specific situation where the belief showed up
B — Belief: The exact belief that was triggered
C — Consequence: The emotions and behaviors that resulted
D — Disputation: Challenge the belief — Is it really true? What's the evidence against it?
E — Effective New Belief: The replacement belief — more accurate, more empowering
ABCDE Worksheet — Belief 1
The belief I'm working on: ___________________________________
A — The situation where this belief showed up: ___________________________________
B — The exact thought that arose: ___________________________________
C — How did it make me feel? What did I do (or not do) as a result?
D — Disputation: What's the evidence AGAINST this belief?
D — Is this belief a fact, or is it a story? ___________________________________
D — Has there EVER been an exception to this belief? ___________________________________
D — What would I say to a close friend who held this belief?
E — My new, more accurate belief: ___________________________________
ABCDE Worksheet — Belief 2
The belief I'm working on: ___________________________________
A: ___________________________________
B: ___________________________________
C: ___________________________________
D (Evidence against): ___________________________________
D (Exception): ___________________________________
E: ___________________________________
ABCDE Worksheet — Belief 3
The belief I'm working on: ___________________________________
A: ___________________________________
B: ___________________________________
C: ___________________________________
D (Evidence against): ___________________________________
E: ___________________________________
PART 3: CORE BELIEF IDENTIFICATION
Most surface-level limiting beliefs are expressions of one or more "core beliefs" — deep-seated convictions about yourself and the world. Understanding your core beliefs is the key to long-term change.
The Downward Arrow Technique
Start with a limiting belief, then ask "And what does that mean about me?" repeatedly until you hit something that feels very true and very old.
Surface belief: "I'm going to fail this presentation."
↓ And what does that mean about me? → "I'm not competent."
↓ And if that's true, what does THAT mean? → "I'm a fraud."
↓ And what does THAT mean about me at the deepest level? → "I am not worthy of success."
↓ CORE BELIEF IDENTIFIED: "I am not worthy."
Your Downward Arrow
My surface belief: ___________________________________
↓ That means about me: ___________________________________
↓ Which means: ___________________________________
↓ At the deepest level, that means: ___________________________________
MY CORE BELIEF: ___________________________________
How old does this core belief feel? (How old were you when you first believed it?) ___
Who or what was the source of this belief? ___________________________________
Was the source reliable? (Was it a healthy, safe person giving you accurate information?) ___
PART 4: BELIEF ORIGIN MAPPING
Where Did This Belief Come From?
The core belief I'm examining: ___________________________________
Earliest memory connected to this belief (how old, what happened):
Who first suggested or implied this belief to you? ___________________________________
Was this person's opinion reliable? Were they themselves confident and healthy? ___________________________________
What did you need in that moment that you didn't get?
What does the adult version of you want to say to that younger self?
What would you tell a child in that same situation?
Is this belief still serving you in any way? Or can you finally release it?
PART 5: THE 30-DAY BELIEF REPLACEMENT TRACKER
Change doesn't happen from one insight — it happens from consistent repetition. For the next 30 days, choose ONE new belief to practice, and track your daily work below.
My New Belief (write it here in clear, present-tense language):
OLD BELIEF: ___________________________________
NEW BELIEF: ___________________________________
Daily Practice: Each morning, write or say your new belief. Each evening, record one piece of evidence that supports it.
| Day | Said/Wrote New Belief? | Evidence I Collected Today |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ☐ | |
| 2 | ☐ | |
| 3 | ☐ | |
| 4 | ☐ | |
| 5 | ☐ | |
| 6 | ☐ | |
| 7 | ☐ | |
| 8–14 | ☐ | |
| 15–21 | ☐ | |
| 22–28 | ☐ | |
| 29–30 | ☐ |
After 30 days, how has this belief shifted? (Rate strength of old belief, 1–10, then and now):
Then: ___/10 | Now: ___/10
What's different about how I show up because of this shift?