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I hope you are taking time to think about and answer each question as we move through this process. This investment of time will pay some good dividends in your life for your future. Personal reflection is a valuable exercise.

A wise man named Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Let's move on to our fourth question …

4. "How Do I Limit Myself and How Can I Stop?"

Ultimately, our life is shaped by our own thoughts and actions, not by other people or the circumstances we encounter. Life is lived inside out. We are not victims. We are responsible human beings who have been given a free will by God that enables us to make choices as to what we will do with our life and how we will respond to what comes our way.

Take a piece of paper and prayerfully ask yourself, "How do I limit myself?" Write down whatever comes to mind. Examine yourself honestly and openly. Be as truthful as possible. There is power in owning up to hidden thoughts and attitudes. Expose your personal doubts and fears.

Then think about what these limitations have cost you. What impact have they had in your life?

Are you willing to change? Do you want to stop these limiting beliefs?

What areas of thinking do you need to change? What different stories do you need to tell yourself? What lies have you been believing – about yourself, others, and/or God? What truths do you need to embrace and live out from? What beliefs do you need to embrace if you want your life to head in a different direction?

Paul tells us that the key to personal transformation is the renewing of our minds or the reprogramming our thinking patterns (see Romans 12:1-2) and that we need to take captive every thought, making it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Part 5