7 Signs You Re Holding Yourself Back From Living A Full Life Without

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 3, 2025, 1:24 PM

7 signs you re holding yourself back from living a full life without

Everyone has dreams and aspirations, but often, we can be our own biggest obstacles. It’s subtle – you might not even realize you’re doing it. It’s like driving with the handbrake on. You’re making progress, but something’s holding you back. This is about identifying the signs that you’re standing in your own way. Because sometimes, we need a little nudge to realize we’re not living our life to the fullest.

Here are seven signs you might be holding yourself back from living a full life and not even know it. Life is full of risks and opportunities. But if you’re always choosing the safe route, you might be holding yourself back from truly living. How to move forward when you're stuck: When feeling stuck in life, begin by identifying the core pattern beneath your stagnation rather than just changing external circumstances. Connect with your authentic needs, practice conscious body awareness, and build momentum through consistent, micro actions that address the root cause rather than just managing symptoms. You wake up, go through your routine, and feel that familiar heaviness settling in your chest.

It's another day that looks exactly like yesterday. The question surfaces again: "What do I do with my life?" That persistent internal question isn't just ordinary indecision—it's your deepest self signaling that something fundamental needs to shift. This isn't about making superficial changes. When you're experiencing a stagnant life, your system is communicating that your current patterns no longer align with who you're becoming. In my 24 years working with clients trapped in persistent life patterns, I've observed seven distinct signs that indicate you're not just temporarily down—you're genuinely ready for transformation. The experience of being stuck in a rut goes far deeper than simple dissatisfaction.

It represents a profound misalignment between your authentic needs and the life structures you've created, often unconsciously. This inner resistance doesn't materialize randomly. Through thousands of client sessions, I've observed how these patterns trace back to four foundational wounds that shape our neural pathways from our earliest experiences: Have you ever felt that you’rebarriers of so much more, yet something invisible keeps holding you back? Perhaps you have established goals but never achieved them. Perhaps you’ve had dreams of a different life but kept your daily routine the same.

The truth is that most people are held back not by external forces, but by subtle patterns that they are unaware of. ** Today, I’m going to discuss **7 subtle clues that you’re holding yourself back** as well as practical strategies for breaking free. These observations are based on my own experience learning about success, productivity, and life lessons that have enabled me to move from feeling stuck to living a life that is in line with my... For more articles on success, productivity, and life lessons, follow me if you think this is helpful. “It’s just a small choice; I’ll decide tomorrow,” you think. However, minor decisions add up.

A common symptom of **fear of making mistakes** is delaying decisions about your daily routine, the course you want to take, or the business concept you want to test. Why it hinders you: ** Indecision causes mental exhaustion and keeps you stuck in a loop of overanalyzing. Instead of taking action, you waste days making decisions, and by the… Who doesn’t want to move forward in life, right? But sometimes, it doesn’t quite seem that way. Sure, you’re trying.

You’re putting in the hours, the sweat, and the tears. Yet, you’re stuck in the same spot. And I know it’s frustrating. It’s hard to swallow, but often we are our own biggest roadblocks. We have certain behaviors that hold us back without us even noticing them. In this article, I’m going to reveal 7 such behaviors that might be stopping you from living your best life.

Now, I’m not here to tell you what to do or how to live your life. Just consider this as a little nudge of awareness coming your way. Let’s dive in! Welcome to Evergrowing! I write about my learnings building a coaching business for CEOs with over $2 billion raised and over $1 billion in annual revenue. Every month, I host a free office hour to support coaches in building their businesses.

Feel free to forward this invite to any coaches in your network. You can read more about the event and register here! Happy New Year! Thank you for being on this newsletter journey with me. A new episode of Evergrowing is out on YouTube and Spotify. Today, let’s talk about resisting change and holding ourselves back.

Have you ever felt like you’re wearing shoes that are two sizes too small, but you keep walking anyway because, well, they used to fit? I’ve been there, holding onto ideas of who I “should” be based on a version of myself I had long outgrown. There’s a strange comfort in refusing to let go of an identity that once served you. It feels familiar, like a threadbare security blanket. And at first, it can be hard to see just how much it’s limiting you. Yet, just as an old pair of shoes will eventually give you blisters, an outdated version of yourself will grind down your spirit.

In our quest for personal and professional growth, we often encounter invisible barriers that hinder our progress. These barriers, if left unaddressed, can keep us from reaching our full potential and living the life we desire. However, by identifying and actively working to overcome these obstacles, we can unlock new levels of achievement and fulfillment. This guide explores seven common barriers that hold people back and offers strategies for conquering them. Fear of failure is a powerful barrier that can paralyze us, preventing us from taking risks or trying new things. It stems from a desire to avoid pain, embarrassment, or disappointment.

Overcoming Strategy: Embrace failure as a part of the learning process. Setbacks are not a reflection of your worth but opportunities for growth. Celebrate your courage to try, regardless of the outcome. Limiting beliefs are the negative thoughts we hold about ourselves and our capabilities. They are often rooted in past experiences and can significantly impact our self-esteem and actions. Overcoming Strategy: Challenge these beliefs with evidence.

For every limiting belief, find instances where you have succeeded or shown competence. Replace negative thoughts with empowering affirmations.

7 Signs You Re Holding Yourself Back From Living A Full Life Without

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