Start with your Foundations: Rewriting my Beliefs

For most of my life, I carried a belief that quietly shaped everything:

“Wala akong kwenta.”
I’m not worth anything. I’ll always fall short.

It didn’t always sound that loud. Sometimes, it showed up as overthinking before a work shift. Other times, it was shame after a mistake, or the fear of speaking and not being understood. But the message was the same: You’re not good enough.

And when that’s your foundation, no goal feels safe. You hesitate. You procrastinate. You sabotage before you even start — not because you’re lazy, but because deep down, you’ve already lost the fight in your head.

That’s where I’ve been. But this challenge isn’t just about building income or escaping the night shift. It’s about finally rebuilding the one thing that affects everything else:

My self-worth.

Because before I build a ₱100K side hustle or start a business…

I need to become the man I needed when I was younger.

This issue is about how I’m starting that process — by breaking the old belief and rebuilding my identity through one core habit, one “I AM” statement, and one small win at a time.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

The Truth About Where My Beliefs Came From

This belief — “wala akong kwenta” — didn’t come out of nowhere. It was something I picked up during my early years, a story I started to believe through moments of pressure, unmet expectations, and my own harsh self-talk when I made mistakes.

Even now, it shows up:

• When I start my shift and feel overwhelmed.

• When I make a mistake at work or at home.

• When I struggle to communicate in English.

• When I think about all the paths I’ve started… but never fully pursued.

The pattern was always the same: mistake → shame → paralysis.

But I’m done letting that old loop run my life. That voice may have shaped parts of my past, but it doesn’t get to shape my future.

My New Identity (And the “I AM” That Anchors Me)

I’ve learned that before I can build a strong future, I have to become someone who believes it’s possible.

That starts with a new identity — one I choose, not one handed to me by fear or doubt.

💬 My new I AM statement:

This line reminds me that I’m not just showing up for my wife or daughter — I’m showing up for the younger version of me who needed reassurance and belief.

Other mantras I keep in my pocket:

• “I am a builder — of myself, my family’s future, and my vision.”

• “I rise every time I fall. I am becoming the man I admire.”

• “I am the kind of man my daughter will be proud of.”

Try saying one out loud. Feel what happens when your body starts believing it.

The Daily Habit That’s Rewiring My Self-Worth

I used to wait for motivation. Now I wait for proof.

Here’s the habit that’s changing everything:

Every morning, I write down:

1. One small win from yesterday

2. One thing I’m proud of myself for

That’s it.

Simple? Yes. But powerful? Absolutely.

Because it builds a new loop:

This isn't motivation. It’s reprogramming.

My Self-Worth Defense System

Even with a new belief, I still get triggered. But now I catch it — and I fight back with systems.

Here’s a table I use to recognize and replace the old defaults:

You can steal this table. Or better — build your own.

Because once you start noticing the pattern, you take back the power.

Why Your Motivation Dips (and How to Push Through It)

There’s a predictable emotional pattern we all go through when starting something new — whether it’s a side hustle, a new habit, or breaking a limiting belief.

Even with new beliefs, our emotions don’t move in a straight line — they follow a predictable cycle.

It’s called the Emotional Cycle of Change

Stage 1: Uninformed Optimism – “This is going to be amazing!”
Stage 2: Informed Pessimism – “This is harder than I thought.”
Stage 3: Valley of Despair – “Maybe I’m not cut out for this…”
Stage 4: Informed Optimism – “I can do this if I keep going.”
Stage 5: Success & Fulfillment – “It was worth it.”

Most people quit in Stage 3, right before the breakthrough.

That’s why having a self-worth defense system is crucial — it keeps you moving forward even when emotions dip.

It’s what keeps me moving forward when that old limiting belief loop tries to pull me back.

If You’ve Ever Felt You’re not worth it…

You’re not broken—you’re rebuilding.

This challenge isn’t just about hitting an income goal or building a business.
It’s about proving to myself, day by day, that I am more than the belief that’s held me back for years.

What I’ve learned so far is simple, but it’s everything:

• Clarity comes from doing — not from thinking about it.

• Self-worth grows from proof — not from waiting to feel ready.

• Change starts with one habit — not with overhauling your whole life overnight.

I’ve stopped waiting for the “perfect moment” to start.
I’m building with what I have—right now, from where I am.

And if you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, I want you to know this:
The belief isn’t permanent.
It can be broken.
And you can build something better in its place.

What’s one belief you’re ready to break—and what’s one habit you can start today to prove it wrong?

Reply and tell me your belief—you don’t have to do this alone.