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  • 3 Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt

    Self-doubt will hold you back from pursuing your dreams and living the life you really want.

     

    Self-doubt can also make it hard to complete necessary daily tasks and make simple decisions.

     

    The good news is, it is possible to overcome self-doubt and quiet that negative self-talk.

     

    Here’s how:

     

    1. Take Charge Immediately

     

    When inner doubts start to creep up, you might have a habit of letting them spin out of control and fully take over. Once this happens, it’s incredibly difficult to regain control. Having a heightened sense of self-awareness can be very helpful in this situation.

     

    It’s important that you take charge immediately and stop the negative talk as soon as it begins. But how can you do this if you are completely unaware of the thoughts that are crossing your mind?

     

    Slow down. Take a moment to sit in silence for more than 5 minutes. Notice what thoughts and feelings come up for you.

     

    When you notice negative thoughts, in your mind, speak to yourself and say something like, “No. We’re not gonna do this.” Should the negative talk start up seconds later, talk to it again, let it know you are aware of its presence but that it’s not helping you and you’re not going to continue following that negative story that’s been playing on repeat.

     

    Doing this interrupts your thought patterns – which are basically thought habits – and eventually your inner self-doubter will realize you’re serious and leave.

     

    2. Remind Yourself, You Can Always Make Adjustments

    Many times, you may feel so fearful of making mistakes that you

    take no action toward your goal. Let’s put a new frame on the idea of a goal. 

     

    Reaching a goal can be thought of as going on a wonderful car trip. You have a map and a basic route planned out, but along the journey, you may decide you want to hop off the highway and take the scenic path instead. You may decide to backtrack and stop at that cute little souvenir shop.

     

    Sure, all these changes to your initial schedule may add a little time to your trip, but you’ll still get to your destination. And you’ll get there with more wonderful memories!

     

    Trying to plan every single move you will take to get to your goal can be exhausting and impractical. Just take the first step, then another, and then another… and remember, you can always change your mind and adjust along the way.

     

    Keep your focus on the vision, not getting caught up in how you will get there, staying grateful for each day you are given to achieve the goal you set out to achieve.

     

    3. Talk to Someone

     

    Self-doubt can easily become distorted and exaggerated when you keep

    all your thoughts and feelings to yourself. When you speak to someone and let

    those thoughts and feelings out into the light, you have the chance to hear how

    they sound.

     

    Hearing your thoughts out loud illuminates the truth about what you’re thinking and how those thoughts are making you feel.

     

    Also, talking about your doubts with a therapist who is supportive is a great way to gain a fresh perspective.

     

    If you or a loved one is afflicted with self-doubt and is interested in exploring therapy, please contact me. I would be happy to speak with you about how I can help. The consultation is free.