Sometimes, my self-doubt is real. It creeps in and sometimes it’s terrifying. Do you have self-doubt? You may have self-doubt and not even realize it. If you don’t, I commend you!
I’m being totally vulnerable here, but my self-doubt is a process I’m working through. From the outside, my world looks great. I’m never going to let you see me sweat and only a core group of people are going to see what’s really going on.
I think I have self-doubt for a lot of reasons but mainly because I’m a perfectionist, I’m super loyal and I never want to intentionally hurt other people. Even as a kid I was like this. Ask anyone who knew me growing up.
Today, when I have a decision to make, I still struggle from time to time. I sit on the decision, toy with the possible outcomes, do a bunch of research and sometimes ask for others’ for their opinions. And weeks later, I make the decision. Yes, even for simple things like buying new socks. For others this is totally strange, but for me, this is normal. Others might make a decision and only after the decision is made does the self-doubt kick in and make them question things.
I only realized I truly had self-doubt after listening to the internal discussions in my head. It’s like there’s an angel and a devil up there and they are in constant conversation. The only time they stop is when I go for reiki or therapy. If this sounds like you, here’s your challenge…
**LISTEN TO THEM**
I am totally encouraging you to have internal conversations with yourself. This is totally normal! When you hear those voices, force yourself to be the unbiased party that adds to the conversation. Listen to what each is encouraging you to do, take note of what they’re saying and try to make a decision for yourself. It’s going to take time, but after awhile, you’re going to start to be able to distinguish the self-doubt from other things.
Once you learn you have self-doubt, what do you do next to deal with it? Personal development. Read books, listen to books on tape, listen to podcasts, watch TED talks…there’s a million ways to start but I just want you to start. Personal development is what helped me hear the self-doubt and start to make my own decisions. It will help you do the same. You’re going to need to give it time, work at it and not give up. If you need somewhere to start, I highly suggest grabbing Jen Sincero’s book You Are A Badass. It’s an amazingly fun read and will help you get in gear and start believing in yourself and getting rid of that self-doubt.
Now, share your self-doubt story with me. You’re not alone and I want you to know that. Comment below or send me a message. Sharing your story is part of your journey and it’s an important one.