You’ve probably heard that little voice inside you that says, “You can’t do it.”
When you hear this voice, it brings a wave of other negative thought patterns that will push you even more to not do something specific. Thoughts, like, “What if you mess up?,” “What if you make a fool of yourself?”
These thoughts are disturbing. This brings about self-doubt, which, unfortunately, is part of the human experience.
A little self-doubt can be dangerous, and when left unchecked, the fear behind the doubt can make you overly cautious and prevent you from taking the essential actions that will help you live a better life.
Don’t hold back.
Here are some things you can do to overcome times of self-doubt:
1. Talk Back
The most obvious thing to do when thoughts enter your mind is to counter it with positive words. Say it as much as you can.
Allowing the thoughts to come can spin out of control or grow into more discouraging sentences if you don’t end them. Tell yourself, no, we’re not going down that road again. Doing so will help disrupt the thought pattern. Of course, this is not something overnight. You must practice it every time you feel the self-doubt thoughts descend.
2. Tell someone about it
Keeping all your thoughts and emotions bottled up inside can distort or exaggerate them. They can change into something that is not in line with reality or reasonable expectations.
Let them out and talk to someone close to you about them. Simply letting them go and saying them out loud can usually help you hear how the thoughts have become absurd, which can present you with an opportunity to change the way you look at things.
3. Stop Comparing
How many times have you heard or read that comparing yourself to someone will NOT do you any good? The fact that it is spreading widely out there is a strong message that you should NOT.
If you have to compare, do it yourself. Compare yourself to the past you, or who you were yesterday—it shows you how far you’ve come. It reveals to you the overlooked details that are significant that brought you to where you are today. It will show you what you have overcome, and it will encourage you to move forward without fear.
4. Journal It
Even if you don’t like writing, or think you’re not a “journal person,” trying it to help overcome self-doubt can be a breath of fresh air. It’s a useful habit for many reasons when it comes to self-doubt.
For one, a journal will help you keep a realistic record of your life. This will help you remember the positive things in your life, as well as the negative things that have overcome. In addition, it helps you gain clarity that alleviates fears and doubts when you have your thoughts written down instead of trying to go through it all in your head.
5. Stop Thinking Someone’s Negative Actions Are About You
Critics are usually the root of self-doubt. When someone throws a negative comment or action at you, self-doubt sets in. It makes you question yourself.
What you don’t realize is that you take that criticism against yourself, when it was supposed to be just an aspect of yourself. We all have flaws, and there will be MANY times when people disagree with a specific aspect of yourself.
What you need to realize is that THAT IS OKAY.
You also have to think about negative words or behavior thrown at you—is it really about you? Or because of them?
The bottom line here is that you don’t know everything that is going on in another person’s life. Besides, the world doesn’t revolve around you. So, take it easy. Handle and accept any criticism towards you and keep a level head.
6. Work To Be Optimistic Every Day
Every day, we have the opportunity to be optimistic. No matter how bad things may seem, there is always a silver lining.
Instead of focusing on what went wrong, why not look for the silver lining and focus on that? It’s a quick way to cheer you up and stabilize your negative self-talk.
On the other hand, if it’s just a normal day, don’t let it be just a normal day if you can pour positivity into it. Because trust me, you can always do it.
Set aside time each day to do something that lifts your spirits. It can be as simple as listening to a podcast, reading a book, or talking to a friend.
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