The universe is always giving messages to help you. These messages assist in making decisions and guide you on a path that creates a life filled with joy and happiness. The problem is we often ignore these messages, primarily due to doubt. Whether it is about the message, ourselves, or our own abilities, doubt wreaks havoc in many ways.
When I reflected on messages I didn’t follow or ignored, I found the following.
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- I ignored messages due to self-doubt- I was afraid to follow my feelings and therefore discounted the messages I received.
- I justified ignoring my feelings, believing that others knew better or more than I did.
- I didn’t research my feelings. I just gave my power to other people. No research or confirmation of whether these feelings were true or not.
So, what happens when you ignore gut feelings due to your self-doubt?
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- It prevents you from moving forward—procrastination, hesitation, or ignoring a situation sets in.
- It stops you from starting or completing things.
- Makes you afraid to ask others, lest you show your “ignorance” or “weakness”
- Let’s you give your power to others
These actions or inactions create many problems, and it’s primarily due to our own self-doubt. Signs that self-doubt is at work can be found when your efforts produce little to no results, an inability to make decisions, and/or simply ignoring important things. Some of the things you might find yourself saying indicate that self-doubt is active are:
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- What if I mess things up?
- What will people think?
- I’ll probably make a fool of myself
- I can’t or I don’t do anything very well
- I’m just not smart (enough), talented (enough), capable (enough), experienced (enough)…
When you hear yourself stating these ideas to yourself or others, it’s time to stop and notice what you just said. Ask yourself some questions. Does it really matter what other people think? People are usually so involved in themselves that they rarely look at others. What if something doesn’t go right? Isn’t this an opportunity to learn from it?
I have found when I face my self-doubts and simply say no to them, I can see the situation more clearly. I realize that my fears and doubts have been magnified based on silly beliefs and often are simply not true. My mind and body feel lighter as I approach the problem with a new perspective.
It’s time to question whether these thoughts are real or coming from insecurity. Ask yourself, “Where do these thoughts come from? Are they true?” We may feel we aren’t enough, but in reality, we are perfect just as we are at that moment. We can always learn or gain more experience to improve our skills, but that comes from trying new things and eliminating the fear of failure. Failure should be embraced as an opportunity to grow and learn.
When you face your doubts and fear there is a lot to be gained and very little to be lost. You gain:
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- Confidence- when you recognize your own strengths and abilities
- Ability to speak up and share your thoughts, ideas, and abilities, which creates forward movement
- Better decision-making skills
- You acknowledge your messages and dare to follow them!
Now that you understand the benefits of releasing your fears and self-doubts, here are some ideas you can utilize to stop doubting yourself.
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- Be kind to yourself—don’t beat yourself up. Life is a learning process—enjoy it
- Say no to the doubt immediately—re-evaluate the situation.
- Step back and be an observer. Listen to your thoughts. Are they based in reality? Are they echoes of someone else’s voice telling you that you can’t do this or that?
- Don’t compare yourself—know you have gifts and talents that are unique to you. Your gifts and talents have as much value as any other persons’ gifts.
- Look and see how much you already know and understand, recognize how much you have grown in your life. Congratulate yourself!
- Investigate how you can increase your abilities. Take a course. Read a book. Research it. Practice. Embrace the process of learning and growing.
- Celebrate your successes
- Face your fears. Ask the question ‘What is the worst possible thing that can happen.” If you allow yourself to answer this question, you’ll probably find that the answer is not as big as you have imagined it to be.
Featured image by Paolo Nicolello
Self-doubt and 8 ways you can eliminate it!
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Posted: September 3, 2020 by Joan Spencer
The universe is always giving messages to help you. These messages assist in making decisions and guide you on a path that creates a life filled with joy and happiness. The problem is we often ignore these messages, primarily due to doubt. Whether it is about the message, ourselves, or our own abilities, doubt wreaks havoc in many ways.
When I reflected on messages I didn’t follow or ignored, I found the following.
So, what happens when you ignore gut feelings due to your self-doubt?
These actions or inactions create many problems, and it’s primarily due to our own self-doubt. Signs that self-doubt is at work can be found when your efforts produce little to no results, an inability to make decisions, and/or simply ignoring important things. Some of the things you might find yourself saying indicate that self-doubt is active are:
When you hear yourself stating these ideas to yourself or others, it’s time to stop and notice what you just said. Ask yourself some questions. Does it really matter what other people think? People are usually so involved in themselves that they rarely look at others. What if something doesn’t go right? Isn’t this an opportunity to learn from it?
I have found when I face my self-doubts and simply say no to them, I can see the situation more clearly. I realize that my fears and doubts have been magnified based on silly beliefs and often are simply not true. My mind and body feel lighter as I approach the problem with a new perspective.
It’s time to question whether these thoughts are real or coming from insecurity. Ask yourself, “Where do these thoughts come from? Are they true?” We may feel we aren’t enough, but in reality, we are perfect just as we are at that moment. We can always learn or gain more experience to improve our skills, but that comes from trying new things and eliminating the fear of failure. Failure should be embraced as an opportunity to grow and learn.
When you face your doubts and fear there is a lot to be gained and very little to be lost. You gain:
Now that you understand the benefits of releasing your fears and self-doubts, here are some ideas you can utilize to stop doubting yourself.
Featured image by Paolo Nicolello
Category: Blog Tags: confidence, decision making, life, messages, self doubt, universe