Don't be a Doubting Debbie - like me!

Self-doubt.

It’s back in my life, but I can tell you right now it will not be staying.

It’s not welcome anymore, because I don’t need the shit that it brings! I deserve to believe in myself and have confidence in my abilities, dreams and all round awesomeness.

So WHY has it suddenly decided to show up? After a couple of months of feeling elated and content with life, it appears.  It makes things seem harder, when they aren’t. It makes things go slower, when they aren’t. It brings me down, makes life itself feel heavy and I know full well that it’s not. I mentioned it previously, about how I was feeling great, authentic and more like the real version of me.  I was training to be a coach! Coaches don’t have self-doubt, they have their shit together. They help others with their self-doubt and work with clients to get them through any issues they have.

The last week or so I have felt myself shifting. Doubting I can coach. That I don’t have the skills required to help people. That I won’t get any coaching clients. I was becoming a ‘Doubting Debbie’, as the amazing Hillary Rubin calls it. It happens to the best of us. But we need to make sure we push this self-doubt away, like really shove it! Say NO to self-doubt. Why? How do I know that the self-doubt isn’t saying the truth?

Because I know we’re awesome. We are one beautiful, amazing and smart person. We rock! So whatever that inner critic is saying that is making you feel self-doubt, it’s wrong. TRUST ME. I’ve been there, I’m there now, but I won’t be for much longer!

It’s easier said than done though. I get it. So we need to have strategies to work out how to remain positive and have the belief in ourselves. Now self-doubt will NEVER go away completely, but there are definitely ways that we can manage it so it never wants to pop its ugly head up again. Say good riddance to that little voice that always has something negative to say. It can jump. We will conquer this once and for all, TOGETHER!

I have put together some little ideas for getting through self-doubt and coming out the other side basking in your awesomeness.

• Refresh your steps – how did you get here to a place where self-doubt is hanging around? Recognise any triggers and identify any processes that have gotten you through a period of self-doubt before. Remember this, and use it! It will be a great help. If anything, it will prove that this self-doubt doesn’t hang around like a bad smell, it leaves. So there is a way through it.

• Start a gratitude journal – listing things that you are grateful for about yourself, your work, life, relationships anything! You are one lucky bugger, don’t forget that. By focusing on the positives, the negative things seem so miniscule and unimportant.

• Put up little post it notes in your place with a positive message that you can read, like on the bathroom mirror, in your wardrobe, on the washing machine, even on the toilet! Anywhere that you will see around your house that will remind you of how freakishly ridiculously* great you are as a person. 

• Use your posse. The people that love you for you, they are your cheerleaders in life and if asked will happily tell you nothing but your fantastic traits and the joy you bring into their lives.  They know you, and still hang around! That's saying something, don't you think? 

They are just some ideas to start with, but the first step is always the hardest. Once you get going, you are really going to show that little voice of self-doubt who's the boss. Yay! Go you. Go US! 

Does self-doubt ever make an unwelcome appearance for you too? What are your ways to get through it? I would love to hear some other ideas, especially as I get through this self-doubt patch in my life, so I too can bask in my awesomeness on the other side!

Much love and keep smiling - you rockstar!

xx

* I’m not entirely sure these words really go together – but I don’t care. They get my point across perfectly.