How do you handle your self-doubt?

If you find yourself constantly asking if you’re doing the right thing, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Self-doubt is as common as breathing. Even the most seasoned individuals, experts in their fields still experience self-doubt.

Self-doubt will at some time or another show up in your life. Whether it be in education, relationships, career choices, parenting, or even something as simple as what you should wear, self-doubt will make its appearance.

In fact as I’m writing this I can feel self-doubt peering over my shoulder, shaking its head side to side and asking me if this is really what I should be writing about. And I have to give it my honest answer, I don’t know but I’m going to do it anyway.

Self-doubt has the power to stop people dead in their tracks. It’s what you witness when you see a person walk up to the edge of a diving board and then decide not to jump. And when self-doubt shows up, it doesn’t come alone, it brings its friend, fear. And together they team up against you.

Self-doubt never really goes away; it’s insidious, just waiting quietly in the wings waiting to make its next appearance. And every time it does, you have to decide how long to let it perform before you send it off stage.

You have to choose how much control you’re going to give your self-doubt, how much of your life you’re going to let it drive. If you let it, it will control every decision you make and your entire life will be on its terms. And that’s no way to live.

A key step in coping with self-doubt is learning to accept it as part of life. Once you accept it then you can develop tools and strategies to manage it.

Remember, self-doubt is an emotion as old as time and was designed to keep you safe and alive. But now that you’re safe and alive don’t let it dictate who you’re going to be, don’t hide in its shadow. We want to see you take center stage and perform, not your self-doubt.

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