TeamWe all experience self-doubt and self-esteem issues at some point in our lives, either from a negative experience or other different causes. Such negative experiences stem from the deep societal pressure to achieve, which may leave one feeling insufficient if one fails to meet these expectations. Some people move swiftly from such stages in their lives, while for others, it becomes debilitating and can easily create a stalemate. Therefore, you need to assess such situations to ensure you get the right approach and help manage the situation.
Tips to Overcome Self-Doubt
Persistent self-doubt can escalate to conditions such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Emotional Instability
- Eating Disorders
To help prevent such, here are some tips to help you handle self-doubt and get past it.
Normalize Practicing Self-Compassion
If self-doubt is holding you back from any progression in your life, it is best to remember that we are all human. It is okay to fail and make mistakes; after all, it is how we learn most lessons and gain experience in certain aspects of our lives. Therefore, being hard on yourself should not be an option. Being hard on yourself is also an easy way to slip into depression.
Doubting our abilities is always because we do not want to leave room for mistakes. However, once you are kind to yourself, you choose to learn from your mistakes instead of letting them define you. Once you are kind to yourself, you beat the feeling of not being good enough, and you can take unimaginable strides and risks.
Recognize Your Past Winning
Acknowledging your concrete achievements helps you work on your confidence. Some days you will need such to fuel your spirit into achieving more and beating self-doubt. Additionally, recognizing your past tasks at work or in school that were challenging but ended up being successful is essential in reminding you that sometimes the most successful projects in your life may start with initial uncertainty, and thus you should forge on despite the self-doubt at the beginning. We should always use self-doubt as a steppingstone to prove ourselves wrong; on the flip side, you should not always dwell in the past since every new day brings new opportunities to improve things.
Avoid Comparing Yourself to Others
Positive competition may help steer you towards your goals; however, sometimes, competition may compromise your confidence. The saying that comparison is a thief of joy rings true in several ways. Sometimes we think we are not good enough since we cannot achieve as much as our neighbors. Therefore, it is best to stop and acknowledge your efforts and where you are without looking at your friend’s or colleague’s achievements. Imposter syndrome always makes you feel like you are not adequate as others. Some of the symptoms of imposter syndrome include:
- Self doubt
- Feeling insincere to yourself
- Failure to take credit for your achievements
We all have different journeys and perspectives; thus, embracing yours and focusing on improving yourself is essential.
Surround Yourself with a Strong Support System
Spending time with people who bring positivity into your life is refreshing. Sometimes all you need is reassurance that you are talented and brilliant. A professional therapist can also provide a strong support system. The reassurance goes along with beating down the feeling of self-doubt. Words can hinder, empower, humiliate and heal. Therefore surrounding yourself with friends and family who are intentional and encouraging will go a long way in helping you rise above self-doubt.
Find Affirmation From Within
As much as validation from friends and family may help build your confidence, you also have to invest in self-motivation. At times we are the harshest critics of ourselves, which waters down any efforts to achieve our goals. We find ourselves praising and clapping for our friends while judging ourselves harshly. Therefore you need to treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion to treat others around you. You can achieve this by giving yourself positive affirmations daily and by accepting your weaknesses and shortcomings with positivity.
Seek Professional Help
In a case where the feelings of self-doubt are intense and are hindering you from moving on with your life, it is best to seek therapy. The best professional therapist can help you better understand what you are going through and give you solutions to manage such feelings that may make you miserable. A professional therapist may implement cognitive behavioral therapy that gives you ways of challenging your problematic feelings to elevate your mood.
Final Take
Our doubts are straight-up traitors since they hinder us from achieving things we can. Therefore once you start experiencing such feelings, you should always find ways to rise above them. But if they persist you can seek the help of a professional therapist. Self-doubt is a mindset that we can all fight by being kind to ourselves; remember, nobody holds us to higher standards more than ourselves.
