Am I Enough? Turning self-doubt into belief

We all grapple with self-doubt; it creeps in and has the potential to derail our hopes and dreams. Remember the little devil that sat on the shoulder of the characters in the old cartoons, that's like self-doubt, whispering negative things undermining your confidence. You start to compare to others and question your value, your right to share, your experiences. Self-doubt challenges us especially when we are trying to do something new or grow. So how can we wrestle back control over self-doubt?

Let's frame it a different way, firstly acknowledge it. Self-awareness is key in recognizing what needs to change. What is the voice actually saying? Naming the thing helps us manage it. For example, is it because you can't do something. If you lack the skills, then perhaps it's about learning something new. And learning is growing.

What effect is the doubt having, are you procrastinating, running negative stories, letting it stop you from following your purpose or finding new ideas? Start by saying, I have self-doubt because..." Are you scared? That's perfectly normal, we are all doing the best we can, you are only human. Accept that mistakes help us learn and failure is actually how we grow.

So how do you turn self-doubt into belief?

Positive self-talk is really important, find an affirmation that speaks to you and write it down, say it every day and night, your mind is very powerful, box up those negative comments and kick them out!

Recognize all the great things you have done so far. You are good at lots of things, note them down, what do you find easy that others find hard? I always find that the steps to get things done are incremental not monumental. Celebrate small wins and actions that move you forward.

Reframe your mistakes, will this matter in 1 week, 1 year? How can you learn from them?

Find a way to build on what you have learnt. Make a choice to accept failure and move on.

A thought is only a thought and a thought can be changed. Instead of "Am I good enough"? Change it to "I am good enough"! Remember to cultivate self-belief and keep a positive mindset, you've got this!