6 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Self-Doubt
I have always believed that we are our own worst critics, and I think this to be true. The nagging sensation of self-doubt has accompanied us throughout our lives at one moment or another. When we ask ourselves “Have I done enough?” or “Am I really excellent at this?” or the more existential “Am I headed in the right direction?”
In the event that these thoughts have ever entered your head, you’re probably aware of the overwhelming sense of incompetence and, at times, worthlessness that comes with them. Psychologists refer to this as the “impostor syndrome,” which is defined as a pattern of self-doubt that persists over time, as well as an internalized dread of being labeled a phony or a failure. Does this sound familiar?
Perhaps the most tragic aspect of imposter syndrome is that it affects individuals who are truly doing well in their fields of expertise. They begin to doubt their own abilities in their chosen professions, the validity of their ideas, and even the value of the job they undertake on a daily basis.
Surprisingly, it is often accompanied with high levels of tension, worry, and, in some cases, despair. In the worst circumstances, individuals give up their jobs. They abandon their task, believing that they have already failed as a result of their own perception of themselves. As previously said, are we our own worst critics? Us.
However, despite the fact that most of what I’ve stated seems depressing, there is a silver lining for when self-doubt gets too overpowering. Ultimately, we must continue to struggle against self-limiting beliefs since this terrible sensation is the enemy of progress. Simple things you can do to assist yourself overcome self-doubt include the following.
1. Refrain from putting yourself first.
Despite the fact that it seems to be too easy, saying no to oneself may be really beneficial in combating anxious thoughts. Do you realize how our self-deprecating ideas may lead to even more negative ones? Do you know how this happens? Say no before it even begins to take root in your thoughts and grow into a multi-branched tree. It is sometimes all that is required to silence the negative voices that we hear in our brains. You must recognize that self-doubt is a pattern, and that this pattern may be broken with a simple and strong shake of your head, as shown above.
2. Break free from the cycle of comparison
Self-doubt is already a difficult obstacle to conquer on its own. Try not to add to the stress by comparing your success to that of family members or coworkers. It’s important to remember that growth looks different for everyone. Comparing oneself to other people may lead to feelings of self-loathing and, in certain cases, feelings of jealously or animosity towards the other individual.
The best thing to do in this situation is to break the cycle of comparing and replace it with a far better habit. Continue to evaluate yourself in relation to yourself. Keep track of your progress throughout time, and discover how much progress you have made between Day 1 and Day 365 of the year. Not only is this a more healthy habit, but it is also an excellent approach to have a better understanding of what you are capable of doing.
3. Fail gracefully and gracefully
Accepting failure may be one of the most difficult things a person can do, yet it is very vital in order to keep ourselves inspired to work even harder in the future. Having successfully conquered self-doubt, a person is able to see failures as something that will pass in time.
They put the defeats on their resume as learning opportunities and try again the following day. Take note: victors are just those who have tried and failed several times. So, when you fail, be gracious about it—learn from your mistakes and choose not to define yourself by the list of things you didn’t manage to complete. Failing is okay as long as you continue to trust in your abilities.
4. Keep a record of your thoughts.
Whenever you are feeling low, a few words of encouragement from others may quickly boost your spirits back into the sky. Your friends and family, on the other hand, may not always be around to tell you how wonderful you are at what you do. So go ahead and do it for yourself. On good days, write in your diary about the accomplishments you’ve made. Describe the difficulties you overcame and at least three positive aspects of your day that you may share with the group.
If you are just starting out with a diary, try to make your documentation as accurate and precise as possible to avoid confusion. When you have concrete evidence of your successes to support your claims, you will discover that it is much simpler to overcome your self-doubt. Also notice that as you develop the habit of writing, your ability to evaluate your own improvement will improve as you become more objective in your evaluation.
5. Allow yourself to be absorbed with optimism
Try all you can to remove unnecessarily negative ideas from your mind as you go on your quest to eliminating your old habit of self-doubt. My advise is to take in all of the wonderful energy that is surrounding you.
It is possible to turn back the clock by listening to your favorite music or, even better, by reading self-development books if you feel that your day began off poorly. You may not be the type to read books in this category, but if you give it a shot, you will see how they may re-frame your thinking so that you can concentrate on your potential rather than on your perceived failures and shortcomings.
6. Create a personal slogan that you believe in.
Don’t forget what I mentioned about how we are our own worst critics. Don’t be astonished if you find yourself in the opposite position, where you become your own greatest fan and advocate. This may be accomplished by creating a series of mantras that you can repeat to yourself every morning before heading to work or school.
Starting with words such as “I am competent; I am attractive; I am loved,” you might practice in front of a mirror by stating them aloud. When we start our days on a high note, we are more likely to maintain that optimistic mood throughout the day.
Now that you’ve finished reading everything, I’m certain that you realize that the most straightforward way to express all of this is “Be nicer to yourself.” We have a tendency to be critical of ourselves, without realizing how negatively this impacts our self-esteem and our capacity to advance in our professional and personal life.
It’s amazing how easily this really negative thinking may be overcome by just choosing to love ourselves more deeply. However, like with other pieces of advise you may have received, it is easier said than done in this case.
Developing the ability to be nicer and more forgiving to ourselves involves effort on our part, but the effort is well worth the time you will put out. What better approach to battle self-doubt than to direct your energy into becoming a greater lover of yourself, it seems to me.