When your dreams and goals seem far away, and the life you want feels uncertain, doubt in your ability to succeed will creep in. This feeling can rob you of the joy and confidence to keep moving forward. Doubt, it seems, is a secret battle everyone occasionally fights because it sends you spiraling through worry, self-consciousness, and insecurity.
According to Merriam-Webster, fear is “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.” Doubt, on the other hand, is “a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.” Your doubt is different from your fear.
No matter how confident you may feel about your goals, overthinking and excessive self-questioning can suddenly creep in and lead to doubt. It’s mind-blowing how doubt can permeate your life and lead you to question the people, dreams, and purpose you believe in.
When you feel yourself falling into the mental trap of self-doubt, here are few techniques you can use to move past it.
Remove your doubt by paying attention to your growth, not your goals.
Life is about all-around expansion. However, many people put more emphasis on physical activity and less importance on spiritual and mental action. Doubt happens when we feel we are not expanding. When your outward actions aren’t producing the results you want, take a step back, and take a new approach. Spend some time reviewing your progress through your thoughts and belief. Acknowledging that you are emotionally and mentally growing instead of the materialization of your goals can help you feel more confident. Give yourself credit for the inner work you are doing.
Don't invest in doubt.
Overthinking will never solve your problems; creative thinking does. Sometimes when you move away from being immersed in a situation, you can see it from a better position. Take a step back and look at your circumstances from a different perspective. Focusing on the solution instead of the problem can help you move past your doubt.
Make decisions from a position of love.
Before making any decision, consider the source. There are two underlying motivating forces: fear and love. When you are afraid, you pull back from life. You are open to all that life offers with passion, excitement, and acceptance when you create from love. You need to learn to love yourself first in all your imperfections. If you cannot love who you are, you cannot fully open to your ability to love others. Making choices from a loving place allows you to trust your decisions more. The more you trust your choices, the more confident you feel.
Never be afraid to fail.
If you don’t run the race, you won’t have a chance of winning. Never be afraid to start, then start as many times as needed. It is the only way you will finish. You are never losing; you are learning and gaining an advantage the next time you get in the race. Years from now, when you look back at this moment, how long you took will not matter. What will matter most is that you started.
Have faith.
Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. When you have doubts, you are only questioning if what you are working towards will happen. Everyone feels this way from time to time. Having a vision of what you want and trusting it will happen will give you the confidence and strength to get there. Faith is a commitment to your dreams. Dedicate yourself to the larger vision for your life, and release the need for instant gratification. Sometimes the purpose is more significant than the task at hand.
There is always MORE.
Whenever you feel doubt, remember, there will always be more solutions and opportunities. Never feel you won’t ever have another chance at your happiness.
Keep going, my friend.
The more you practice happiness, the better you become, and the more joyous your days. If you practice living life, you enjoy and understand it a little bit better. To make your happiness a priority, grab one of our journals today!
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Until Next time.