Self-doubt can be a confronting feeling to overcome.  When you doubt yourself, it can stop you from taking positive action.  These 4 simple steps can help you move through self-doubt to self-confidence again.

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How to Overcome Self-Doubt in 4 Simple Steps

Step 1  Give Yourself Time to Change

If you have focused on self-doubt for some time and have built up some momentum there,  it can take a while to move into self-confidence.  Imagine a large cruise ship travelling along at quite a speed in a Northerly direction.  Just because the Captain decides she wants to turn the ship and travel South does not mean the ship will follow her directions immediately.  The Captain will need to put on the brakes first and slow the ship’s momentum.  Once this happens, the captain can begin to steer the ship to the left or right.   A very large U turn can be enough to get the boat facing South.  A five point turn might even be necessary with some movement backward and forward until the ship’s direction is reversed.  This can feel like taking two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back.

A similar relationship occurs with your thoughts.  Just because you decide self-doubt is an uncomfortable, unproductive experience and you want to feel more self-confident doesn’t mean that change is going to happen instantly.  But if you can slow down the momentum of self doubt (put the brakes on) and start to practice thoughts that are in alignment with self-confidence, change is bound to occur eventually.

You will notice this pattern with every aspect of your health.

You might be sick of feeling tired and decide you want more energy.  Just making this decision will not give you instant energy.  But making the decision is an essential step in the process of getting your energy back.  You will have to dig a little deeper and make some changes to experience more energy.  And even once you uncover the cause of your fatigue and start to address the underlying reasons you are tired, there might STILL be a lag time until you experience more energy.  Don’t give up too soon.  Don’t let all-or-nothing thinking or self-doubt take over and stop you from continuing to improve your health and well-being.  Click here and learn more about the causes of fatigue and how you can get your energy back.

Step 2  Remember…You are the Thinker, Not the Thoughts

Start to develop awareness and distance around your thoughts.  It can be very helpful to realize that YOU ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS.  Just because you are thinking thoughts that are in alignment with self-doubt does not mean these thoughts are true or in any way represent reality.  They just FEEL true because you have been practicing them for long enough.  You can change this by developing some distance from your thoughts.  This will help you feel less attached to the thoughts.  You are the thinker NOT the thoughts which means you have the ultimate power in this experience.  Start to become aware of your mental chatter or self-talk.  What is that old mixed tape playing on repeat?

Step 3 Understand the Difference Between Your Inner Critic and Your Inner Mentor

Inside each of us lives an inner critic and an inner mentor.  These are different voices that we hear in our head if we take the time to observe our self-talk.  Your inner critic will always come up with excuses for why “this won’t work”.  You can recognize your inner critic’s voice by its negative, self-critical words and tone.   You might find yourself saying things like:  “This could never work for me” or “Sure…other people might have had some success but everything I have tried to improve my health has failed.  This is going to fail too.”

When you experience self-doubt, it usually means your inner critic is steering the ship.  Once you become aware of critical or self-doubting thoughts, I want you to visualize a red stop sign.  Express gratitude to your inner critic for trying to protect you with self doubt.  But let your inner critic know: “It’s Ok! I’ve got this one!” See if you can challenge some of the inner critic’s negative thoughts and replace them with more realistic thoughts…like “This has worked for other people so it is possible it might work for me too”.

To help you with this I have created a cheat sheet:  The Hormone Breakthrough Mastery Mindset.  This will help you identify the inner critic’s voice that could be causing self-doubt for you.   It will also help you challenge some of these critical thoughts with more realistic sentences.  Click below to download The Hormone Breakthrough Mastery Mindset.

 

Activate Your Inner Mentor

You can activate your inner mentor by asking the right questions.  Your inner mentor is the supportive, soothing and encouraging voice you may be aware of that kicks in to support you when you need it.  Sometimes you just need to slow down and quiet the inner critic a little (put the brakes on) in order to hear your inner mentor.  Asking questions like: How far have I already come on this journey?, What have I already learned along the way? What is working well for me now? And how can I build on this and make it better?  can help to activate the voice of your inner mentor.

If you would like to learn more about your inner critic and inner mentor, I can recommend a book called Playing Big by Tara Mohr.  This is a fantastic book that will help you tap in to the power of your inner mentor and enjoy healing and success in every area of your life.

Step 4 Balance Your Hormones Naturally, Stop the Brain Fog and Think Clearly Again

When your hormones are out of balance and you are riding the emotional and physical roller-coaster of PMS, period problems, mood changes or peri-menopause, it can be hard to think clearly.  In fact 80% of my patients suffer from brain fog and poor short term memory when they start treatment.

If your hormones are out of balance, it is likely your thinking processes and cognitive function are also affected.  It is important for you to know that brain fog is not permanent.  After 4 weeks of treatment, most women begin to see an improvement in cognitive function.  After 12 weeks of treatment, many women tell me the confusion is gone and their clarity of thought and short term memory are better than ever.

Self-doubt and brain fog are usually partners in crime.  When you discover how to balance your hormones naturally and fix your period, you'll feel like yourself again.  You'll feel calmer and more uplifted.  You'll have more energy, confidence and mental clarity.  You'll experience vibrant physical health and radiant well-being.  And you'll enjoy healthier relationships, happier parenting and more success at work.

Balancing your hormones naturally can help you overcome self-doubt and get your confidence back.  Click here to read more about how to balance your hormones naturally.   You are worthy and deserving of the self-care and effort that might be necessary to see long-term improvements in your health and well-being.  Put your own oxygen mask on first and focus on feeling well.  Once your hormonal regulation improves and you are enjoying optimal health again, you will be in a better position to support other people and make your life dreams come true.

Book a Consultation with Naturopath Emma Stimpson