How much time do you spend second guessing yourself? You’re human so I’m going to say it’s probably a lot. You’re also a smart cookie so I’m going to assume you logically you get your self-doubt is holding you back.
Close your eyes. (Well, after you read this close your eyes.) Imagine yourself as a superhero. Any superhero. A superhero who can do anything. She can achieve everything she puts her mind to. She doesn’t have time for self-doubt so she always believes in herself.
How did that feel? Great? Scary? Weird? Take a moment to consider what your reaction means to you about you.
You are that superhero. Just because someone, somewhere along your story gave you the idea that you’re limited doesn’t mean you really are.
Yes, I know, we all have limits of some sort. I wouldn’t be able to lift a car. That’s a limit of my physical strength and it’s good to know that so I don’t do something silly and throw out my back.
But there was a time when I didn’t think I could do a headstand. Then one day, after working on my physical limits for a while with Pilates, yoga, cardio and strength training, I decided I could do a headstand. And I did. I’ll never forget that moment and the sense of pride I felt. I had only been limited at that point by my beliefs, not my body.
Take a moment to think about something you couldn’t do at some time in your life and then you worked toward being able to do it. I know there’s something so stop hemming and hawing over this. You figured out how to walk at some point right? Your little baby-self believed it was possible and then you did it.
Think about what you could achieve if you believed in your ability to do that thing you thought of.
I’m going to guess it’s a bit scary to imagine trusting yourself so completely that you simply know you can do anything you want.
Fear is not a bad thing. We have it to keep ourselves safe. The problem with it is it didn’t exactly evolve as fast as the rest of our society. We don’t have to be afraid a sabertooth tiger is going to jump out from behind a bush so instead we worry about what people will think of us.
I know. It doesn’t make sense. That’s because I’m talking about feelings, your heart, not logic and your brain.
Go back to the thing you thought of earlier.
Ask yourself what it is you’re afraid will happen if you take the risk to believe you can and go for it.
We’re going to pause for a moment for all of the people who just thought, “I’m not afraid of anything, I just don’t think I can do it.” I always get arguments over saying someone is afraid.
You are afraid. If you weren’t you would have done that thing already.
Maybe you’re afraid you aren’t good enough. Maybe you’re afraid you aren’t talented enough. Tall enough. Smart enough. Pretty enough. Funny enough. Strong enough…
So, what is it? What are you afraid will happen if you believe in yourself?
Now ask yourself if the thing you’re afraid of is true. Are you really not good enough? If you still think you aren’t good enough, you’re going to have to give me the evidence. Email me at kate@soulfulspacecoaching.com or DM me on Instagram @soulfulspace.coaching and plead your case. You’ll be wrong, but I’ll listen.
If you aren’t tall enough, come up with a solution. If you aren’t pretty enough, we go back to the “give me evidence” place. Says who? Do you really think that person’s opinion is so valuable that you believe it without evidence? No!
What if you believed you could?
What if you took the risk to trust yourself?
For every argument you come up with I want you to give me hard evidence to support it. Not “I feel”.
Most things I’ve done in my life have been risks and I’ve been scared out of my mind. I believed I could though. I didn’t freaking know how, but I believed. I made new friends when my mom and I moved to new places. I moved to Chicago by myself. I let myself be loved. I started a business and felt like I was going to throw up for 2 months straight. I started another business and still feel like I’m going to throw up.
Look, I’m a hot mess and I insist on believing in myself. You’re a hot mess and I insist on believing in you. Now you have to believe in yourself.
You can do anything. ANYTHING. Put your mind to it. Do it regardless of the fear. Trust yourself even if you don’t know why.
Show yourself what you’re capable of. Go get it girl.
That’s a lot of rah-rah, that I totally and sincerely believe. If you need someone to believe in you while you’re working on believing in yourself let’s get some coaching going ASAP. We’ll find your strength together.