I have thought a lot about why we think so much. Ironic right? Now that everyone sees what everyone is doing all the time, we compare ourselves to each other and have completely different expectations of ourselves. How do you overcome self-doubt and overthinking?

If you think you can’t, you’re holding yourself back and need to work on your limiting beliefs. You need to realize that the only thing holding you back is your self-image.

By understanding and managing self-concept, self-doubt and overthinking, you can unlock your true potential and achieve your goals.

They can, but I can’t

Is there really something wrong with me? No, it’s clear that it isn’t. We are all humans. Humans are complicated.

New trend suggestion: treat the person you spend the most hours of the day with as your best friend.

Speak up when she talks bad about herself. Take care and cheer her up when she feels bad.

You will spend the rest of your life with yourself, so you can at least be a little nice.

A strong sense of sympathy

You need to realize that everyone experiences challenges, setbacks and moments of self-doubt.

Understanding that we are not alone in our struggles can help us cultivate a sense of connection and empathy.

Harvard Health recommends 4 ways to boost your self-esteem:

• Take care of your body. Rest, take a walk, or eat something nutritious.
• Write a letter to yourself. Think of a difficult situation and write about the incident without placing the blame on anyone. That way, you can nurture your feelings.
• Encourage yourself. Take a step out of your situation, If your friend was in this situation, what would you say to your friend? Be as empathetic to yourself as you are to your friend.
• Practice mindfulness. A quick exercise such as meditation can be a very good way to nurture ourselves and our presence.

Self-esteem is a skill you can learn, a muscle you can exercise.

Having no confidence in your abilities

Insecurity, lack of confidence, or questioning of one’s abilities, decisions, or worth. Sounds pretty nasty, doesn’t it?

When you say, “I’m not good enough.” Then you put a stop to yourself, as you say, so it is. Why should you train and get better if you know you’re not good enough.

Learn to identify negative self-talk, it can be part of a vicious cycle of negative beliefs that are not anchored in reality.

Your brain is always looking for proof that what you say or think is true.

If you ask yourself, “Why am I not successful?” Then your brain will look for reasons why you have not succeeded. The crux of this is that there doesn’t have to be any truth in it.

When you find yourself comparing yourself to others, challenge these thoughts. Ask yourself if they are based in reality and if they are helpful.

If it adds nothing to your life. Get rid of it.

“I will never be as talented as them. I should just give up trying.”

Understand that when you compare yourself to others, it steals joy from your life. I hope and don’t believe that your goal is to go and become a bitter and unhappy person.

You, my friend, are the only person in your life who has control over your emotions.

You are interesting, you belong, and you deserve all the praise you have received and will receive. If you have people in your life who disagree with this, they are not your people.

You have no obligation to keep people in your life who drag down your mood and energy. But you owe it to yourself to invite people who inspire and motivate you.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare your current self to your past self. Look at the challenges you faced and the skills you acquired to overcome them.

Celebrate the progress you’ve made, no matter how small. Be grateful for the opportunities and support you received along the way.

I’m not good enough

If, like me, you have ever thought that you are not good enough for the next step in life, then I want to present you with some food for thought.

That it’s true. BUT, No one who hasn’t done what you’re supposed to do has been good enough before they did.

Before every big progress, you have no idea how to achieve your dream. When the Wright brothers built the first airplane, they had no idea how they would go about succeeding.

If they knew that, they would have succeeded on the first try. So don’t see it as an obstacle not to try if you feel you are not good enough. If you were, you would have already accomplished what you want to do.

It’s like playing a video game and thinking no, I’m not good enough to play the level 10 course because I’m level 2. It feels a little more obvious. Yes, you need to be level 10 first.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing. I can’t: speak French, kayak, dance salsa, or JavaScript. And that’s okay, as long as we live there is time to learn.

“Your thoughts create your reality. Your mind is more powerful than you know.”

– Neale Donald Walsch

Intentional self talk

One tool you can use to overcome your negative thought patterns is affirmations. Positive affirmations is a simple way that can help you improve your thinking pattern and contribute to a more positive self-talk.

A list of positive affirmations. (tip. I share positive affirmations on a daily basis on Instagram)

• I am worthy of self-care and self-love
• I am loved, appreciated and valuable.
• I am growing and developing all the time
• I am grateful for this moment
• I make a difference in the world

You can also challenge your negative self-talk with your own affirmations. Identify what unhelpful thoughts you have about yourself.

“I’m not good enough.” → “I get better and better with every attempt.”

“I’m not good enough.” → “I learn more and more every day.”

“I can’t do anything right.” → “I have overcome many failures”

Don’t think of an elephant

You see and are aware of what you focus on. When you read the title above, did you think of an elephant or not?

It is quite impossible not to think about the elephant.

When you think about the negative, you not only create anxiety, but it becomes a much bigger problem than it actually is.

Because your brain is looking to confirm what you think, it becomes true because that’s what you will seek out.

When you can overcome self-doubt, everything becomes much easier. If you can achieve a growth mindset, you will be better able to adapt to your circumstances, and you will be met with fewer obstacles.

Your thoughts are only thoughts/ideas, not facts or reality.

Challenge your thoughts

Question your thoughts, Is what I’m thinking really true? Be objective about your thoughts and ask yourself if you have assumed this or if it is fact.

Practice your self-awareness by practicing mindfulness. Learn to find yourself in and be comfortable with the moment. If you want to read more about this, I recommend The Power of Now (affiliate) by Eckhart Tolle.

Just listen to advice from those who have achieved what you want in that area. You will only create more insecurity within yourself if you listen to everyone’s advice.

If you’re going to start a business, don’t consult your mother, who has been a teacher all her life.

Just because you value their opinion doesn’t mean they have the capacity to give you constructive advice.

Everything is much simpler than I believe

Understand that not feeling good enough is a common feeling when facing new challenges. Remember that no one who has achieved what you want to do started out feeling capable.

Accept that your self-perception is what’s holding you back. By understanding and managing your self-doubt and overthinking, you can develop your true potential and achieve your goals.

The hardest thing you’ll ever have to overcome is your own self-doubt.

Say no to negative self-talk and be there for yourself when you’re feeling down. Treat yourself with kindness and positivity.

Learn to identify negative self-talk and break the cycle of negative beliefs that are not grounded in reality. Stop holding yourself back and start holding yourself accountable.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on comparing your current self to your past self.

I know that many times I have overcomplicated the situations I found myself in. But you and I are both human, no one has a secret magic trick. If you can, so can I, and if I can, so can you.