Silencing self-doubt

Self-doubt is that sneaky little voice that creeps in just when you’re about to take a step, whether big or small. It whispers, “Are you sure you can do this?” or even worse, “What if you fail?” “Nobody likes you” Sound familiar? Before you know it, you are second-guessing yourself, delaying your plans, and shrinking because you are convinced that you are not good enough and not fitting for the task. 

It could be in school, where your teacher calls on you to make a presentation in front of the class, at work, where you have to pitch a business plan, or anywhere life demands you to rise to the occasion. But if there’s one thing, I have learned in the three decades I have lived here on earth, it is that self-doubt is a lie. It is an unnecessary hindrance designed to block you from living your life fully.  
I will not pretend to have it all figured out. Doubt still knocks on my door, and I need to constantly remind myself of what the word of God says about me. The issue of identity comes up repeatedly because I have to remind myself that I am the light of the world, and I am the head and not the tail. And that God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1:7.
 
This post was inspired by prompts from my Afro-Bloggers’ family/. The prompt was to write about “How do you silence self-doubt in a world that undervalues African voices?” I realized if I do not learn to silence self-doubt, I’ll never fully embrace my purpose, individuality, and Africanness. 
So, let’s dive into how to overcome self-doubt, shall we?

Believe in yourself

Your voice matters. You matter.
People who do not believe in themselves rarely accomplish much. Every successful person, one or the other, has had to face self-doubt at some point. The only difference with them is that they did not let it stop them. Most people think doubts come in big things only, although it’s a fact, but it also creeps in, in small things. You’d be shocked how many people still shake and feel inadequate to share an idea in a meeting with just four familiar colleagues. But because of doubt, they shrink. It convinces them that their voice is not valuable when, in reality, it is. 
If you do not stand firm in your ideas, doubt will creep in and cause you to abort what you had set to do or achieve. And we all know what happens next, regrets of not showing up for yourself, demotivation, and just thoughts of why you never trusted yourself in the first place. Believe in your voice.

Do not compare yourself with others.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

 Theodore Roosevelt 

The moment you start comparing your journey to someone else’s, doubt gains power.  You begin to feel like you are way behind in life because all your mates are somewhere in life or have something you do not have.
If it were not for comparison, a lot of us would not be battling with mental health issues and feeling like we are not good enough. If you constantly compare yourself with other people or your mates, you are surely robbing yourself of true joy. Be aware that your value is not measured by the next person. Yours is yours, and theirs is theirs. You have your own life, and I encourage you to live it to the fullest.

Think About Missed Opportunities

Think about all the opportunities you could have seized if you had just believed in yourself. How many ideas have you abandoned before even giving them a shot or trying to see if you are capable or not? How many times have you been asked to speak in front of a crowd or lead a group of your friends, yet you backed out? How many doors could have opened for you if only you had said yes and believed you could do it? So, I encourage you to seize opportunities without fear and show up for yourself. In the small life that I’ve lived, I have realized that self-doubt is self-inflicted. If you don’t deal with it, you will remain stuck. You will keep missing out on experiences and opportunities that could grow you, shape you, and push you into your destiny.

 As a recovering addict of self-doubt, who’s helped by God, I have suffered a lot from self-doubt. Especially, when I think about the lost opportunities, I could cry a river of tears. A major cause of self-doubt is things like disappointments, failed attempts, constant setbacks, and loss after loss. It can make you shrink as you are scared of failing again. One thing I know for sure is that God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love, and sound mind. Rise and silence the doubts in your mind.

---

The enemy will always whisper reminders of your past failures, of how you have done it many times and it never worked, hoping to keep you stuck. But it is all a lie. Rise and keep moving. There is room for all of us.

If you are struggling with self-doubt like I had, let me know how this post has helped you. And if you have passed through it and conquered it, how have you dealt with it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
Do not forget to like, share, and subscribe.

From my heart to yours
Cheers!!

• A Perseverance Journey: Breaking Barriers with a Disability 
• A love letter to my younger self
• Silencing self-doubt
• How to handle negative peer pressure as a teenager. (Part 2) 
• How to handle negative peer pressure as a teen. (Part 1)