I have lost count of how many times I have fallen into the waves of self-doubt, especially at the start of my TV news career. I was 21-years-old. Fresh out of college, living in Montana for my first reporting job. I felt far away from my home state of California, but I was ready to embrace the unknown. Some days would flow better than others, and then there were days where I struggled to motivate myself. There are of course days still like that now. It's life. Nothing is perfect. We are human and it is okay to feel and take the necessary steps back to re-ground ourselves. I call it self-growth.
I'm a huge believer that all personal challenges can be overcome. Most importantly, you can learn from the lessons and know how to act accordingly the next time you find yourself in similar circumstances. For example, I used to self-doubt my own capabilities of story-telling when I first started in the TV news industry. I knew I was ready and eager to learn and get better, but there were many moments at the start where I felt I wasn't good enough. I may have looked confident on camera, but I remember feeling insecure on the inside.
The fire in me to get the work done was always there but I let self-doubt control me in so many unnecessary ways and I made myself feel small. The reality is, I was creating all of those thoughts in my head instead of accepting the fact my "not so perfect work" was all part of the learning process. I wasn't freeing myself and accepting myself in that phase of my life because I kept doubting my work. Over time, I learned self-doubt only created stress and anxiety. Self-doubt only left me feeling "stuck."
One day, months into that first job, I remember telling myself that I had to allow myself to fail in order to grow. Accepting that is when I felt the freedom to trust myself and the process. All it took was a change in my mind-set. There were still moments of doubt here and there, but I wasn't triggered by them as I previously was. It is important to remember that you are in control of your thoughts.
Here are a few ways that help me conquer self-doubt:
Practicing positive affirmations daily.
Pausing and reflecting. Whenever you feel that moment of self-doubt take over, re-center yourself.
Don’t let someone else's opinion of your life decisions make you feel insecure. You know what is best for you.
Past mistakes don't define you and let go of the idea of expecting perfection.
Don’t shy away from asking for help.
Keep a journal. Write down what you are feeling and set intentions.
You are doing better than you think. Never deny any part of you and remind yourself of your strength. If I kept doubting my work the way I used to as a 21-year-old, I have no idea where I would be at now. The beauty of life is to take chances and to not fear the unknown. Learn all you can every single day and don't be afraid to fail.