10 Ways To Start Lessening Self-Doubt

Everyone has the ability to achieve greatness, but sometimes they hold themselves back. Self-doubt is a powerful force that ruminates in your mind and keeps you from pushing outside of your comfort zone. It could even hold you back from the things you most desire, like a love life or a specific career. If you need a bit of help to push through this common problem, read about these 10 ways to start lessening self-doubt and start moving forward.

1. Learn to Catch Self-Doubt

It’s challenging to recognize and evaluate every thought within your stream of consciousness. They happen instantly and disappear even faster. When you feel caught up in negativity, use the opportunity to focus on your thoughts. As you practice, you’ll recognize how your self-doubt appears most frequently and learn to anticipate it.

You might criticize yourself before something happens or judge your abilities before trying something new. However self-doubt affects you, watching for repeating thoughts will teach you to catch it before it happens.

2. Tell Yourself to Stop

Fighting silent thoughts is a difficult battle, but you can use your voice to vanquish self-debt. When a negative thought crosses your mind, speak out loud and tell yourself that it’s not true. The sound of your voice will make the reassurance and encouragement more meaningful than your fleeting thought.

3. Reflect on Your Accomplishments

Think about good memories from past years to reaffirm your strengths when self-doubt creeps in. It helps to remember how you’ve grown and what you’ve already accomplished. If you can’t think of anything, find new potential strengths by testing your skills with different hobbies and experiences. Self-growth is another excellent way to remove nagging self-doubt.

4. Look Into Crystals

Negativity becomes more powerful when your anxiety spikes. Crystals are an easy way to handle your anxiety and even some depression symptoms like low self-esteem. Pick a crystal based on what they can do for your self-doubt. An amethyst crystal will increase your spiritual awareness and calm your mind, allowing for a better connection to your inner self. Removing any energy blockages by filling your home with crystals could help you channel more positivity.

5. Start Daily Meditations

Meditating is one of the best ways to start lessening self-doubt. The practice pauses your negative thoughts and replaces them with a positive focus. Redirect your self-criticism by learning to let go of the doubt with purposeful thinking and breathing techniques. You’ll quickly feel better about yourself and more capable of reaching your goals. 

6. Repeat Positive Affirmations

If you want to try meditations but you’re unsure how to start channeling better thoughts, practice daily positive affirmations to turn any stressful moment into an opportunity for encouragement. Affirmations will reassure you and provide support while self-doubt takes over your day. Repeat the affirmations in your mind or out loud to make a habit of positivity. 

7. Tell Someone Your Thoughts

It’s much easier to criticize yourself when you’re the only one who hears the doubting or mean-spirited comments. When negativity takes over your day, tell someone what you’re thinking. Speaking your self-doubt out loud will make the unhealthy thought patterns more obvious and create a moment for encouragement from your loved ones who don’t want you to feel discouraged.

8. Avoid the Comparison Trap

Comparing yourself to people in your life or celebrities can also lead to self-doubt. Avoid the comparison trap by curating your social media feed and catching your thoughts when they happen. Recognize that everyone has a different path in life and you’ll reach your goals or dreams when you’ve grown from life’s many learning lessons.

9. Mess up on Purpose

If your self-doubt tells you that you can’t host a presentation at work without messing up, mess up on purpose. Say something wrong right at the beginning and watch how the world doesn’t fall apart around you. Accept the possibility of mistakes as part of being human and your self-doubt won’t have the power to disrupt your day.

10. Consider the Bigger Picture

Self-doubt sometimes occurs when you make assumptions about what someone said or did to you. You never know what’s going on in their lives, so ignore any doubt that comes from an assumption. If you know the person well enough, you can also ask them what they meant by a comment or action. Giving voice to your needs will drive self-doubt out of your mind and keep it far away by removing any miscommunication.

Start Lessening Self-Doubt

Anyone can use these simple ways to start lessening self-doubt and get more joy from their life. Reflect on your thoughts to learn how self-doubt occurs most frequently for you and use tips like journaling, crystals or affirmations to become more confident and happy.