Do you ever go from feeling confident and powerful, to being so unmotivated that you don’t want to do anything? 

 If you answered yes, then it’s likely that you have experienced self doubt at some point in your life, which may have led to low self esteem in yourself and your abilities. 

Though, it’s normal to experience self doubt when you’re faced with challenging situations or things that are new, but it should never become debilitating. However, if you routinely experience self doubt, then it can lead to mental health issues, such as:

• Emotional instability
• Depression
• Anxiety or workplace anxiety
• Difficulty when making decisions
• Low self esteem
• Lack of motivation/ procrastinating 
  

How to Overcome Self Doubt

If you have experienced any of the above symptoms before, you will be aware of just how uncomfortable they can make you feel emotionally. 

So, with the help of our 5 tips, you can overcome self doubt in no time. Let’s dive in!

1. Don’t compare yourself to others

Now, at some point in your life, we are sure you’ve heard this saying before. But no one has ever really explained why, have they? Other than ‘it’s bad’, of course. 

Well, your life is your own, and YOU are the one who controls it. So, by comparing yourself to others, you waste precious time and energy focusing on other people’s lives instead of your own. 

Think of it this way; comparisons lead to self doubt and low self esteem, which ultimately decreases happiness. 

2. Think positively 

It can be difficult to realise when negative thoughts creep in until it’s too late. Why? Well because you can become used to them. 

Positive thinking is crucial to overcome self doubt as it can have a beneficial impact on both physical and mental well-being. 

So it’s important to kick those thoughts to the curb when they try to wriggle in! 

3. Spend quality time with supportive people

Experiencing self doubt can lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which, over time, can encourage you to self isolate from others. However, this can make your emotional turmoil worse. 

Instead, you should spend quality time with your support network; trusted friends, family, teachers, colleagues etc. As this will boost your confidence, and ultimately you will overcome self doubt.

4. Practice self validation

When you’re struggling with low self esteem, you might crave validation and compliments from family and friends, or even strangers. Though, occasionally it can become unhealthy to rely on external sources – so you need to learn to self validate. 

Self validating is a skill that requires practice, so it might be difficult to accomplish at first. Though, taking the first step is key. So every day try and tell yourself one validating thing a day, and once you get the hang of it, start to increase the number each day.  

Examples of self validating include: 

• My feelings are valid.
• My self worth is not based on the opinions of others.
• It’s okay to cry.

It’s normal to feel this way.

5. Keep a journal 

Journalling can be used as a physical tool that can help organise your thoughts, while allowing you to assess your emotions in a similar way to meditation.

So, by keeping a journal, you are free from judgement while you transfer your fear and worries out of your head and onto a page. This will make it easier for you to evaluate anything out of your control to see what is causing you extra stress. 

Along with keeping a journal, here are  10 mental health apps that can also help you cope with your mental health issues.

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