Strategies to Overcome Self-Doubt and Embrace Growth

2024-11-05 ~ adminlife

Building resilience against self-doubt is a process that takes time, but it is incredibly rewarding. As you continue to confront and move past your doubts, you’ll notice a remarkable change in the way you approach challenges. Each step forward, no matter how small, strengthens your confidence and builds momentum for even bigger actions in the future. This momentum is crucial because it proves to you that self-doubt is not a barrier; it’s merely an obstacle that can be overcome.

Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.

One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.

I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.

You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.

You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program.

One additional strategy to help manage self-doubt is to focus on self-acceptance. Oftentimes, the root of doubt lies in the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves. We expect perfection or flawless execution in everything we do, and when we fall short — because perfection is rarely attainable — self-doubt begins to creep in. But if you shift your mindset and allow room for mistakes and imperfections, you open the door to growth. After all, learning and improvement don’t happen in the absence of failure; they happen because of it.

Self-acceptance doesn’t mean lowering your standards or giving up on striving for excellence. It means recognizing that you’re human, and humans are inherently imperfect. Embrace your strengths, acknowledge your weaknesses and remember that both are part of what makes you uniquely capable. When you stop expecting yourself to be perfect, self-doubt has less room to grow, because you’ll begin to see setbacks not as failures, but as valuable learning experiences.

Another powerful tool in your arsenal is the concept of “small wins.” These are manageable, bite-sized goals that are easier to achieve, which in turn help build your confidence over time. Instead of overwhelming yourself with grand, lofty objectives, focus on the incremental progress that will get you there. For example, if you’re working on a major project, break it down into smaller tasks. Completing each of these tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment and, most importantly, will reinforce the belief that you are capable of succeeding.

Small wins are particularly effective in combating self-doubt because they provide immediate feedback. With each completed task, you prove to yourself that progress is possible. You also learn that self-doubt often loses its grip when faced with tangible achievements, no matter how minor they may seem in the grand scheme of things. This steady accumulation of success strengthens your resolve and makes it easier to tackle larger challenges down the road.

Actionable Step: Identify one area in your life where self-doubt frequently arises and break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. For instance, if you’re struggling with a complex assignment at work or school, set a goal to complete just the first section or research the initial topic. Once you achieve that small win, you’ll feel more confident to continue, and self-doubt will begin to recede. Remember, progress builds confidence, and confidence erodes doubt.

A common pitfall here is biting off more than you can chew, which can reinforce feelings of doubt if you don’t achieve your overly ambitious goals. Avoid setting yourself up for failure by keeping your focus on smaller, more attainable milestones. As you string together small victories, your belief in your abilities will grow, making it easier to confront self-doubt the next time it appears.

Lastly, it’s crucial to value effort as much as you value the outcome. Self-doubt tends to grow stronger when we fixate solely on results. When the results don’t meet our expectations, doubt has an easy entry point. But if you shift your focus to the effort you’re putting in, it becomes easier to recognize that progress is being made, even if the outcome isn’t perfect. Every time you give your best effort, you’re learning, growing and getting closer to your goals — even if the immediate results aren’t what you hoped for.

By valuing effort, you transform the way you perceive success. It’s no longer about whether you hit the mark perfectly every time; it’s about the process of improving, learning and persisting. This mindset shift also helps you recover from setbacks more quickly because you can see the value in the journey itself, not just the destination.

Over time, this approach builds resilience. You’ll become more willing to take risks and try new things because the fear of failure — one of the main drivers of self-doubt — won’t hold as much power over you. When you know that your effort is valuable, regardless of the immediate outcome, self-doubt begins to fade into the background. And when it does crop up, you’ll have the tools to push through it.

To wrap up, self-doubt may always be a part of your internal dialogue, but it doesn’t have to control your actions or limit your potential. By recognizing self-doubt for what it is — a temporary and often irrational feeling — you can begin to take steps toward overcoming it. Every time you face doubt head-on and take action despite it, you build confidence in your abilities. Focus on cultivating optimism, embracing small wins, valuing effort and accepting yourself as you are. These strategies will not only help you combat self-doubt but also empower you to achieve your goals with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose.

To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.

Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.

Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.

If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)

P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

P.P.P.P.S. If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program.

Photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash

Lifelong Learning: The Key Habit for Continuous Growth and Success

2024-10-17 ~ adminlife

How often do you think about learning outside of a classroom setting? For many people, the idea of learning ends once they finish school or obtain a degree. But for those who consistently achieve success, learning is a lifelong pursuit. They don’t stop just because they’re no longer graded on their progress; instead, they make it a habit to stay curious and open to new knowledge. This continuous commitment to learning keeps them sharp, adaptable, and ahead of the curve.

Confidence in your abilities to go after your goals can sometimes be difficult to find or keep.

It can sometimes take time to discover the confidence you have inside you. This can be especially true if you are trying something new.

I have a program that can help you to discover what is holding you back from achieving your goals as well as help you set an attainable goal related to where you are in your life and where you are trying to be.

This program also works with you to build up your confidence in being able to reach your goal.

You can find out more about this program at Confidology, a funny name but a serious program.

You can contact me to talk about this or any other aspect of confidence and success at michael@coachmichaelw.com

Visit the site and read through the program description.

If you are not ready to commit to a full program, I have a self-paced course on Udemy that may be of interest. You can find out about the course and register at Confidence and Motivation Development and Maintenance

Learning isn’t limited to formal education. In fact, some of the most valuable learning happens informally — through experiences, conversations, reading or even trial and error. Successful people understand that the world is constantly changing, and the skills that got them where they are today might not be enough to keep them there tomorrow. Whether it’s learning about new technology, refining a skill or gaining insight from others’ experiences, they view learning as a never-ending journey.

Think about it: the world around us evolves at an astonishing pace. Just a decade ago, the technological landscape looked very different, and industries have transformed rapidly as a result. To stay competitive and relevant, it’s essential to keep learning. Successful people know this, which is why they constantly seek opportunities to grow their knowledge base. They understand that what you know today could be outdated tomorrow, so they stay proactive in their quest for knowledge.

One of the most important mindsets successful people adopt is a growth mindset — the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning and persistence. People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static and unchangeable, which often leads to avoiding challenges. In contrast, those with a growth mindset embrace challenges, viewing them as opportunities to learn and grow. This mindset shift is crucial because it opens the door to continuous improvement and self-development.

Successful individuals also recognize that learning doesn’t have to be rigid or confined to one area. For example, learning how to communicate more effectively can be just as valuable as mastering a technical skill. They also understand the value of learning from different sources — books, podcasts, mentors, even from their own mistakes. They are not afraid to say, “I don’t know,” because they know that every unknown is a chance to expand their knowledge.

Actionable Step: One of the biggest challenges people face is finding time to learn. A simple way to overcome this is to dedicate just 15-30 minutes a day to learning something new. This could be reading a few pages from a book, listening to an educational podcast, or practising a new skill. Consistency is key. Over time, these small, daily efforts will compound, leading to significant knowledge growth.

In addition to carving out time, successful people often approach learning with a sense of curiosity. They don’t just learn because they have to; they learn because they want to. This curiosity fuels their desire to explore new topics and dive deeper into areas they might not fully understand yet. They’re not afraid to ask questions or seek out information from others, even if it means admitting they don’t know something.

Mentorship is another key aspect of how successful people approach learning. They actively seek out mentors who can offer guidance, share wisdom and provide feedback. Mentors can help accelerate learning by offering real-world insights and perspectives that you might not find in books or online courses. Successful people understand the value of learning from someone who has already walked the path they are on. They don’t view mentorship as a one-time event but as an ongoing relationship that evolves as they grow.

It’s also important to remember that learning isn’t always easy. Successful people are willing to struggle through the discomfort of not knowing something or not being good at something right away. They embrace the fact that learning often comes with failure. But instead of letting failure deter them, they use it as a learning experience. Each failure provides insight into what didn’t work and how they can improve. This resilience is a hallmark of lifelong learners.

Additionally, successful people stay humble in their learning journey. Even if they reach a certain level of success, they don’t assume they know everything. In fact, the more they learn, the more they realize how much they don’t know. This humility keeps them open to new ideas and perspectives, which allows them to continue growing. They understand that success isn’t a destination but a journey that requires constant learning and adaptation.

There’s a strong connection between learning and innovation, too. Successful people who keep learning are more likely to come up with innovative ideas and solutions because they’re constantly exposing themselves to new information and ways of thinking. They’re able to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated concepts, which often leads to breakthroughs in their work or personal life. This ability to innovate is one of the reasons why lifelong learners tend to stay ahead of the curve in their respective fields.

But learning doesn’t have to be a solo endeavour. Successful people often learn in community with others. They join mastermind groups, attend conferences and participate in workshops to exchange ideas and insights with peers. They know that collaborating with others can lead to richer learning experiences and expose them to perspectives they might not have considered on their own. Learning in a group setting also provides accountability, which helps them stay on track with their learning goals.

What’s more, successful people often find ways to share what they’ve learned with others. Teaching or mentoring others not only reinforces their own understanding but also fosters a culture of continuous learning within their community or organization. By sharing knowledge, they help others grow while deepening their own expertise. This reciprocal learning process creates a cycle of growth that benefits everyone involved.

Lifelong learning isn’t just about career success — it enhances every area of life. Whether it’s learning how to better manage finances, improve relationships or pick up a new hobby, the habit of continuous learning keeps the mind active and engaged. This mental agility helps successful people adapt to changes and navigate challenges more effectively, both professionally and personally.

In the end, the habit of learning is about more than acquiring knowledge — it’s about fostering a mindset of growth, adaptability and resilience. Successful people understand that learning is not just a means to an end, but a lifelong process that enriches their lives and empowers them to reach their full potential. They know that the world is constantly changing, and to keep up, they must always be learning.

If you’re serious about achieving success, make learning a daily habit. Stay curious, ask questions and seek out new knowledge whenever and wherever you can. The more you learn, the more equipped you’ll be to handle the challenges and opportunities that come your way.

To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 45-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S Don’t forget to visit Confidology to learn more about the program. If you are not ready to commit to a full program, I have a self-paced course on Udemy that may be of interest. You can find out about the course and register at Confidence and Motivation Development and Maintenance

P.P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

P.P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.

If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)

Photo by Shiromani Kant on Unsplash

Put The Situation in Perspective

2024-10-03 ~ adminlife

Have you ever noticed that when you’re in a tough spot, it often feels like the world is closing in on you? The situation seems overwhelming, and it’s easy to get caught up in a spiral of negative thoughts. But have you ever considered that maybe—just maybe—things aren’t as bad as they seem? Putting the situation in perspective can make a world of difference in how you handle it.

Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.

One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.

I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.

You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.

You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

When life hits you hard, your immediate reaction might be to magnify the problem. Everything seems worse in the heat of the moment—like the whole universe is conspiring against you. This is a common cognitive bias called “catastrophizing,” where your mind leaps to the worst-case scenario. While it’s normal to have these feelings, they aren’t always an accurate reflection of reality.

Taking a step back to put your situation in perspective is crucial. Imagine your problem as a single chapter in the long story of your life. While it might be a challenging chapter, it doesn’t define the entire book. In fact, this perspective shift can be incredibly empowering. When you stop seeing the situation as the end of the world and start viewing it as a temporary setback, you gain a clearer head and a calmer approach to problem-solving.

One effective way to put things in perspective is to count your blessings. Yes, it might sound cliché, but gratitude can be a powerful tool. No matter how dire your situation seems, there are always aspects of your life that are going well. Perhaps you have supportive friends or family, good health, or a roof over your head. These positive elements of your life can serve as anchors, helping you stay grounded when everything else feels uncertain.

This doesn’t mean you should ignore the seriousness of your situation or dismiss your feelings. It’s important to acknowledge what you’re going through and give yourself permission to feel upset. But by also recognizing the good in your life, you balance out those negative emotions and prevent them from taking over entirely. This balanced perspective allows you to approach your problems more rationally, without being completely overwhelmed by them.

Sometimes, it helps to remember that things could be worse. This isn’t to minimize your experience but to recognize that there are still areas of your life that remain intact. For example, if you’ve lost your job, it’s a difficult and stressful situation. But if you still have your health, your skills, and your support network, then you have resources to help you through this tough time. Realizing that not everything is falling apart can provide the strength you need to tackle what is.

Actionable Step: The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, try to put it in perspective by listing three things that are still going well in your life. This could be anything from the people who support you to small personal victories you’ve had recently. Write them down and keep this list somewhere visible. Whenever you start feeling overwhelmed, refer back to this list to remind yourself that there is more to your life than just this one problem.

A common pitfall is getting stuck in a cycle of negativity, where all you can see are the things going wrong. This tunnel vision prevents you from seeing the broader picture and keeps you trapped in a state of despair. To overcome this, make it a habit to consciously shift your focus to what’s still working in your favour. It may feel difficult at first, especially when you’re deep in the throes of a problem, but with practice, it becomes easier.

Perspective is not about denying the difficulties you face but about recognizing that they are only one part of your experience. When you broaden your view, you can see that life is a mix of good and bad, and that both can coexist. This understanding can help reduce the emotional intensity of your situation and allow you to approach it with a clearer, more balanced mind.

As you navigate through tough times, remember that perspective is a powerful tool. It can transform a seemingly insurmountable problem into a manageable challenge. By keeping the bigger picture in mind and acknowledging the good alongside the bad, you’ll find that you’re better equipped to handle whatever comes your way. The situation might not change overnight, but your ability to deal with it will improve, making the journey a little less daunting.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)

P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Photo by Nong on Unsplash

Overcoming the Fear of Failure: Embrace the Path to Success

2024-09-24 ~ adminlife

Fear of failure is a common emotion that affects people from all walks of life. Whether you’re a student, professional, entrepreneur, or stay-at-home parent, the fear of not succeeding can paralyze you. It often manifests as procrastination, self-doubt, or avoidance of challenges, preventing us from reaching our true potential. This blog post aims to explore the root causes of this fear, offer practical strategies to overcome it, and encourage a mindset that fosters resilience and success.

Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.

One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.

I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.

You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.

You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

The Self-Created Nature of Fear

One of the most important realizations when dealing with the fear of failure is understanding that this fear is often self-created. Most of the time, the worst outcomes we imagine exist only in our minds. Fear can magnify the risks while downplaying the benefits, making failure appear larger than life. In reality, failure is rarely as catastrophic as we make it out to be.

This fear often stems from early experiences, societal expectations, or even self-imposed standards. For instance, we might internalize the idea that failure is a reflection of our worth, something that can affect our social standing or how we are perceived by others. Yet, in truth, failure is simply part of the learning process.

The Impact of Fear on Life Choices

Fear can dictate our lives in subtle ways. It can make us hesitate to take risks, stifle our creativity, or lead to missed opportunities. By trying to avoid failure, we might stick to the familiar and comfortable, choosing paths that seem safe but ultimately limit our growth.

This avoidance of challenges leads to a stagnant life where progress is slow or non-existent. The longer fear dominates our decisions, the more ingrained it becomes, making it harder to break free. The irony is that this very avoidance often leads to more regret in the long run. We end up fearing not just failure but also the idea of never reaching our full potential.

Shifting Your Mindset to Embrace Failure

The first step in overcoming fear is to change how you view failure. Instead of seeing it as something negative, embrace it as a necessary part of growth. Many successful people attribute their achievements not to an absence of failure but to their ability to learn from it.

One key strategy is adopting a growth mindset—a belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. In this mindset, failure becomes an opportunity for improvement, a stepping stone toward success.

Here are some ways to shift your mindset:

Reframe failure: Instead of thinking, “What if I fail?” ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience?”
Focus on progress: Understand that success is a journey, and every small step forward is progress. Celebrate these victories, however small.
Embrace vulnerability: Accept that it’s okay to be vulnerable and imperfect. Vulnerability allows for authentic growth and deeper connections with others.

Practical Strategies to Overcome Fear of Failure

While a mindset shift is crucial, practical strategies can also help in addressing the fear of failure. Here are some actionable steps to take:

1. Set realistic goals: Break your larger goals into smaller, achievable tasks. This reduces the overwhelming pressure and makes success feel more attainable.

2. Visualize success: Instead of focusing on failure, spend time visualizing what success looks like. Create a clear picture in your mind of the desired outcome, and let that motivate your actions.

3. Take calculated risks: Failure is often the result of taking risks, but not all risks are reckless. Learn to assess situations, understand potential downsides, and take calculated risks that align with your goals.

4. Learn from failure: When you do fail, reflect on the experience. What can you do differently next time? This reflective process helps in refining your approach and ensuring better outcomes in the future.

5. Surround yourself with support: Build a network of people who encourage and uplift you. Whether friends, family, or mentors, having a support system can help you navigate the fear and build resilience.

The Role of Self-Compassion in Overcoming Fear

One often overlooked but essential element in overcoming fear is practising self-compassion. Many of us are our own worst critics, blaming ourselves harshly for perceived failures. This negative self-talk only amplifies the fear of failure, making us more afraid to take risks or try new things.

Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a close friend. When you face failure, instead of beating yourself up, remind yourself that failure is a universal human experience. Be gentle with yourself and focus on the lessons learned.

The Long-Term Benefits of Overcoming Fear of Failure

When you overcome the fear of failure, the benefits extend beyond just personal satisfaction. Taking control of this fear can improve multiple areas of your life:

Increased confidence: As you face challenges and embrace failure, your confidence grows. You start to trust your ability to handle setbacks, which allows you to take on even bigger risks.
Greater creativity: Without the constant fear of making mistakes, you become more open to experimentation. This creativity can lead to innovation and unique solutions to problems.
Improved resilience: Overcoming failure builds mental toughness. With each setback, you become more resilient and better equipped to handle future obstacles.
Higher achievement: When fear no longer holds you back, you’re free to pursue your goals more aggressively. This increased drive often results in higher achievement and satisfaction.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Fear

Fear of failure may be a natural emotion, but it doesn’t have to control your life. By recognizing that fear is often self-created and adopting a mindset that embraces growth, you can take back control. Through practical strategies, self-compassion, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes, you can diminish the power that fear has over you. In the end, success isn’t the absence of failure—it’s learning to rise every time you fall.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)

P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.

The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address)

Limiting Beliefs Download

Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.

Photo by Kiwihug on Unsplash

Self-Blame and Self-Criticism Is Not Healthy

2024-07-29 ~ adminlife

Self-blame refers to a person’s tendency to consider themselves at fault, especially when things don’t go as well as planned, even if the cause or events were beyond their control. A pattern of self-blame leads a person to feel constantly guilty and inferior.

Although the tendency to self-blame can make a person seem humble and unassuming, it can also inhibit them in becoming more creative and wanting to strive to do better.

Confidence in your abilities to go after your goals can sometimes be difficult to find or keep.

It can sometimes take time to discover the confidence you have inside you. This can be especially true if you are trying something new.

This program also works with you to build up your confidence in being able to reach your goal.

You can find out more about this program at Confidology, a funny name but a serious program.

You can contact me to talk about this or any other aspect of confidence and success at michael@coachmichaelw.com

Visit the site and read through the program description.

People who have a persistent habit of blaming themselves for anything that goes wrong will usually avoid taking the initiative. This is because they prefer to stay inconspicuous so they won’t receive extra (negatively perceived) attention, and in doing so, hope that others will have similar expectations of their capabilities.

Self-blame is also correlated with being self-critical

Being self-critical is the act of telling ourselves negative and destructive thoughts, such as being inadequate, shameful, or a failure. We almost all have a tendency to be self-critical to some degree.

However, the problem begins when this becomes a habit; a negative, self-reinforcing loop. This is because constant self-criticism causes a person to become stuck with negative thoughts and emotions about themselves. They feel guilt and shame to the extent that they no longer feel any desire to achieve. If left unaddressed, this inaction can lead to depression or other mental health issues.

Self-criticism deprives an individual of being able to look at their own efforts or abilities objectively. It robs them of being able to engage in healthy self-reflection, which would allow them to be more accepting of any past mistakes.

A little bit of self-blame and self-criticism is okay

We can get away with a little bit of self-blame and self-criticism occasionally. However, if we continually beat ourselves up and start to do it more often than not, then we may not be able to stop and do an objective reality check.

Remember, your mind is incredibly powerful. If you continually feed it with self-blaming and self-criticizing words, those words will get louder and more believed and ingrained. In turn this can increase your risk of developing anxiety or depression.

Self-blame and self-criticism can be beneficial to some degree

They do help us ‘get real’ about ourselves. Sometimes we may be a little guilty of believing our own press. Some critical self-evaluation allows us to identify and accept our imperfections and take conscious steps to improve them. However, if self-blame and self-criticism become the norm, it can paralyze us into inaction.

Consequently, you will be hindered from achieving your full potential. Therefore, it’s important to keep self-blame and self-criticism within healthy levels. Simply, it should be a feedback mechanism, not a tool for consistent self-deprecation.

Steps To Keep Your Self-Blaming and Self-Criticism In Check

Focus your criticism on your behaviour

Behaviours can be changed. This is why when your inner voice starts to be critical, it is time to address your behaviours. Be careful not to criticize your attributes, as you can’t always change them, or need to. Your attributes are a part of your uniqueness.

If you blame yourself for not being super-intelligent, you run the risk of drowning in frustration and depression. If instead you more correctly blame or criticize your habit of spending too much time on your smartphone instead of studying, then chances are you can find ways to rectify the behaviour, and therefore change the result.

Know the difference between taking responsibility and self-blaming

Instead of being quick to blame or criticize yourself, try to assess the situation first. It is important that you look into every aspect of yourself, and see how your actions, inactions, and the words you have left unspoken, affected the entire outcome of the situation. Accept your mistakes and come up with ways on how you can improve yourself as well as the situation in the future.

Challenge your self-critical inner voice

When your inner voice tells you that you are lazy, not worthy or inadequate, challenge these thoughts. Start by creating a journal of the things that you like about yourself, and your strengths. Creating this type of journal will help you appreciate yourself more and criticize yourself less.

If you work on improving yourself, your skills, abilities, and behaviour you will find it easier to get rid of your negative self-critical inner voice.

Nothing happens until action is taken.

To your success.

Michael

P.S Don’t forget to visit Confidology to learn more about the program.

P. P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching

If you have an Amazon Kindle account, there are different books at Amazon – Michael W (author)

Photo by Marvelous Raphael on Unsplash