Practical tips to help overcome self-doubt and build self-belief
1. Think of the worst case scenario – Get things in perspective by considering the worst that can happen if you fail. In most cases the worst case scenario may not actually be that bad.
2. Set yourself challenges but manage your expectations – Set yourself challenges that you can realistically achieve. Start with something relatively small, but something that does mean something to you. Remind yourself that no one’s perfect; so expect to fail on occasions.
3. Stand up for yourself & be assertive – Have the confidence to say ‘no’ to unreasonable requests, or to tell people that you need more time or perhaps support with tasks that you find challenging. Watch our Saying No Series for more tips on this.
4. Socialise with supportive people – Try to associate with people who won’t criticise you negatively, ideally people who will be honest with you and whose opinion you respect. Believe these people when they say positive things about you.
5. Take regular exercise – Taking regular exercise is good for mental health; it’s been shown to improve people’s image of themselves and their sense of wellbeing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gentle walk round the block or something more active, you’ll always feel better after you’ve done some exercise.
6. Help yourself to stay healthy – Eating healthily and getting enough sleep both have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. You’ll feel more positive about yourself if you eat a well-balanced diet at regular meal-times and you drink plenty of water. Reflect on your sleeping habits too – lack of sleep isn’t conducive to positivity.
7. Consider Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a method of reminding yourself to pay attention to the present moment. Techniques like meditation and yoga can really help with this. They help you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, so that instead of being overwhelmed by them and perhaps doubting yourself, you find it easier to manage them.
8. Stop comparing yourself to other people – Be respectful of others but don’t evaluate your successes by comparing yourself to them. Be clear about what you want to achieve and evaluate yourself against your own expectations.