Self-Doubt vs. Self-Belief

How often do you think about your impact on the people around you during the day?

Do you have a vocation toward a specific career? Are you a lawyer, in business & finance, social care, or in another profession?

Do you do something that matters to others in your free time? Do people rely on you? 

We all have responsibilities through work, and in our personal lives. We make decisions all the time which change our day. Even when things go well, we still have doubts. 

Do you care about what you do every day? How would those close to you describe you? Do you care what they think?

Life has a tendency to move fast, like a rollercoaster with ups and downs forever changing situations. Having doubts and beliefs propels us through both the hard and the good days. 

My school had a visit from the school board this week. They looked at how the school operates in our district and the needs of the students. 

I've experienced many of these visits, and yet I doubt myself every time they conduct walkthroughs and talk to colleagues. I always wonder if my job is secure, and if I've done enough?

Why do we second-guess ourselves and put pressure on us to be super human? Nobody can be perfect every single day and something always happens when you least expect it. 

For me it was a boy in my class who played with his pen. It exploded over two students next to him, covering them in purple ink spots. I couldn't have prepared for that, and there was a few minutes of chaos. 

Do you ever wonder if you've done enough at work?

The conversations you have can sometimes feel off. We can't explain it and so we second-guess ourselves. 

Did you know that 55% of how we express ourselves is through body language and facial expressions?

This include our posture, gestures and eye-contact. The things we do while we talk. 

For example; if someone crosses their arms when they talk, they are being defensive. If someone mirrors what you do, it shows that they are listening with interest. 

Most of our communication happens before we utter a single word. Isn't that totally cool? It's no wonder that we often pick up on things that feel off. 

If something didn't go well, do you ever think about what you could have done to change the outcome? 

Did you get your point across to the right people in your back-to-back meetings, and will they act on it? Did they listen to you at all?

How will people judge you after a presentation / a meeting or a situation?

Having doubts about your abilities is totally normal. We wouldn't be human beings if we didn't have them. 

Self-doubt and self-belief walk hand in hand. It's normal to not have everything figured out all the time. It makes us question and ask for answers to problems. It gives us a sense of purpose. It makes us sharper.

I always wanted to be an author. It wasn't just a dream to write, I felt called to it. I doubted my abilities, and didn't publish a single word for years when I should have. 

Then one day something shifted and I believed I could do it. I published my memoir and then five more books. I've written hundreds of articles online.

My catalyst was the Covid pandemic. It taught me that life is precious and that it's never too late to try something new. You just have to believe first. 

I trained to be a teacher in college, and I love working in school and being in education. Teachers make a difference to students every single day. 

Sometimes I wonder if my class was good. Did I say the right things to explain everything I needed to say? Did my class reach all my students?

I doubt myself because I care but at the end of the day, I know I'm doing the best I can. 

Can you say the same?

My name is Lizzy. I'm a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

If you like reading my posts, then please follow me.

For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

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More from Elizabeth Woods:

Are You Feeling Valued?

https://medium.com/illumination/are-you-feeling-valued-fc1376f695bc

Challenge Vs. Struggle

https://medium.com/activated-thinker/challenge-vs-struggle-af12e236afa2

What's Your Anxiety Variety?

https://medium.com/illumination/whats-your-anxiety-variety-552117898656