Dealing With Self-Doubt

Have you ever dreamed of doing something bigger than just your standard daily grind? Have you ever wanted to start a business or write a book? Do you ever hear a little voice inside your head? You know the voice. It's your negative alter ego telling you your dreams are just that dreams. The voice tells you you're not smart enough, rich enough, or creative enough. That little voice has plagued me for many years, and it was only recently I got the nerve to tell it to SHUT UP! I will never understand why we all have that little voice, but we all know it is self-doubt. Even the most confident person deals with self-doubt, and it doesn't go away. You can be living your dream, and still have moments you question your capabilities. Even though it may be a lifelong battle, here are some questions to ask yourself when that negative feeling creeps into your mind.

If you never reached your goals, would you be satisfied?

I began to ask myself that question when fear and doubt became crippling. I felt confined to the point I was suffocating. Terror came over me when I thought of never pursuing my dream. That feeling outweighed any doubt or fear that I had that I might fail. The fear of not at least trying lit a fire in me, and I haven't looked back since.

Where did your self-doubt originate?

We are born with a level of confidence, but as we get older, our experiences shape the way we think. Did you have parents or family members that were negative? Were they quitters? Did they predict a negative outcome before even attempting the task? If you've grown up around people with these attitudes, it is hard to break the pattern. Read positive thinking self-help books. Attend events and networking events with people that share the same interests. Surround yourself with people that want to see you win.

Can you accept failure?

We all know failure is a very unpleasant situation. I've read many books and heard lots of speeches embracing failure. Who are they kidding? When you fail, it feels like the whole world is watching and laughing at you. When you have minor successes, no one pays attention. Failure is not an excuse to give up on what you want to do. Keep in mind this relates to attainable goals. If you're trying to be a pilot, but have never taken a flying lesson, that's not attainable. The journey to build something out of nothing is not paved in gold. You will have stumbling blocks along the way. When you stumble, take a step back, regroup, and continue to push through.

I've failed plenty of times, and the more I failed, the louder the voice of self-doubt got. But even though the negative voice was loud, my dream always screamed louder.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dealing-With-Self-Doubt&id=9952747

3 Ways to Speak Up and Be Heard

Your voice is your signature. Here's how to use it for maximum impact.

Your voice is your signature; it carries your energy, confidence, intelligence and warmth and is a powerful manifestation of your professional identity.

It’s essential to know how to use your voice for maximum impact. Here are three exercises that will prepare your voice to suit the intention of your communication:

1. Say aloud, “Call me at 4 p.m.,” as a direct order, as an invitation, as a favor and then as a plea.

What do you notice? Do the pitch, tone, volume and placement change with the intention? They should.

2. Close your eyes as you listen to the radio, and focus on the variations of the announcer’s voice to indicate what’s most important.

Listen for pitch variation at the end of one segment and the beginning of another; notice how emphasis is placed on key words. Try to imitate what you hear and observe how it feels.

3. Relax your jaw, breathe, and say your name the way James Bond would say it.

“Bond. James Bond.” Now smile and try it again. What do you notice? As an instrument of your expression, the voice needs to vary widely to suit the requirements of the situation and the intent of your message.

http://www.success.com/article/3-ways-to-speak-up-and-be-heard

Standing Up For Yourself

Finding your voice means sticking up for yourself, but sometimes when you do that, it may rub other people the wrong way. So what do you do? Stick up for yourself or let things go?

As women, being people pleasers is innate. It's in us. We want people to like us. We don't want to say something too harsh, because then it will bother us if it hurts someone's feelings. So we'd rather be quiet, keep to ourselves, and not say anything just to ensure we don't offend someone.

When you do this once, you may not think it affects you. After all, it's only one time. One time leads to it being easier the second time and a third time and a fourth time. Until it just becomes habit for you to let things go, not worry about them, or just go with the flow. Then you become reserved and quiet, because you start to hide.

You hide yourself. You hide as a person. You hide your voice. You begin to think what you say and think doesn't matter. Then you believe you don't matter, which makes you dig your hiding spot deeper. You end up getting so worn out with being someone you aren't, it makes it harder to find your way out. It makes it nearly impossible to unveil yourself... so you just keep hiding.

Your voice is longing to be heard. It needs to be heard. When someone says don't stand up for yourself, ask them why they say this. Is it because they think you don't matter or what you believe doesn't mean anything? Is it because they feel threatened by your power? Do they want you to remain hidden, because it makes them feel better about themselves?

Don't allow someone else to tell you don't stick up for yourself. Don't allow someone else to say let it go. Don't allow someone else make you feel as though you aren't important, that what you say doesn't matter, or that you don't deserve to be treated better. Don't allow someone else to suggest you stay hidden.

Fight for what you believe. Stand up for your rights. Allow your voice to be heard. Never ever take less than you deserve. And when you believe someone is mistreating you, say so, and don't apologize for it. You deserve better than that. You are worth more than that. You matter, and if you don't stand up for you no one else will.

http://goarticles.com/article/Standing-Up-For-Yourself/9791899/