We hear it all the time, your thoughts create your life; in order for something to happen you must believe it will first. Everyone around you can witness your light and see you have a gift or ability, but if you don't believe in yourself you will always be blocking you. The power of positive thoughts, the law of attraction, and manifestation have become a buzzword and the evidence supporting these ideas grows everyday.
My question has always been how, how do I get from this place of doubt and fear, and find myself with this unwavering belief that no matter what life throws at me I still believe in myself. Now I am not here with all of the answers, but maybe these ideas can help you on your journey. Take what resonates and leave the rest. Meditate on it, journal about it, try these ideas on and see how they fit. See how they feel and maybe, just maybe, you will have some new tools in your toolbox to support you on your journey to your most loving self.
Reflect
Think about all of those goals and dreams that one day seemed so far away, so impossible, the ones that both scared you and challenged you. And notice that you are looking at them from your rearview mirror. You accomplished them and moved on to the next thing, possibly without even giving yourself the proper recognition you deserve. Make a list, be as simple or descriptive as you want. And if you have a hard time getting started remember these don't have to be grand things like winning an Oscar, start small and simple and you will be surprised how quickly your page fills up. In doing this you are creating evidence, tangible evidence of why you are worthy of believing in yourself. Here is your solid proof.
Forgive
Maybe you are thinking of all the people you have forgiven in the past and noticing if there is a part of you still holding on even after you say you have forgiven. That's not who I am talking about forgiving. The person I want you to think about is someone very specific. Yourself. You heard me right, you. Forgive yourself for what you did, how you acted, the decisions you made when you did not know any better. We do the best we can with what we have. We are all humans and we make mistakes. Not a single person walking this earth is perfect. You have had to forgive family, friends, teachers, even your dog when they pee in the house when they are not supposed to. Everyone deserves forgiveness, and you give it to others so freely. You understand the situation, you give them grace and you let it go. Can you say you do the same for yourself? Picture yourself at different ages when you were making these choices and give yourself love and compassion. You were doing your best, and it was enough. This is a great topic to meditate on, allow yourself to be with the hard emotions, support yourself through it. Feel what comes up and meet yourself with love and compassion.
Trust
It is time to build trust within yourself. Just as it takes time and patience to trust someone else, it will be the same with yourself. Begin small, I mean really small. Like making your bed every day or drinking a glass of water in the morning. Keep that manageable promise every day for a week or two, when you feel ready, build on top of it. Notice how you feel as you keep these small promises to yourself every day. Notice your confidence and how you feel about yourself. Small daily actions are the answer to build trust with yourself, how you build belief in yourself. It is not a matter of motivation but a matter of self discipline. Everyday you will not feel like it, but keeping this promise is vital to your self growth. You are telling yourself you are an important person in your life. You are deeming yourself worthy, keep yourself accountable and keep going. I believe in you and you can believe in you too.
These steps are not a quick fix, the reality is if someone says it's fast or easy, you can be pretty sure they are full of shit. Fast and easy sells; slow and steady creates change. Have patience with yourself. Learn how to be compassionate and loving with yourself. Use meditation and journaling to support you on your journey. Meditation allows you to connect to your truest self and journaling gives you a space to reflect in the moment. In the future you will be happy you have documented how far you have come. The hardest part is deciding to start, but since you're reading this you have probably already made that decision. Keep going, you got this.