Do you sometimes struggle to truly feel confident?
- Many of the clients I've worked with, even those who were outwardly highly successful, were contending with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. If this is one of your challenges, you may actually feel very confident in some respects, but inadequate and perhaps painfully deficient in others.
- You may sometimes feel "not that smart," not really valued by others, or even unattractive. Or deep inside, you may even be convinced that "something is wrong" with you.
- You may constantly need to prove yourself to make up for your self-doubts.
- If any of this describes you, what effect might it be having on your happiness, and your success in life?
Have you also noticed that you sometimes subject yourself to a great deal of self-criticism, including for not being more confident?
- Many people are "hard" on themselves, which typically makes them feel bad about themselves. Then they do things to get distracted from these feelings – things they later wish they hadn't done. And that can make them feel even worse.
- Might any of this describe you?
Your self-doubts and self-criticism might also cause you to start feeling sad or "down." It will then be difficult for you to go after what you want.
- Your struggles with self-confidence may also make you feel tense, worried, irritable or even helpless to create the changes in your life you desire.
If you look honestly, you may see many areas in your life in which your self-doubting, self-limiting patterns have really boxed you in and harmed you.
- You may be unfairly blocked in your professional progress, despite all your abilities and hard work. Or the quality of your closest relationships may be suffering – and you may be afraid to ask for what you want, or to reach out to connect with the people best suited for you.
- You may also be unnecessarily restricting yourself from exploring new talents and activities.
You may have told yourself many times, "I need to be more confident," or "I need to stop doubting myself!" But has that really helped you?
- Typically, these types of self-reproach and self-pressuring only make matters worse.
I've assisted a great many people who were struggling with these kinds of challenges. If we work together, I'll discuss with you a number of approaches I've often found to be quite helpful for gaining much freedom from self-doubt and harmful self-criticism and overall feeling a lot more empowered.
- It's typically very possible to develop significantly greater confidence and an enhanced ability to assert yourself effectively.
