🎧Are you wired for Self-Belief?
No? Let's explore the key to unlocking personal growth and success through believing ourselves.
Are you wired for Self-Belief?
I am still writing my book and was planning to share the title, but it seems to be a constantly changing adventure. Right now it is
The Happy Healthy Food Guide for Women Over 50
Discover Nutritional Strategies for Boosting Energy, Taming Hot Flashes, and Never Forgetting Your Words Again
It has taken a ton of time to come up with it. Of course I would love your feedback I am always open and happy to hear from you. Also, if you're interested in being a beta reader, I have the first five chapters in rough draft form. I'm not looking for proofreading or checking for spelling and grammar errors—no way! I need your help in identifying where you might feel bored, confused, or if anything just doesn’t make sense. If you're up for it, please hit reply, and I'll send the draft over to you. One caveat: I do need your feedback by September 27th. The draft is about 90 pages. Thank you so much!
Any way, I had a table of contents ready, but I suddenly felt so overwhelmed that it affected me right down to my core. I started to doubt my abilities and was on the verge of abandoning what I know I can do, simply because I didn’t have the right tools.
In the book writing program I’m taking to help me with my book, I learned about a GPT helper designed specifically for organizing a table of contents. I input my overwhelming content into it, and suddenly, something incredible happened. It took my mumble-jumbled mess and sorted it all out into a coherent, well-organized flow. In that moment, I was so relieved, I felt like crying. I then felt a wash of self-belief bubble up once again. The belief was always there—I was just feeling overwhelmed and muddled.
Our self-belief is always present; sometimes, all it takes is having the right tools to help us. And sometimes, when we feel incapable or begin to doubt ourselves, we just need to keep trying, keep the faith, and continue believing. The Universe has a way of sending us exactly what we need when we need it.
I felt this month is shaping up to be all about tapping into self-belief, and this was affirmed after writing my two-part article in my new publication, Planes, Trains, and RVing. The article is about the adventure of driving along a tumultuous road, with its constant gains and dips in elevation, to reach Roosevelt Dam in Arizona. I have actually moved this to its own publication (you can subscribe below) or check out the temporary thrilling adventure here.
As I reflected on the journey, I realized that Roosevelt Dam was built because of the self-belief of many individuals: the indigenous peoples who first mitigated the waterways that held true for thousands of years, the engineer who envisioned and brought the project forward, and the president who believed in himself enough to say "yes" to this ambitious endeavor. Everything just seemed to align perfectly with this month's theme of self-belief.
Believe you can, and you're halfway there
This powerful and fitting quote from President Theodore Roosevelt perfectly encapsulates the essence of self-belief. While confidence is often the outward display of assurance in certain situations, self-belief runs deeper—it is an unwavering trust in your abilities and potential. It’s that inner conviction, regardless of the obstacles in your path, you can achieve your goals and make your dreams a reality.
Let’s explore why self-belief is not just a nice-to-have quality but a fundamental cornerstone of personal growth and success. Together, we’ll examine how self-belief influences our decision-making, the goals we set, and our ability to persevere in the face of challenges. We’ll also draw inspiration from the stories of famous individuals like J.K. Rowling and Steve Jobs, who exemplified self-belief in their journeys to success. Finally, we’ll offer practical strategies for cultivating and strengthening your own self-belief, helping you tap into your full potential. Are you ready? Keep reading.
What is self-belief?
Self-belief is more than just feeling confident about a particular skill or situation. It’s a deep-rooted trust in your overall abilities and your capacity to achieve your goals, no matter the challenges you face. While confidence can fluctuate depending on circumstances, self-belief remains steady, serving as the bedrock of your mindset and actions. Let me give you an example.
Think about riding a bike. Confidence is knowing you can ride on a smooth road because you've done it before. But if the road gets bumpy, your confidence might waver. However, self-belief is the deeper trust that, even on a rough road, you have what it takes to stay balanced and keep moving forward. It’s understanding that, no matter what happens, you can handle it—it's just another experience to add to your repertoire of skills.
Unlike confidence, which often requires external validation, self-belief is an internal force. It’s that little voice encouraging you when you’re doubting yourself, the quiet resolve pushing you to take risks, and the foundation that supports your resilience when times get tough. This inner trust is what allows you to move forward with courage, even when the path ahead is uncertain.
The psychological and emotional benefits of self-belief
Self-belief is not just a motivational concept; it has tangible psychological and emotional benefits that can significantly impact your life. Here’s how:
Mental Resilience: When you believe in yourself, you’re better equipped to handle setbacks and failures. Instead of seeing obstacles as overwhelming, you view them as challenges to overcome, building resilience in the process.
Emotional Stability: Self-belief contributes to emotional stability by reducing anxiety and fostering a positive mindset. When you trust in your abilities, you’re less likely to be derailed by self-doubt or negative emotions.
Increased Motivation: Self-belief is a powerful motivator. It fuels your drive to pursue your goals, even when the going gets tough. This sustained motivation is crucial for achieving long-term success.
Self-belief is also knowing that when you find yourself in a rough spot, like I did with my table of contents, the answer will eventually appear. When you truly believe in something, the energy you create attracts what you need to succeed at the task or project at hand. The self-belief is already within —you just might need a helping hand to bring it to the surface.
The Impact of Self-Belief on Decision-Making and Goal-Setting
Your level of self-belief directly influences the decisions you make and the goals you set. Here’s how:
Decisiveness: When you have self-belief, you’re more decisive. You trust your judgment and are less likely to second-guess yourself, which leads to more confident and effective decision-making.
Setting Ambitious Goals: Self-belief encourages you to set higher, more ambitious goals. You’re not limited by fear of failure because you trust in your ability to achieve whatever you set your mind to.
Persistence in Pursuit of Goals: Self-belief also plays a key role in maintaining persistence. When you believe in your abilities, you’re more likely to stay committed to your goals, even when faced with challenges or setbacks.
Examples of Self-Belief in Action
When it has come to my own journey of letting go of past monsters, I have always turned to books. Growing up, I didn’t have anyone to talk to, so books became my confidants. Today, I still read, but I also watch interviews of people who inspire me. This has always helped me affirm that what I believed was not wrong or that I was on the right track. I don’t think I would be the person I am today without these tools.
Now, I love turning to interview programs and YouTube to further solidify my self-beliefs. These resources have been essential in reinforcing the self-belief I already have, helping me to continue growing and learning.
I am enamored with J.K. Rowling’s magic of persistence and self-belief. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, faced numerous challenges before becoming one of the most successful authors in history. As a single mother living on welfare, she struggled to make ends meet while writing her first book. In fact, much of that first book was written on napkins in a coffee shop, where she could only afford one cup of coffee to sit there for hours on end writing. Using the café's napkins, she compiled her ideas, eventually saving enough money to transcribe the manuscript—either on a typewriter or a computer—and send it to publishers. Her request was simple: if the publisher wasn’t interested, they should return the manuscript, as she couldn’t afford to print another copy.
Despite receiving multiple rejections and not always getting her manuscript back, she had something that money couldn’t buy—self-belief. Rowling believed in her story and in her ability to bring it to life. This self-belief fueled her persistence, and eventually, her manuscript was accepted, leading to the creation of a global phenomenon (btechya those publishers kicked themselves twice). Rowling’s journey is a testament to how self-belief can propel you through tough times and lead to monumental success.
I’m not a big fan of Steve Jobs, but you can’t deny the incredible achievements he made, despite facing numerous hardships. In case you’re unfamiliar, Steve Jobs was the co-founder of Apple Inc. Jobs is another iconic example of how self-belief can change the course of history. He was known for his visionary ideas and his unshakable belief in the power of innovation. However, his journey was far from smooth. He was famously ousted from Apple, the very company he helped create.
Despite this major setback, Jobs never lost faith in his vision or his abilities. He went on to found NeXT and Pixar, both of which became highly successful in their own right. Eventually, he returned to Apple and led the company to unprecedented success, revolutionizing technology with products like the iPhone and iPad. Jobs’ story is a powerful reminder that self-belief, even in the face of failure, can lead to groundbreaking achievements that impact the world.
If you’re thinking, well, they’re famous, so it doesn’t count, it’s important to explore why you might feel this way. Perhaps it’s a way to avoid pushing yourself further or a fear of truly believing in yourself and sharing your gifts with the world. But consider this: J.K. Rowling was a single mother on welfare, and Steve Jobs was just a nobody working out of his garage. No one knew who they were—yet they knew who they were. They believed in themselves and their abilities to achieve their desires. And in return, the Universe brought them so much more.
Once you align yourself with self-belief, the Universe has a way of helping you along the way. These individuals weren’t always famous; they were once just like you, with dreams and challenges. Their stories remind us that self-belief is the first step toward greatness, and that it’s within everyone’s reach.
I’ve come to believe, obstacles arise for one of two reasons: either because we need them to move forward, or because we’re creating them ourselves due to a lack of self-belief. Sometimes, these obstacles are simply reflections of our fear of realizing our full potential. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and look for a way out when we doubt ourselves.
But the truth is, once you cultivate self-belief in whatever it is you want to achieve, the Universe has a way of guiding you along your path. When you trust in yourself, the obstacles that once seemed insurmountable often reveal themselves as necessary steps to your growth—or they dissolve entirely as your confidence grows.If you’re looking to strengthen your self-belief, here are some practical strategies you can start implementing today.
Positive Self-Talk: Practice positive affirmations and self-talk to reinforce your belief in your abilities. Replace negative thoughts with empowering statements. Look, I get it—you're not going to go from cursing yourself daily to tip-toeing through the tulips singing "Kumbaya." But what you can do is, every time you berate, belittle, or put yourself down, take a moment to apologize to yourself. Then, follow up with a positive affirmation or encouraging message.
Over time, you can reach a point where, instead of automatically saying something negative, you pause. Take a breath and choose to say something positive and soothing to yourself—just as you would to a friend. This shift won’t happen overnight, but with consistent practice, you’ll find it becomes more natural to speak kindly to yourself.
Visualization Techniques: Use visualization to see yourself succeeding. By regularly imagining yourself achieving your goals, you can build the confidence needed to make them a reality. For example, my daughter is my magic button when it comes to visualization. When she was young and a synchronized skater, she would often dance through the grocery aisles, quietly humming to herself. One day, I asked her what she was doing, and she replied that she was seeing herself winning gold. She believed she could—and she did. Today, she has more gold medals than silver and bronze combined because she believed in herself.
Surround Yourself with Positivity: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and support your goals. Positive influences can significantly strengthen your self-belief. Take some time to reflect on how your friends talk and behave. Are they in alignment with your own values and beliefs? The people you choose to have around you can either uplift and encourage your self-belief or pull you back into doubt. Make sure your circle is one that fosters positivity and growth.
Taking Action: Start taking small steps towards your goals. Each success, no matter how small, will reinforce your belief in your abilities and encourage you to keep moving forward.
Self-belief is the foundation upon which personal growth and success are built. It’s the inner conviction that fuels resilience, guides decision-making, and drives you to pursue your most ambitious goals. By understanding and cultivating self-belief, you unlock the potential to achieve extraordinary things, just like J.K. Rowling and Steve Jobs did. Remember, the journey to self-belief is ongoing, but it’s the most powerful tool you can have in your arsenal for success.
Take a moment today to reflect on your own self-belief. Where can you strengthen it? What steps can you take to trust in your abilities? By committing to building this essential mindset, you set yourself on the path to a successful and fulfilling life.
Next week, we’ll explore overcoming self-doubt with practical strategies that will help you turn it around and build on your belief in yourself.
My mind and fingers helped shape this weeks publishing, but now I wold love to hear from your your mind typed out with your fingers or dictated—I don’t judge—share your story — when was a time your self -belief shinned through?
I would love to hear from you. Share your story—when was a time when your self-belief shined through?
~Karen
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