Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt

I've learned that it's difficult to fight self-doubt when you are often anxious. Unfortunately, naturally, anxiety and self-doubt go hand in hand. Because of this, my anxiety can affect my decision-making. In other words, when trying to make a choice, I often doubt myself and my ability to make a good decision.

Then, once I make a decision, I often question it and wonder what would have happened if I had made a different choice. This can turn into a spiral of emotions and thoughts that become overwhelming. As a result, this sometimes increases my anxiety and self-doubt and can even sometimes keep me from moving forward. I may feel frozen in some of the choices I make for myself, professionally, personally, or in other areas of life.

How I Am Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt

This is something I have noticed I am constantly working on, as I've noticed that once my anxiety increases, my self-doubt increases as well, and I feel less confident about myself. The major problem with this is that this can affect me professionally. I must be confident in the work that I do.

So, what are some of the strategies that I am working on to overcome the self-doubt I experience with my anxiety?

First of all, I practice using logic to work through self-doubt. If I have made a choice, whether it is a major professional decision or something as simple as what to make for dinner, and I have doubts about it, I work through the situation logically. More than likely, my choice, at the moment, was the best one I could have made, and I need to remind myself of that. And so, I will consider the alternatives and why I didn't make those choices. Being rational about my choice helps to quiet any racing thoughts.

I've also learned that sometimes I simply need to trust my instincts. Rather than looking for validation that I made the right choice, I accept the choice that I made and move forward without asking others for advice. I've found that it has become increasingly easier to commit to a decision without an overwhelming fear of having made a wrong one, as anxiety will often have me believe.

Lastly, I've learned that it is important for me to rewrite my personal scripts. My inner dialogue is full of negative self-talk, and it is imperative for me to change many of the things that I automatically say to myself. Unfortunately, this means working on changing years of negative self-talk. So this is something I have been progressively working on for some time, but I've noticed that it is critical for me to do so to increase my confidence, reduce my anxiety, and decrease my self-doubt.

What are some of the strategies you use to overcome anxiety and self-doubt? Share them in the comments below.