How to Silence the Voice of Doubt

How to Silence the Voice of DoubtHow to Silence the Voice of DoubtIt starts innocently enough- you had a bad morning at work. Then someone snaps at you as you slip off to grab some Starbucks. And then your thought process spirals into an all-out avalanche Should I get a new job? What kind of job should I look for? Am I on the right track? What do I really want to do with my life? How am I going to make it to the end of the week, let alone through the next year?The worst parte is, once the self-questioning starts, it doesnt stop- and it seeps in to all the other aspects of your life, too What if I picked the wrong partner? Why did I choose this apartment? Are these the right shoes to wear with this skirt?When you finally get a break for lunch, its all you can do to choose from one of five sandwich options.Stop.Yes, its important to take an honest look at your life. But women can be prone to getting into a spiral of overwhelming self-doubt that drags us down rather than helping us make productive decisions. Sometimes, what you need the most is just to stop the running commentary and clear your head, instead. Here are four simple tips for silencing that voice of doubt1. Surround Yourself with Positive MessagesSometimes, it helps to replace your own internal voice with someone elses. So read a good book (check out our virtual book club for a place to start), post inspirational quotes on your mirror, or listen to music that makes you feel good, be it pumped-up gangster rap or soothing acoustic crooning. Drown out the little voice that says you cant and fill its absence with words and rhythms that keep you moving forward, that tell you youre amazing and capable and beautiful and whatever else you want to be.2. Turn off Distractions (If Just For an Hour)My senior year of college, one of my professors asked us to do a 24-hour media fast no cell phone, internet, email, magazines, newspapers, nothing (though books were OK). Try disconnecting, even if its just for an afte rnoon, to reconnect with your offline persona. Really be present and attentive to the world in front of you rather than the one in the cloud. Meet with a supportive friend and talk about your lives in more depth than you can capture in a tweet or status update. Do something tangible like baking cookies, working out and reveling in your bodys strength, or crafting something beautiful.3. Take Some Time for YourselfSome of us need more time alone than others. If your job keeps you hopping from one client to the next and you leave work only to spend all of your free time with your friends and family, are you getting the reflection time you need? Grab a journal and lock yourself in your bedroom or jump in your car and drive until youve cleared your head of the days clutter. Once youve relaxed into your own skin again, youll be able to be more present to all the people in your life- and to yourself, too.4. Focus on What Youve Done, Not What You HaventI know we told you that you are not yo ur resume, and its true that no single sheet of paper can capture all dimensions of who you are. But sometimes you need to remember how cool your accomplishments really are. Did you graduate cum laude? Become a member of your departments honor society? Did you head up a community service project or write a pretty awesome article?Think about those accomplishments and how happy and successful they made you feel. Youre selling yourself short if you only think of the things you havent done instead of all of the fantastic and unique things you have. Build on those.Above all, dont be so hard on yourself. You dont have to take on the world at 100 miles an hour to know youre moving in the right direction. Sometimes you just need to take a moment to remember what brings you joy and what brought you to this point in your life in the first place.What are your favorite things to do when life gets overwhelming? How do you silence the voice of self-doubt?Photo courtesy of Photostock.