“Doubt can’t take away your peace if you remember your true essence,
embrace trust, and surrender.”
—Nancy Salmeron
It has been my experience that as we pursue our dreams and life purpose, doubt becomes a companion on our journey of believing, changing, and becoming. I have observed people who will not take a leap of faith to pursue what makes them come alive because they don’t believe in themselves, or they doubt that they are destined to have a life of their own creation. I have seen people discourage others from pursuing their passion because they see having dreams and desires as a waste of time. I have been guilty of doubting my journey and wondering if I am wasting my time believing that I have what it takes to inspire others to believe in the power of their dreams.
Yes, when desiring to live big lives—lives of passion, purpose, and meaning—doubt becomes your companion. Doubt can make you feel paralyzed and afraid of taking the next step. I know doubt very well because it has played a big role in my life. I have doubted my ability to empower individuals to becoming their most authentic selves. I have doubted that I have the strength and courage to persevere in the grueling task of self-discovery. Doubt is part of our life experience because it wants to protect us. But doubt does not know the strength of your soul. You don’t need protection because you are strong. To overcome doubt in your life, here are four steps you must take.
Start doing and stop doubting.
Doubt will never disappear if you don’t get moving on your dreams and desires. Doubt wants to keep you stagnant by telling you that you are not worthy or smart enough to pursue your purpose or desires. Doubt will try to tell you that where you are at now is not so bad. “Why take a leap into the unknown?” doubt will ask. Start moving regardless and drop doubt! As you move forward with your dreams, you will discover that the unknown is not as bad as you feared. Yes, you will fail, but you will also succeed because you are in motion.
Remember that you have been successful before.
Think about all of your life’s challenges. Do you remember how hard it was to ride a bike for the first time? Was it hard to learn how to drive a car? Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Everything new is hard. Just like the first time you learned to ride that bike and drive that car, remind yourself that you have succeeded before. Tell yourself that most of the times you thought you would fail, you didn’t. And those times you did fail, you learned from it, got up, and tried again.
Pat yourself on the back for trying.
As you enter into the journey to your dreams, be proud of yourself for taking the first step. Tell yourself how amazing, intelligent, and strong you are for acting on and moving forward with your dreams and goals. Be proud of yourself and remind yourself that you can handle any challenge that comes your way.
Only believe in the best outcomes.
Your attitude should be one of gratitude and positivity. Yes, be aware that things will sometimes come apart, but also remember that positive energy will fuel your dreams. Believe that the universe is working in your favor, and that you will realize your dreams in due time. Trust and surrender that everything will manifest in the most positive way.
If you are pursuing your dreams and passions, it is inevitable that doubt will join you on the journey. It is part of the human experience to encounter doubt occasionally. However, those who truly believe in the power of their dreams and purpose will not let doubt consume them. Instead, they will learn to accept doubt as part of the process of remembering who they truly are. When doubt tells you, “You are not smart enough to do that,” respond, “Watch me.” When doubt asks you, “What if you fail?” respond, “What if I don’t?” To be successful in the pursuit of life dreams and goals you must never forget what you are truly made of. You have what it takes to overcome doubts and fears. Embrace doubt and seek within to remember your true essence—the lion within. Doubt exists to push you to believe and to remind you of how strong you are. Doubt can never take away your peace if you remember your true essence, embrace trust, and surrender. Until next time, Believe. Change. Become.