Banish Self Doubt And Learn How To Love Yourself!

Written By: Dr. Jacqueline Santana Sparber

Have this quote framed in my office, because i believe it is important that we internalize this message in order for us to achieve self-love and self-acceptance. As long as we do not believe this, we hold ourselves back.

Loving yourself can feel like a long journey, but you are not alone. At keys gate wellness associates, we are here to help you. We utilize only evidence-based interventions, rooted in practices proven to build self-esteem, self-worth and reduce self-doubt. If you allow us, we will guide you and walk with you every step of the way.

It is never too late; you can start where you are today!

Tap into yourself, this is where we can begin. Be honest and compassionate with yourself, about who you are and what is going on in your life. This is not easy; self-doubt and self-criticism usually show up right after you decide to be honest with yourself.

Without even knowing it, your mind might try to protect you by going into avoidance, denial, judgement, or distraction. It is trying to protect you, but it does not always know the best way to go about it.

This is where a professional can help, to provide you with the guidance that you need to achieve your goal of self-love and self-acceptance.

When you don’t feel good about yourself, you feel that you are being watched and judged, which increases your sense of not feeling good about who you are. This becomes a vicious cycle in which you are constantly under-valued and shamed by no one but yourself.

As an emotion, shame is a reflection that you believe yourself to be worthless and damaged.

To end this self-harming pattern and stop saying, “I’m not good enough” to yourself, here are 10 tips that can help you refocus your thinking and find the value in loving yourself:

1. Connect rather than compare.

Comparing yourself to others, whether it is a top model or your co-worker, it is a dead-end. When you compare yourself, you feel undervalued and less than.

2. Have a dialogue with your inner critic.

Your inner critic is made up of the negative self-talk that you actually heard from childhood and have internalized.

Some common judgments you hear from your inner critic might include:

“Don’t do that, or people won’t like you and will be upset with you.”

“You need to work harder.”

“You’re not smart enough.”

“You’re not lovable.”

It’s time to have a dialogue with your inner critic and there is no power struggling necessary.

Remember that your inner critic thinks it’s protecting you by keeping you safe and out of trouble and it’s good intentions have gone awry.

Retrain your inner critic so it shifts into a coach that can challenge you, without putting you down. Remember, if you don’t think you’re enough, you will deprive yourself of opportunities because you don’t think you’re worthy.

When you hear yourself making these negative judgments, catch yourself and change it up to a supportive, positive voice instead.

3. Choose self-empowering language.

When you tell yourself that you “should”, “ought”, or “have to” do, be, or feel something, you are oppressing yourself.

Instead, choose to do what you want to do. It’s much more empowering and you feel the freedom that choice gives you.

4. Break the habit of idealizing your relationships.

If things are going wrong and you feel like a failure, try shifting your perspective to see the whole picture. Get a reality check about what each of your responsibilities is.

Consider how you may have to rewrite the rules so that you can stand up for yourself in your relationship.

Don’t let yourself be held back in a relationship that invalidates who you are. And, definitely, don’t let yourself be held back in a relationship that minimizes what you’re capable of. Find a community, and a partner that will support you for who you are.

5. Stop over-identifying with circumstances.
You are more than your mistakes, your income, and your body type.

For example, if you failed a test, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure. If you’re having a hard time finding a job, that doesn’t mean you’re a loser. So don’t let these perceived roadblocks weigh on your feelings of self-worth.

6. Be authentic.
In his book, how to raise your self-esteem, nathaniel branden tells us:

the lies most devastating to our self-esteem are not so much the lies we tell as the lies we live. We live a lie when we misrepresent the reality of our experience or the truth of our being.

Branden confronts us, stating that when you choose to be someone you’re not, you’re doing it because you think the real you is unacceptable. He also offers some questions to help you explore the challenges of being authentic and realizing we’re enough.

In one exercise, he recommends writing somewhere between six to 10 endings for each of several statements regarding being open and honest. Here are a few examples (fill in the blank in your mind):

“The hard thing about being honest with myself about what i’m feeling is (blank).”

“The hard thing about being honest with others about my feelings is (blank).”

“If i strive to be true and accurate in my communications (blank).”

If you want to have an intimate connection with someone, being open and honest about your thoughts and feelings is necessary.

Being yourself allows the other person to know and appreciate who you truly are. If you withhold your feelings, your relationship cannot be close. Your hesitation at opening up creates a wall between you.

Challenge yourself to say, “i really need to talk about something.” remember who you are and express it the world. Be you without shame!

7. Practice being present.

Being in the present and giving your full attention to yourself and the others creates an optimum environment for your relationship to deepen. Be responsive, not reactive. Allow yourself to receive.

A relationship is never all about one person and getting their approval. Let your relationships be about you, too. A close relationship with someone who truly cares about you actually strengthens your healthy sense of self and self-value.

8. Identify your wants and needs.

Needs are usually something that is important to us, whereas wants are preferences and not quite as important as needs.

Conflict arises when two people want different things. If you don’t feel good enough, you may not value yourself enough to see your wants as important. You may be confused and think that one of your needs is just an unimportant want.

Then, you may dismiss your need as not important enough. So you won’t ask for what you need and you will feel threatened to speak up for yourself because you fear the other will leave you.

9. Love and accept yourself.

Unconditional love means you love yourself no matter what. It means you have unconditional worth. Love yourself without judgment.

You are enough. You are not loved for what you do. You are loved for who you are.

Having good personal boundaries is an effective way of loving and taking care of yourself. Stop seeking validation and approval from others. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself.

10. Practice self-care.

When you feel good about who you are and you feel worthy, you naturally take better care of yourself and self-nurturing is the biggest part of self-care.

Take a close look at how you’re living. Are you taking time for the things that bring you joy? Are you eating and moving and feeling healthy and energetic? Are you sleeping enough?

If not, it’s time to make some serious life changes.

Finally, repeat the following statement out loud: “i am enough. I have enough. I am worthy.”

honor yourself and own your power.

We are here to help you achieve this at keys gate wellness associates,

Call Us Today To Schedule Your Appointment: (833) 779-8646