Building Self-Belief is the building block to creating change
Do you find that you start the new year with lots of positive plans and intentions that fall by the way-side very quickly? Do you feel stuck in the same thought patterns time and again? Do you actually believe that you can achieve those plans and goals? Building self-belief is a major stepping stone to achieving change and building a process that helps you to move forward to your desired goals.
Why does building self-belief matter? Think about it this way. If you don’t have any level of belief in yourself that you can achieve something then you’re not starting at a place of learning to do something new, you’re starting in a place of having to fight to get to that starting point. You’ll find it increasingly difficult to make any level of progress when your inner voice is running a programme of doubt at every stage.
This can result in starting to do something with enthusiasm but very quickly running out of focus, energy or desire to keep going.
That lack of belief can come from something that was said to you when you were younger such as ‘you’ll never achieve anything’ or ‘it’s a waste of time’. It can also come from trying to achieve something that you’ve had several failed attempts at although we know that not achieving something isn’t an overall failure, it’s just telling you that you need a different approach.
So how do you build self-belief?
Building self-belief starts with recognising that you were lacking in it to start with. Once you recognise it, you can start to work on it. Think about what you have achieved in your life, no matter how big or small. Draw on similar experiences where you’ve made changes and something has worked better.
Let go of negative self-talk through journaling, exploring your thoughts, limiting beliefs and recognising that it’s something that you’re telling yourself.
Start to change the dialogue. If you find it hard to move from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’, take it in stages. Remember that moving away from your comfort zone (even when you aren’t happy in that place) will feel strange and even uncomfortable at times but these feelings will pass as you move forward to being closer to achieving your plans and goals.
Building self-belief comes in stages and as you prove that you can achieve that step then you move up to the next and the next and so on.
Building belief in yourself isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence to keep going.
For more information about how Catherine can help you build your self-belief, email at catherine@berkshiretherapist.co.uk today.