Hey there,
For the longest time, I doubted myself at every turn. I questioned my actions, overanalyzed my words, and replayed conversations in my head, wondering if I had done something wrong.
If someone was upset, I assumed it was because of me. If things didn’t go as planned, I blamed myself.
But then I realized something that changed everything.
My doubts were just thoughts, not reality.
I wasn’t actually failing, I was convincing myself I was.
I wasn’t responsible for everyone’s emotions, I was just carrying unnecessary guilt.
Most of us hold ourselves back, waiting to feel confident before we take action.
But the truth is, confidence doesn’t come first, action comes first. Confidence follows.
I also realized I wasn’t in control of how others felt, not entirely, anyway.
Sure, my words and actions matter, but people interpret things through their own experiences and emotions. Sometimes, even with the best intentions, things are misunderstood.
And that’s okay. I stopped blaming myself for every misunderstanding and started asking better questions instead:
Did I have good intentions?
Did I do my best to communicate clearly?
Was I being honest and genuine?
Did I consider the other person’s feelings?
If I could answer yes to those questions, I let it go.
Because beyond that, it wasn’t in my control.
We all care about how others view us. Sometimes too much.
It used to consume me, but over time, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make everyone like me. And I didn’t need to. What mattered was how I felt about myself.
So here’s what I’ve learned:
You don’t need to feel ready to start. You just need to start.
Self-doubt is just fear disguised as logic. Don’t let it trick you.
The more you do, the less you doubt. Action is the antidote.
Not everyone will understand you, and that’s okay. You don’t need to explain yourself to everyone.
One day, you’ll look back and wonder why you ever doubted yourself so much. But only if you start now.
You are more capable than you think.
With love,
Micdadh.