Have you ever thought ‘I can’t do this’?
It’s a gut-wrenching feeling – the sudden panic as your mind races to the worst-case scenarios, the imposter syndrome of doubt about whether you’re good enough or the overwhelm of having too much to handle. When we feel this way, it’s easy to believe failure is inevitable and we give up before we even start.
Whether we like it or not, self-doubt is part of the human experience. People from all walks of life, no matter how accomplished or confident, have been hit with the force of uncertainty at some point in their lives.
But if you’ve recently been struggling with the ‘I can’t do this’ feeling more than usual, then we’ve written this post to remind you that actually, you can. You’ve got this!
Why Do We Feel Like We Can’t Do It?
Before we get stuck in, let’s talk about why we feel like we can’t do something.
Fear is the root cause of self-doubt because it makes you question your own abilities.
What causes that fear? Are you afraid of what others will think of you? Or worried you’ll be incompetent? Are you scared of rejection or the unknown? So many things impact self-doubt.
Can you imagine what you could achieve if you just did it, anyway? What if you turned ‘I can’t do this’ into ‘I CAN do this’? Think of all the wonderful, life-changing things you could do with that mindset.
We know it’s not as simple as that, so we want to share a simple exercise that will help transform self-doubt into self-belief.
Try This Simple Practice
A powerful way to shift your mindset is through a simple journaling exercise.
All you’ll need is some pen and paper, or if you’re on the go and don’t have any to hand, the notes app on your phone will do the trick.
Now, write down all the things you currently do or have done that you once thought were impossible, but now feel effortless. These can be big or small things that are personal to you. They once felt daunting, but now they are second nature!
In case you don’t know where to begin, we’ve put together this list to get you started:
- Learning to drive when it felt so overwhelming at first
- Starting a new job and thinking you’d never master it
- Buying or renting your first home and navigating all the paperwork
- Becoming a parent and being thrown in at the deep end each day
- Running a marathon (or any other type of exercise routine!)
- Launching your own business or project from scratch
- Learning to budget or pay off your debts
- Travelling alone to somewhere you’ve never been before
- Public speaking in front of an audience
- Standing up for yourself and/or setting boundaries
- Learning a new skill – it could be a language, an instrument, or getting up on stage
- Graduating from school, college or university
- Finally asking for help and going to therapy for the first time
Don’t shy away from writing down the small things too, because at one point in your life, they felt huge, too. Look back at your list and reflect on everything you have already achieved. You were scared, but you still did it!
Need Extra Support?
This is proof that you absolutely can do whatever lies ahead, even if it feels daunting right now. You have a 100% success rate of accomplishing every challenge you’ve ever taken on. And the next one? You can do that, too.
If you’re looking for further guidance, why not book a chat with one of our lovely therapists or coaches who are here to help you improve and maintain a positive mindset and overall well-being?
Unsure which therapist is right for you? Drop us a message at [email protected] or give Judith a call to talk it through.