Hi Everyone,
If you have been reading this blog, you are well aware what the
doubt monster is. It’s that little voice in the back of our heads that keep us
from believing in ourselves. If I ever find a way to completely shut it up,
I’ll share it with the world.
My doubt monster has been loud and active most of my life. I think
the first memory of the power it held over me was in second grade. I didn’t
pass onto the third grade that year because I struggled with reading. It took
me a little longer to get the hang of it, and my parents decided that instead
of my fighting the material in the third grade, I would benefit for an extra
year. Today, I know that decision was made out of love and great parenting. I
didn’t feel like that at the time.
Here is what I have learned since then. The only way to fight back
doubt is to believe in yourself and have a little faith. Life has never given
me anything easily except the one thing that truly matters ― love from an
amazing family. You would think that was all I needed, but for some reason, it was
never enough.
No matter how much support that surrounded me, if I didn’t learn
to believe in myself, and work damn hard to shut the doubt monster up, I would have
never had the courage to moved forward, reach the simplest dream. That little
voice had the power to stop me in my tracks, make me feel inept. So, I could
either listen to it, or stop the cycle of doubt. I was my own worst enemy. I
can still hear my mom’s wise words, “Nancy, you need to get out of your own
way.” It took me a few years to realize what that meant.
Here is the magic: The doubt monster only has power over me if I
give it power. Positive thinking is my greatest weapon. I have to believe in myself and in my dreams. So when it lurks into
the edges of my self-conscious, I take a deep breath, shake the negative
thought from my head, and blow right through it. That is how I finished my
first novel, then the second one, and it will be what gets me to the end of my
third book. And my reward for keeping my doubt monster at bay is an
overwhelming sense of accomplishment and contentment.
So here is my challenge for today. I challenge all of you to start
believing in yourself and take back your power. Get out of your own way. And remember, this isn’t something you do
once and it’s gone forever. Shutting up the doubt monster will be something we
will all have to work on every day, even every hour. But the one thing I do
know, taking back control is very worth it.
((Hugs to all))
Nancy C. Weeks
Author of In the Shadow of Greed
Release date: 29 April 2013
Well said. Something I need to remember on a daily basis. I have a sign over my desk that says "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams".
ReplyDeleteI'm building, burning and painting my own desk now and I'm burning those words into the top where I'll see them every day.
Great post! Thank you for this reminder.
I'm so glad it hit the right spot. Thanks so much for dropping by. When you finish that desk, I would love to see a photo of it.
ReplyDeleteEasier said than done sometimes, but very true, there are times we need to get out of our own way!
ReplyDeleteHI M.J.
DeleteIt's at those moments when I do this thing I call, fake it until I make it. Sometimes we just have to push those the doubt until we get to the other side...because there is another side. Thanks so much for dropping by. I love having you on my blog.
Sometimes you'll get to point in writing where you doubt yourself and your story so much, that the only thing that makes you continue is belief. It's like a bedrock, and when all else seems hopeless, belief is something you can count on. It could be belief in anything. Mine was belief that I loved doing this, and that I knew I was on the right track. Sooner or later, that belief gets so strong, it washes away fear and doubt. XNaomi
ReplyDeleteNaomi,
DeleteI have felt the same way so many times over the last three years. And you are right. Belief in what you are doing is such a powerful motivator. I constantly doubt my writing, but I keep putting words on the page, because like you, I just plain love it. Thanks so much for coming by for a visit. Hugs!
dislexia is something nearly all of us battled - just no one told us what it was, so we learned the work-arounds on our own. I believe it made us stronger and somehow smarter - well that worked for you, Dave, and Bryan :) love you big sister!
ReplyDeleteHi Sweet sister,
ReplyDeleteSo glad you dropped by. Yep, we all suffer with some form of dislexia. I believe any struggle you overcome makes you stronger and wiser.
For all of you who haven't met my wonderful sister, Mary, I here to say In the Shadow of Greed would have never been written without Mary's constant encouragement. She has read everything I have ever written...even the horrible stuff that will never see the light of day. I have three amazing sisters.They are not just family, but my very best friends and I don't know what I would ever do without them.
Great post, Nancy! xo
ReplyDelete