After you felt nervous or unsure of how you would rise to the occasion to tackle a challenge? If I’m honest, I have – and more than I care to admit. While I pride myself on teaching my daughters confidence, trusting themselves and being self-assured, the reality is that as humans, we all succumb to moments of vulnerability. This could be because of what you perceive others think about you, how you feel about yourself or uncertainty over something new. I am no stranger to those feelings.
Recently, I was asked to participate in a solo photoshoot and pose with all the confidence I could harness. These photos were going to be shared widely and all I could think about was the awkwardness that I might feel. After agonizing over what to wear, how to style my hair, and how the photos would turn out, I finally determined that my only choice was to show up fully and do my best. So, that’s what I did.
To combat nervousness, when I arrived at the shoot, I did some positive self-talk. I told myself to be authentic and allow my true personality to shine through. I did power poses in between camera shots to anchor myself in the certainty of who I am– someone who cares of people, loves her family and wants to do good in the world. Settled in the power of knowing who I am, I was finally able to relax. When any anxiousness arose, I simply reflected on the past successes in my life and reminded myself of the list of obstacles that I had previously conquered. Ultimately, the photos turned out great and I was able to move through the photoshoot with confidence. But, what about you? How do you handle self-doubt or uncertainty in new situations at work or in a professional setting. Here are a few positive self-talk prompts to empower you:
- Encourage yourself by naming why you feel unsure and countering those thoughts with truth. Reflecting on the truth about who you are, the truth about what you have done before, and the truth about what you are capable of doing to feel more in control in a situation.
- Center yourself when you feel intimidated or afraid by taking deep breaths, doing power poses, saying a prayer, closing your eyes or going on a walk. By refocusing your attention on positivity, you can stop nervousness in it’s tracks.
- When doubt creeps in, remind yourself of your past wins and successes. By drawing attention to things that have worked well in the past, you’ll spend less time agonizing over what you can’t do and instead, remember what you can do.
