How to believe in yourself could be a question that confounds you when you don’t find yourself special, unique or have any attributes that make you stand out. Believing can feel “hard” when you perceive that you have got nothing to show for. As someone who has wrestled with low confidence for years, I understand how difficult it must be to know where to start.

How do you even begin the process of believing in yourself? If you tend to downplay yourself in every way, believing in yourself can be a difficult exercise. Well, I would like to share what has worked for me with some of the tips in this post.

Resigning yourself that you will never find out how to believe in yourself is not the answer. You already know by now what low confidence can do to you. The outcome is downright miserable.
You are not able to put yourself out there, stammering and apologising for yourself repeatedly are possible symptoms and you can’t reach the level of success that you desire. The thought that someone who is perhaps less knowledgeable, younger or whatever the factor of comparison may be, is succeeding faster than you…sends you into an immediate panic… and then proceeds to haunt you into sleepless nights.

If you are not there yet, building belief in yourself is of utmost importance. There is the common advice of “fake it till you make it”. Or other advice that supposedly helps to boost confidence such as building your knowledge base, upgrading your academic credentials or giving yourself a beauty makeover. Well, if your issues are deep, you will know that these ways do not adequately solve your issues of low self-belief.

As I have found with many aspiring entrepreneurs, inadequate belief or self-doubt can stop them from launching your dream business. You can’t get round to starting one. Or even if you have already started a business, you are almost ready to give up every few days. Doubt can kill dreams.

It is also not like you are about to ask for help publicly to deal with the problem of knowing how to believe in yourself either. In the first place, you quite suspect that it would sound ridiculous. After all, on the outside, you have been portraying the image that you are doing well. And so, you had been having this secret: No one knows that you are dealing with a low belief problem.

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” Norman Vincent Peale

Well, if I may share, you are not alone. How to believe in yourself is a valid concern. The following are ways that have helped me.

1. It Starts with Making a Decision

Understand that belief is not going to happen overnight. You are not going to get a sudden dose of confidence. It starts with making the decision to adopt a more positive mindset. Tell yourself that either you choose to believe in yourself or you don’t.

The opposite of belief is doubt. If you are not having enough belief, you are in doubt. Would you rather be immersing yourself in belief or doubt? Make that Choice NOW!

“If you believe in yourself anything is possible.” – Miley Cyrus

Consider setting up a ceremony to initiate the new choice that you are making. Set intention, burn some candles, diffuse the essential oil Believe, dance to songs, say a prayer, etc. Make today a new beginning.

2. Chunk it down

Making that choice sounds difficult? How about the suggestion of taking smaller bites in the confidence pie? You are required to muster just enough belief for the very next step up the success ladder. Tell yourself, I choose to believe in myself to achieve this level of breakthrough. Work up your confidence gradually, in other words.

3. Beat Criticism with Celebration

Stop beating yourself with criticism. Instead, celebrate every win – big or small. Break your habit of attacking yourself. Each time you criticize yourself, compliment yourself with a win that you have made.

4. Identify the Root Block in Your Beliefs

It would greatly help if you can address the root cause of your belief issues. What’s keeping you small? What in the past has held you back from believing in yourself?

Identify the specific limiting belief that you need to overcome. Example of a specific belief: I don’t believe in myself because I am too stupid. Trace as to why you are concluding that you are “too stupid”. Is this belief really true? Get help to overcome limiting beliefs if you need further assistance.

5. It lies in your perception

Beliefs are not facts. They can be changed with a shift in your perception. You can choose to alter the perception that you have about yourself.

To start, see yourself as who is willing to try your best, who is kind and who is willing to help others. Emphasise your positive traits. There is always something good in everyone. Including you.

The more positive things you say about yourself, the more it helps you to build self-belief. You can also work on changing the limiting belief “it feels hard to believe in myself” to one that is supportive such as “I choose to believe in myself”.

How to Believe in Yourself: Raise The Belief Quotient

Believing in yourself is not an ego stroking exercise. As it is often said, you cannot expect someone else to believe in you any more than the belief you have in yourself. Having faith is great but ultimately, you owe it to yourself to build self-belief!

“Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source – a Sower of Dreams – just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true.” Sarah Ban Breathnach

Believing in yourself helps you build overall wellness and success. You are deeming yourself worthy and you are making the choice to know that you have got what it takes to succeed. Each limiting belief or issue that you eliminate adds to your belief quotient.

Cultivate a can-do attitude. You can build self-belief over time. Always tell yourself, “I believe in me”!

Love and abundance always, 
Evelyn Lim