Banish Negativity

Take a look at the following negative statements that we often hear from women who are filled with self-doubt. If you've ever found yourself making similar claims, make it a priority to banish that negativity from your mind because it can hold you back from success. Review the positive statements as inspiration on how to spin things to your advantage.

Negative: What others think of me is more important than what I think of myself.
Positive: I'm proud of my own values and definition of success, which help guide me in all I do.

Negative: I find myself apologizing, even when I've done nothing wrong.
Positive: Instead of constantly saying, "I'm sorry," I'll listen and say, "I understand."

Negative: I never forgive myself for mistakes.
Positive: I acknowledge my mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are part of growing.

Negative: I bend over backwards to please other people rather than myself.
Positive: It's not up to me to make everyone happy. My happiness is important too.

Negative: I never think I've done enough, or done it well enough.
Positive: I'm satisfied knowing that I did my very best. I work hard and deserve credit.

Negative: Deep down, I know I am not as good as other people.
Positive: I'm very good at what I do and have my own self-worth.

Negative: I'm afraid people will find out I am a fraud.
Positive: My successes are genuine. If I value them, I know others will value them too.

Focus on what you are good at and give yourself a break on the rest. For example, don't measure your value based on the fact that you're not the best at designing PowerPoint presentations. Instead, focus on what you do have to offer the team—top-notch speaking skills and a great sales record.

Surround yourself with positives: positive friends, upbeat music, happy thoughts, and your favorite memories. Don't let your environment drag you down. Call your best pal and ask her to list her favorite things about you. Call a relative and ask him or her to remind you of how far you've come. Put on your favorite soundtrack, start dancing, and feel your energy return.

Nobody's perfect. So stop expecting yourself to be perfect. Forgive yourself. Write down all the little things nagging on your mind that you have "done wrong" lately, and then put them in perspective. In five years, will they be that big of a deal? Probably not.

Remember that failing is honorable too. As long as you can pick yourself back up, as long as you learned something from the experience, failure is okay. Everyone fails at some point.

Examine your goals. Make sure that what you're aiming for is what you really want. Maybe your fears are trying to tell you something, that you are going down the wrong path, that you need to look before you leap. Don't sabotage yourself by pretending you want something you don't, or by ignoring your fears.