Doubt. It’s such an insidious thing…especially as it relates to the sense of self. What I mean is self doubt. It is the lack of belief in or conviction in your own self. Doubt creeps in and often stays in the shadows. It can be crippling and treacherous.

I’ve wrestled with doubt often in my life…pretty much every week. Most of my doubt is rooted in the not-good-enough theme. And the related themes of “what will others think about me” or “will what I have to say make any sense”.

More recently I’ve decided that doubt isn’t something I need to banish. I practice noticing my doubt and not letting it take me hostage as often. Instead of giving doubt a front row seat in my life, I just let it linger near the emergency exit. Check in with it once in a while. Let it stay but certainly not in the front row.

Doubt lingers in every life. Sometimes as an overbearing monster, sometimes as a small voice. Doubt, I’ve decided, keeps it all real. It give us a chance to question, to take a risk, to leap…and most importantly to realize our strength or our beauty or the unique gift we are to the world…when we find our footing once again.

Much love always
Paula