Episode Transcript
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Welcome to another empowering episode of Beyond Doubt and Leisure and Confidence.
I'm Nefia Guntoye, your host and dedicated life coach on a mission to empower
women to overcome self-doubt and reclaim their worth.
Through my personalized coaching programs, I help women rediscover their potential
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and find their inner confidence.
To learn more about how you can begin your own journey to self-empowerment,
head over to nephewwellness.com.
Now, today's episode is all about self-doubt success stories,
women who have faced the inner critic, head on and emerge stronger.
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We'll dive into real life examples, examine moments of self-doubt that could
have crushed dreams and reveal how these women transformed their challenges into success. process.
Self-doubt is something all of us experience but it doesn't have to hold us back.
In fact the stories I'll share with you today show that overcoming self-doubt
is not just possible but a pathway to personal growth and self-realization.
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Section one, understanding self-doubt.
Self-doubt is that inner voice that whispers, who are you to dream big?
It's the voice that questions your abilities and feeds your fear of failure.
We've all dealt with it at some point, whether starting a new job,
stepping onto a stage or making a life-changing decision.
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But what if that voice wasn't something to fear?
What if we learned how to recognize self-doubt for what it truly is?
A signal that we're stepping outside of our comfort zone, ready for growth.
Self-doubt often comes from deep-seated beliefs we've picked up throughout our lives.
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These can stem from childhood experiences, societal expectations or even the
culture around us that pushes us towards perfectionism.
The good news is that self-doubt is not fixed. It is something we can challenge and overcome.
Meaningful question. What are the beliefs that hold me back,
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and where did they come from?
It's important to trace the roots of self-doubt.
Did it come from a critical comment in your past, or perhaps an experience where
you felt you didn't measure up?
Understanding where your self-doubt originates helps to unravel it.
Success story one, Viola Davis.
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Let's begin with the extraordinary story of Viola Davis, one of Hollywood's
most celebrated actresses today.
Viola Davis grew up in poverty, faced not just the financial limitations of her situation,
but also the weight of societal prejudice as a dark-skinned African-American
woman in a world that places immense value on Eurocentric beauty standards.
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Viola's journey to success was not just about talent, it was about pushing past layers of self-doubt.
In her early career she often questioned whether she was quote-unquote enough.
She was told by the industry that she wasn't the right type,
not beautiful enough, not glamorous enough.
In interviews Viola has spoken openly about how she had to continually fight
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the voice inside her head that said you don't belong here.
One powerful moment came when she accepted her academy award for best supporting actress in Fences.
She said I became an artist and thank god I did because we are the only profession
that celebrates what it means to live a life.
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Her success story is a testament to the power of resilience and inner belief.
You can also like check out her book, which goes into a lot more detail.
What we can learn via that is self-doubt will always be there,
but it doesn't have to define you. It can feel real.
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It can be the fuel for your journey if you choose to see it that way. Tip.
When you feel doubt creeping in, remind yourself that the very presence of that
doubt means you're growing.
Every time you push through it, you're strengthening your belief in yourself.
Success story two, Chiamanda Ngozi Adichie.
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Chiamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian-born author, a critically acclaimed book
like Americana or Half of the Yellow Sun, has a story that beautifully illustrates
the battle with self-doubt.
Despite being celebrated today for her powerful voice in literature,
Chiamanda has shared stories about her struggle with feeling like an outsider
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and doubting her place in the global literary scene.
When she first began writing, Chiamanda doubted whether her stories about Nigeria
would resonate with a wider audience.
Would people outside of Africa care about these stories? Would they understand them?
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Her self-doubt grew when she faced rejection letters from publishers who didn't
see the value in her work.
However, instead of giving up, Chiamanda asked
her asked her self-doubt no she used her self-doubt as a tool for reflection
and growth she decided to trust her own voice to tell stories that were meaningful
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to her even if she wasn't sure how they would be received.
The result? Chiamanda has become one of the most influential writers of her
generation, known for her unapologetic exploration of identity, race and feminism.
She turned her fear into her greatest strength by being true to herself.
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She also has a really good TED talk called Why We Should All Be Feminists and
I would definitely recommend that. It's a meaningful question.
What is my unique voice and how can I amplify it?
Amanda's story teaches us that the world needs your unique perspective.
Don't let self-doubt silence your voice. Embrace it and trust that your story matters.
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Success story three, Lizzie Velasquez.
Next let's turn to the story of Lizzie Velasquez, a woman who faced unimaginable
cruelty but turned her story into a beacon of hope.
Born with a rare genetic disorder that prevented her from gaining weight,
Lizzie was bullied relentlessly through her childhood.
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In 2006, she found a video online that labelled her as the world's ugliest woman.
It was a moment that could have crushed her spirit and yet Lizzie made a different choice.
Instead of letting the bullying define her, Lizzie used it as a motivation.
She has spoken about how self-doubt flooded her mind at that moment,
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but she chose to fight back by embracing who she was.
She turned her pain into power, becoming an anti-bullying advocate,
motivational speaker and author.
Lizzie's story shows that overcoming self-doubt isn't about ignoring the pain.
It's about transforming it.
She said, I choose to be happy. I choose to be strong. I choose to believe that I am enough.
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What we can learn from Lizzy Vasquez is that self-doubt often comes from external
sources, but the only voice that truly matters is your own.
Tip. When you face external negativity, use it as an opportunity to reaffirm your inner belief.
Write down three things you love about yourself and let that be your shield against doubt.
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Success story four, Mel Robbins. another
powerful story is that of mel robbins an author motivational
speaker and creator of the five second rule
mel has spoken openly about the periods
of her life when she was riddled with self-doubt at one
point she found herself in financial difficulty her marriage
was strained and she was struggling to find a sense of
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purpose she described feeling paralyzed by
self-doubt unable to take action area in
any area of her life then one
morning mel watched a nasa launch
on television and decided to try something new she realized that in the moments
before a rocket launches there's a countdown five four three two one and then
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it's go time she decided to apply this concept to her life.
Every time she felt self-doubt preventing her from acting she would count down
from five and then physically move whether that was getting out of bed,
making a phone call or sending an email.
This simple technique changed her life.
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Mel turned her career around, repaired her relationships and wrote multiple
best-selling books including The Five second rule, which has helped millions
of people break the cycle of self-doubt.
Meaningful question. What's one thing I can do today to take action in spite of my doubt?
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Mel's story teaches us that self-doubt can be overcome with simple actionable steps.
Often we get stuck in our heads, overthinking and doubting our abilities.
The key is to act before doubt has time to take root.
Tip, the next time you feel paralyzed by self-doubt, try counting down from
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five and then immediately taking action.
You'll be surprised at how powerful this small shift can be.
I've used it so many times in my life and one example I can think of is when
I was, one of my friends wanted to go whitewater rafting for her birthday.
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I'm not a strong swimmer.
I'm not a strong swimmer. And I was scared, but I said I would go.
And I remember, like, just before going into the boat, I had to,
like, count back and be like, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, get in the boat.
Just go, just go, just do it. Because...
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I wouldn't have done it if I did not count backwards.
So that is a quick tip and it's something that is actionable.
So something I would definitely recommend.
And the five second rule is just a good book in general.
Success story five. Tanny Gray Thompson. Thompson, sorry.
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Fair enough, Tanny Gray Thompson is one of Britain's most successful Paralympians,
winning 11 gold medals across five paralympic
games but her journey to success was far from
easy born with spina bifida tanny faced
both physical and societal barriers that could
have easily made her doubt her ability to
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achieve greatness from from a
young age she was told that she couldn't do because
of her because of her disability there were
moments of deep self-doubt where she questioned whether
her dreams of becoming an elite athlete were
realistic but tanny chose not to listen to
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the doubters both internal and external instead she focused on what she could
do and pushed her body and mind to achieve more than anyone thought possible
in interviews tanny has said that one of the keys to overcoming self-doubt is
setting small achievable goals.
Each time she achieved one of these goals her self-belief grew.
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By breaking down her challenges into smaller steps she was able to build the
confidence needed to go for the gold.
Tani's story is a reminder that self-doubt often comes from the limitations
that others place on us but those limitations don't have to be our reality.
Meaningful question, what limitations Have I internalised and how can I challenge them?
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Success story six, Sheryl Sandberg. Finally, let's look at the story of Sheryl
Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In.
Despite her high profile success, Sheryl has spoken openly about her struggles
with self-doubt, particularly after the sudden death of her husband, David Goldberg.
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In her book, Option B, she shares how the grief and and self-doubt that followed
made her question her ability to continue both as a mother and a leader.
Cheryl has said, there were days when I felt like I was failing at everything,
but the truth is resilience isn't about being perfect, it's about being able
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to recover when things go wrong.
In Lean In, she also addresses the imposter syndrome many women face in their
careers, urging them to sit at the table and own their achievements even when
doubt tells them they don't belong.
Cheryl's story teaches us that overcoming self-doubt doesn't mean eliminating
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it entirely it means moving forward despite it.
She chose to embrace her vulnerabilities vulnerabilities, recognise the perfections,
recognising that perfection isn't the goal, resilience is.
Tip, when you feel like you don't belong in the room, remind yourself that you're there for a reason.
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If you've been given the opportunity, it's because you have something valuable to offer.
Questions to ask yourself. As we reflect on these stories, here are a few questions
you can ask yourself to begin overcoming self-doubt.
One, what limiting beliefs are holding me back?
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Often our beliefs about our abilities can sabotage our success before we begin.
Take time to identify what these beliefs are.
Once you do, ask yourself whether they're rooted in truth or just in fear?
Two, who am I comparing myself to?
We all fall into the trap of comparison and it can feed our self-doubt,
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but no two journeys are the same.
What would happen if you focused only on your own progress?
Three, how can I take one small step today to move past my My doubts.
The best way to beat self-doubt is through action. It doesn't have to be huge, just one step.
Whether that's sending an email, making a phone call or speaking up in a meeting,
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every small victory weakens the power of self-doubt.
Four, what is my unique voice and how can I share it with the world?
Every person has a unique perspective to offer. Your voice matters,
even when self-doubt tries to convince you otherwise. wise.
Repeat the mantra I tell myself, you have a voice and it deserves to be heard.
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Section 9, tips to overcome self-doubt. Now let's move on to practical tips
that you can start using today to overcome self-doubt.
Number one, challenge negative thoughts.
Whenever you notice negative self-talk creeping in, challenge it.
Ask yourself, is this thought helping me or hindering me?
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Replace negative thoughts with affirmations that empower
you remember i've created free affirmation
cards you can download from my resources page at nephewwellness.com forward
slash resources to help you with this two surround yourself with support sometimes
overcoming self-doubt requires help surround yourself with people who lift you up
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and believe in your potential whether that's friends, family or a mentor.
Having a strong support system can make all the difference.
Three, focus on progress not perfection.
Perfectionism feeds self-doubt. Instead of striving to be perfect,
focus on making progress no matter how small.
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Four, practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness.
When you fall short, Instead of criticising yourself, think about what you'd
say to a friend who is in the same situation. Would you judge them?
Or would you offer them understanding and encouragement?
5. Take action before doubt creeps in.
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Like Mel Robbins' 5 second rule, take action before self-doubt has a chance to get a hold.
When you feel hesitation or fear, count down from 5 and move.
Six, set small achievable goals.
Like Tanny Gray Thompson, break down your challenges into smaller steps.
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Celebrate each victory, no matter how small, and let it build your confidence
for the bigger challenges ahead.
Head section 10 recommended resources now that we've talked about these inspiring
success stories and how to manage self-doubt i want to recommend some resources
that can further support you in your journey to overcome self-doubt number one the confidence code,
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by Katty Kay and Claude Shipman. A fantastic book for understanding the science
behind confidence and how women can build more of it.
Number two, Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brash.
This is another book that I recommend a lot. A deep exploration of how we can
embrace ourselves fully, imperfections and all.
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Number three, You're a Badass, by Jen Shincero. A fun, non-sense guide.
Let me start that again it's a fun
no nonsense guide to silencing
your inner critic and stepping into your power I like Jin
Chinchero because she is very she is quite fun it's quite it's practical and
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yeah I just like her sort of directness also don't forget to check out the free
affirmation cards I've made available at nephewwellness.com forward slash resources.
These are designed to uplift and inspire you as you work in building your confidence.
Summing up, we've covered some powerful ground today from understanding self-doubt
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to exploring success stories of women who triumph over it.
I hope these stories inspire you to look at your own journey and recognise that
self-doubt is not a dead end, it's a challenge to overcome.
Remember, you have the power to rewrite your story, to turn self-doubt into
self-belief and to unleash the confidence that's already within you.
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Thank you for tuning in to Beyond Doubt Unleash Your Confidence.
I'm your host Nithya Guntoye, reminding you to keep pushing forward even when
self-doubt seems overwhelming.
Overwhelming you are enough and you are worthy of every dream you're working towards,
be sure to visit nephewawareness.com for more resources and coaching programs
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designed to help you on your journey stay inspired stay confident and I'll see
you in the next episode bye.