5 Steps to Managing Self Doubt by Brittany Policastro l Tips to Getting Over Your Own Doubt l Advice on Self Doubt l Tips to Boost Self Confidence l How to Manage Your Emotions l Emotional Management Control

There I was, sitting in my yoga room, in front of my alter meditating (well, trying to) and all that was coming up was "failure." Not the word so much but the feeling of having failed when in reality I had just begun.

That morning I launched my first online course, a project I had been working on for almost two years. I felt great about it and excited to put it out into the world but a funny thing happened once the first email went out with my big announcement. I didn't just get nervous or anxious, I actually felt like it was the end of the launch and no one signed up. This was only after an hour of the email being out. Most people hadn't even read it yet and I had myself completely pegged as having a product no one wanted.

I saw this immediately and identified it. I realized it was ridiculous but still it persisted. It lasted for exactly three days and then it went away. Once again I started feeling excited and confident about putting the project out. What happened you ask? I used my tools. Over the last 12 years of teaching yoga and facilitating trainings, I have been able to hone my tools of consciousness. It is these tools I wish to share with you today. Some are simple, some need to be practiced and some you are most likely already doing.

Don't Try to Battle Your Self-Doubt - Accept It

No matter how confident a person is, no matter how many Oscars or Olympic medals or rave reviews they have, they are still subject to questioning their abilities from time to time. As long as we are identifying with our egos, we are all subject to this doubt. The ego is the part of mind that judges, compares, complains, needs to be right and loves conflict. It's not bad but when the ego is left in control, there in lies the problem. We are meant to run the show, not the other way around. As soon as we begin to see we are operating from our ego, we begin to shift that power.

So when you are in the throws of a particularly nasty battle and self-doubt is winning, take off the gloves and turn your palms up. If you keep punching it will only get stronger, you will continue to feed it. Take a step back, take another breath and let it be. Acceptance is the name is the name of the game.