Doubt is the devil.

Have you ever been so sure of something and then one person whispers something that throws your whole world for a loop and you start doubting every choice you have ever made.

Doubt is a terrible thing; it sneaks into your mind and makes you think about the choices you have made in your life. Even the most confident decisions, the decisions you have never once doubted – you start to re-think them… all of them. Then you wonder if you have been making bad decisions your entire life and let’s be honest if you have ever met me you know how many bad decisions I have made.

Have any of you seen those Prego Sauce commercials – where a woman walks up to a sauce tasting stand in a grocery store and tries two different types of spaghetti sauce, one store brand and one Prego brand. After she taste the sauce and wonders why she has been choosing store brand she  “reflects” of what else she had been choosing wrong – BAM. Doubt. 

 She imagines her life and what it could have been like if she had gone down a different path. 

Doubt is when one little thing, comment, suggestion, or idea makes you re-think choices you have made that lead you to the point you are in your life or even worse if you re-think the path that leads you to your future. Ugh.

Now that example is extreme – that lady is not any better or worse off because she has been buying store brand pasta sauce but it’s the principal of the matter that we have very little self-confidence in our decisions once someone disagrees with us.

There are a variety of different ways to deal with doubt – a personal favorite is to call my mom and have her tell me what to do – since, let’s be honest, she is the smartest woman on the planet – even if it takes calling her 5 times back to back to let her think there is a serious emergency! But come one, when you questions life choices you made it pretty much is an emergency.

Step 1 – the first thing you should do whenever doubting a life choice is to listen to the voice of reason, whether that be a parent, a significant other, a friend, or another family member. Hearing someone else’s opinion on the matter can be a huge help. You aren’t going to be able to please everyone but hey that is okay because it is your life which leads me to Step 2…

Stop worrying what other people think. Your life is your life and I am not saying do whatever you please and disregard the opinions of the people, friends, family who have stood by you as you have made terrible decisions in the past because let’s be honest if you are anything like me – you have made at least a handful.

Your opinions, choices, thoughts, feelings are yours and as much as other people want to tell you how to feel, what to think, and what to do it’s not their place. Hopefully, they have your best interest in mine and hopefully they only want the best for you. But ultimately you have to live your life, do what you want, make those regrets, and gain as much experience as you can.

 I am constantly learning tough lessons – since I feel like I say that in every post. Life is full of tough lessons and I am slowly but surely learning them. As I learn I like to share, not to scold, not to preach…but honestly for you to hop on board the hot mess express and learn along with me.

Now repeat it with me…doubt is the devil. It creeps into your life without a hint of caution but beware my friends kick that douche bag devil out of your life asap. Listen to your gut, you are the only person who knows what you truly think, feel, and believe in. Stand Tall. Stand Confident. Stand firm in your decisions, make the regrets you need to make, live YOUR life and do what is best for you. Everything else will fall into place.

Adios Doubt!