You are better than you think
Yes, I'm talking to you. You who's always asking herself, "Am I doing the right thing? Am I on the right track?" You who's replaying that situation over and over in her mind, over-analyzing her actions and making herself feel guilty - again. You who's second guessing her desires, constantly wondering, "Am I brave enough to do that?" You who's telling herself, "It's only a matter of time before everyone finds out that I'm not as good as they think I am/that I don't deserve this/that I'm an imposter."
I'm going to let you in on a little secret...you're not alone. We all have a natural negativity bias. Many people struggle with that voice inside their heads; that inner critic; their long-practiced, well-embedded habits and patterns of negative thinking.
But here's the truth:
You are so much better than you think.
Those fears and self-doubts that you harbor don't have to be a cage, trapping you in the status-quo. They can be your impetus to change.
What if, rather than using fear as a reason to stay feeling stuck and dissatisfied, you used it as a trigger to make the transformation you are longing to make? What if, instead of telling yourself to 'be realistic', you were honest with yourself and got clear on what you want? What if, instead of expending all of your energy 'putting up with' your situation, you channeled that energy into developing new patterns of thought and executing a plan to achieve your goals?
You know what will happen then?
You'll feel the way you want to feel more often. You'll develop more positive ways of thinking that will make you more effective. You'll stress less. You'll serve as a role model to others of what's possible.
You are better than you think.
Don't let fear or negative thinking keep you stuck in a place you don't want to be (mentally or physically).
It can be different.
It can be better.
The first step is to believe: it's possible.