Self-Doubt Debbie
When contemplating a career change with friends and family, I am inundated with responses framed from their point of view. "What if you fail?" or "What if you don't make a paycheck?" and my personal favorite, "At least you can always fall back on your old career..." Naturally, I internalize. I think, "maybe I am crazy" and "this is too big of a risk". I begin to doubt my skillset. I doubt my instincts. I doubt my years of contemplation, growth, and mindset. I call this thought process, Self-Doubt Debbie. It is thinking spurred by the self-doubts of others and then projected on me. It is the fear of everyone around me and their Self-Doubt Debbie's trying to jump on my shoulders and tell me what to do or not do. How sad is that we rarely see the opposite framing: What if you succeed in a space more aligned with your personality and purpose? What if you are happier? Have stronger relationships? Find peace? What an amazing change ...