It is perfectly normal and understandable to have doubts about your life, the decisions you are making, about family and career decisions, relationships, friendships – these are important things but when that doubt stops you from doing something that you want to do then you need to recognise that it has now gone from being normal and understandable to an issue.  That doubt is stopping you from living your life the way you want to lead it.

So, what is it that is actually stopping you?  I do not have the answers here but you do.  Ask yourself over and over what it is that is stopping you and accept the answers that you come up with.  You may not like them but that’s ok, accept them anyway.  Once you know the reason for that self doubt you can begin to work on that so that the self doubt becomes manageable once more.

For many people walking into a crowded room becomes an impossible task, not through the actual activity of walking into the room but the fear of others looking at us and this then normally (although not exclusively) goes through to a lack of self confidence and people mocking us when the reality is people will glance because the door has opened and then go back to their conversation.

Self doubt has one of the biggest impacts when it affects career and relationship difficulties.  I spent ten years in retail management and passed up countless promotion opportunities because I didn’t feel I would step up to the mark even though I had been put forward for the job, the thought of being compared to others was just too much to bear.  Why do we do this?  Why do we constantly compare ourselves to others?

You cannot compare yourself to others, you are completely and wonderfully unique, no one else can come close to you.  Ok, you may not got what you went for but that doesn’t make it a failure, it simply makes it a journey that you need to find another path to.

‘Fear of failure stops me from taking action’ is a statement I use with my PT clients and I think a great many of us suffer with it.  The thought of failing in front of our peers is just too great to bear so we suffer on as we are even though we are bursting to break out and show what we can achieve in every aspect of our lives.

So, let’s say you decide to go for it and take the risk, self doubt intact – well done for taking the jump!  Then the worst happens and it doesn’t work out as you had planned and you feel like you are going backwards as you go back to what you were doing before

BUT

This is only temporary, there are opportunities around every corner just waiting to be taken.  Maybe you are dreading being mocked and ridiculed by your peers?  This I can completely understand as I was like this for a long time, to the point that I feared asking questions in public for fear of looking like an idiot!  How crazy is that?  If people around you are using your experience to mock you or knock you down then they are not people you want to associate with, ever.

Surround yourself with positive, happy people all of the time.  The difference that, on it’s own, can make, is huge.  If you want to change something in your life then go for it, you only get one shot in life so make it the most amazing journey that you can.

I’m not going to tell you to ignore the self-doubt, it isn’t that easy but it WILL go in time and the more that you challenge yourself and push those boundaries the less the self doubt takes charge.

Go and be brave – do something out of your comfort zone.

Health and happiness x

Do you find yourself racing around like a whirlwind with never a minute to yourself?

Serotonin, GABA, melatonin and nitric oxide tend to help us to feel remixed and focused but excessive levels could leave us feeling sedated.

Acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, cortisol and phenylethylamine tend to stimulate our brain and excess can leave us anxious and wear us down.

Taking the nutritional approach to tackle mood swings is a good move although, obviously, good nutrition will not fix a bad marriage or job.  However, if you support your brains productions of neurotransmitters then they can help you to be better able to deal with difficult situations.

Serotonin is widely considered the principal regulator of good moods, appetite, sleep and pain.

GABA helps to maintain mental focus and be relaxed and calm.  It promotes good memory, an reverse depression and eases anxiety and nervousness.

Melatonin is a hormone and a neurotransmitter and it regulates our body (circadian) rhythm.  We normally function better or worse at some times of the day and this is all down to our circadian rhythm, it can help with sleep disorders and recovery from jet lag.

Acetylcholine is involved in the thinking processes, memory, motivation and arousal.  Low levels interfere with concentration, memory and can lead to emotional instability.

Dopamine helps to focus attention and enjoy pleasurable physical experiences.  Low levels can lead to sleep disorders, apathy, depression and increased sensitivity to pain.

Cortisol is technically a hormone, not a neurotransmitter but is is similar to epinephrine that it functions as one.  It is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress and is highly toxic to brain cells, inhibits the production of new brain cells.

Phenylethylamine is mood elevating promoting feelings of love and bliss.  People often indulge in chocolate when a relationship ends, this is high in PEA but if you consume too much you are liable to get headaches and feel anxious.  Too little and you will feel depressed, apathetic and tired.

Health and happiness x

‘Be kinder than  necessary because everyone you meet is fighting  some kind of battle.

A sharp tongue can cut  your own throat.

If you want your dreams  to come true, you mustn’t  oversleep.

Of all the things you  wear, your expression is the most  important.

The best vitamin for  making friends……  B1.

The happiness of your  life depends on the quality of your  thoughts.

The heaviest thing you  can carry is a  grudge..

One thing you can give  and still keep…is your  word.

You lie the loudest when  you lie to yourself.

If you lack the courage  to start, you have already  finished.

One thing you can’t  recycle is wasted time.

Ideas won’t work unless  ‘ You’ do.

Your mind is like a  parachute…it functions only when  open.

The pursuit of happiness  is the chase of a  lifetime!

It is never too late to become what you might have been.

Life is too short to  wake up with regrets.. So love
the  people whotreat you  right.. Forget about the
ones who  don’t. Believeeverything  happens for a reason.
If you get  a second chance, grab it with both hands.  If
it changes your life, let it. Nobody  saidlife
would  be easy, they just promised it would  be
worth  it.

Friends are like  balloons;
once you let them go, you  might not get them
back. Sometimes we  get so busy with our own
lives and  problems that we may not even  notice
that we’ve let them fly away.  Sometimes weare  so
caught up in who’s right and who’s  wrong that we
forget what’s right and  wrong.. Sometimes we just
don’t realize  what real friendship means until  it
is too late.

Health and happiness x