The Defeat of Self-Doubt

Can I do this? Will it work out? What if I fail?

Those are thoughts of self-doubt.

Self-doubt sinks its way into your actions and most importantly, your thoughts. It is that ugly monster inside your head telling you to second-guess yourself, over analyze every opportunity and give up on the things you want. Self-doubt is the enemy and it must be defeated. God intended for us to be blessed and go confidently in His ways, not with doubt. 

Let's defeat self-doubt, together.

Self-doubt does not disappear overnight because it has been a way of thinking we have allowed to seep into our every day. No more. Here are a few ways we can rid ourselves of self-doubt, together:

BE POSITIVE

Positive thinking is easier said than done. If being positive is difficult for you, start by taking notice of the more overlooked, common positives in your life (i.e. another day, a job). A great way to be positive with yourself is by giving encouragement to those around you. As you build others up in their work or faith, you will also be encouraged and more positive about your situations.

"I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other." - Romans 1:12

GO FOR IT

Once we become more encouraged with ourselves, we are automatically more apt to be positive about upcoming opportunities, difficult situations and every day life. Feel the urgency in pursuing the things you want. Always be prepared to take on a task, give a presentation or do more. Be ready and go for it.

FACE THE SCARY

The scary part of self-doubt is failure. Failure may seem like the end of the world but know this: a failed attempt or failed opportunity is better than accepting failure before you even tried. Face the scary and go for it with all the positivity you have.

"Then Jesus told them, I assure you, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and it will happen." - Matthew 21:21

The next time you feel defeated or doubtful, be positive.
Instead of falling into the failure scare trap, go for it. 

Now it's your turn! How do you overcome self-doubt in your life? 

My Lovely Sponsors

At first, blog sponsorships rubbed me the wrong way. The words and advice I share on my blog weren't necessarily intended to be monetized or advertised. Then I came to realize the simplicity in being introduced to new blogs through blogs I already frequented via sidebar sponsorships. Needless to say, I caved. I have come across some lovely ladies with my first round of sponsorships. Let's have them each say a few words, shall we?

Delighted to Write

Crystalee Beck is a freelance writer celebrating words. Words fascinate me. They delight me. I can’t help myself: I’ll spend the rest of my life writing. Whether you’re a newbie wordsmith, closet writer, or professional, you’re in the write place.

Q: What is your perspective on friendships?

A: My favorite collection is not my postcards from all 50 United States, or the eclectic assortment of buttons I've acquired since childhood. Going through this journey of life, I collect friends. I believe strangers are friends we haven't met yet, and relationships matter most. Perhaps that was a reason I was honored to be voted "Friendliest" of my senior class of 750+ in high school.

Q: Name a random thing about yourself.

A: Another flashback to high school: I wore a duct tape dress to my senior prom - it was red, black, and white. My date and I entered the Duct Tape Brand scholarship contest, and many said I looked like the Queen of Hearts.

Q: What else should we know about you?

A: I am headed to Italy this summer to see why "all roads lead to Rome." Ciao!

Crystalle is truly delightful. You can feel her passion for writing ooze off your screen. Check out her blog here and stay up-to-date with her delightful tweets here. 

Always Ashley

My blog exists to be a space for me to journal my journey in a way that others can come along with me for the ride. My life doesn't consist of just one little compartment, so neither does the blog. I write about people who inspire me, events in my life that have taught me valuable life lessons, the ups and downs of my marriage, a few of my friends who have done some pretty cool things, and charities that are dear to my heart. 

Q: What is your perspective on friendships?

A: Friendships are so important to me. Surrounding ourselves with the right people can allow God to breathe even more life into us on a daily basis. My friends are genuine, hilarious and motivating forces. Jesus says that His friends are those who obey His Father. 

 

Q: Share something random about yourself.

A: I have a slight addiction to stationary, particularly notecards and notepads. I love giving people handwritten notes. And yes, I send them via snail mail! Eek!

 

Q: Anything else you want the readers to know?

A: I truly love Ashlee's heart for what she does in her personal and professional life, and I pray her determination to glorify God touches many lives.

Ashley is full of marriage inspiration and has the most giving of hearts. Find out more about her on her blog here and watch her here. 

Consurgo

A girl of few words with a passion to create for the glory of God. The purpose behind my blog and all my art work is simple:  to look for the Creator in all things, and long to know Him for nothing less than who He is in His entirety.

Q: What is your perspective on friendships?

A: "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  -John 15:13 We are called to love God and love others. Everything in life will fall into place then. 

Q: Share something random about yourself.

A: I know almost every theme song to any cartoon. I never watched cartoons too often but for some reason, if I even watched it once, I knew it! 

Brittney is one of the most talented, yet humble lady with an undeniable talent with bringing God's word into inspiring works of art. You'll want to get to know her here and buy her creations here. 

These ladies and their blogs are more beautiful than this snippet of their hearts. I encourage you to see what they're all about. If you're interested in becoming a sponsor or collaborating with me in the near future, visit either the sponsor page or contact page. You're awesome!

Word Up Friend: Four

Worksheets for the Every Day

Paper after post-it after scribbled note after calendar reminder. Our lists and ideas keep growing. Although there are useful applications out there that can assist with the organization and seamless integration of your every day lists, I'm a bit old school. In that, I like to write down my ideas and lists on paper. I can sometimes write down my shopping lists and to do lists on the same page with my random ideas in the corners. The problem was that I couldn't identify which paper had which lists I was looking for. The solution? I needed separate sheets of paper to keep my lists and ideas separate so things can work their best. Utilizing a worksheet, a sheet of paper in this case, is an every day habit I use to strengthen my handwriting and ability to remember my everyday tasks.

If you can relate to my pen-to-paper ways of keeping track of your ideas, to dos, and shopping lists, download yourself one or all of my minimalist worksheets for your every day, below.

• Plans Worksheet
• Ideas Worksheet
• Buy Worksheet
• Do Worksheet
• Pay Worksheet

*If you have any problems with downloading the worksheets, let me know!

Word Up Friend: Three

Wisdom for Bloggers on Moriah Makes

Who doesn't like some wisdom imparted on them? I don't hate it. Wise words and encouragement are two things we all need - bloggers included. Today, I'm featured over on Moriah Makes. She's a mother of two with one on the way and makes lovely goodies for her Etsy shop. Her blog is intended for us to look at the talent and potential you have been blessed with, and to use it to better yourself and others. Needless to say, our blogs are a match made in blogger heaven. Visit her blog for my feature about my blogging journey and wisdom for bloggers!

10 Tips for Marketing Your Blog

Over the years, blogs have gone from the new kid on the block to a must-have necessity for any marketing plan. Whether your blog serves as a personal outlet, community engagement, or business practice, it takes more than words on a screen to stand out from the rest. For bloggers seeking ways to better market their blogs, try some of the following marketing tips:

These simple tips are intended to help the beginning blogger begin to understand their blog and take the first steps in marketing it well. There are of course lots more ways to market your blog by 

including: thoughtful content creation, multimedia aspects, advertising, collaborations etc. Take your blog day by day and see where your passion for blogging leads you. Should it be to grow in size to influence more readers, then you'll want to upgrade your marketing plan. For now, keep things simple and stay true to who you are on your blog.

Do you already implement some of these marketing techniques for your blog? Tell me how they've worked for you in the comments below!