Question: I had a horrible dream, more like a nightmare, where I saw billowing smoke in the air. I ran up a hill along with other people and saw an airplane in the air. It was cracked in half and people were falling out; I could hear their blood curdling screams along with the screams of those still in their seats. I could even see what the people looked like and what they were wearing. It was frightening to say the least. What does this mean? Why would I dream something horrible like this? Is this a premonition?

Answer: Breath and relax. According to Dream Moods Dictionary.com your dream symbolizes the possibility of setting too high or unrealistic goals for yourself and seeing them crash down. Another interpretation is your self-confidence is low and you have self-doubt about reaching your goals. Your self-defeating mindset is causing your dreams or goals to crash; you experience loss of power. You don’t believe in your abilities to reach your goals.

How to Overcome Low Self-Confidence and Self-Doubt

1. Trust that you have the answers inside of you. Nine times out of ten, you know what to do. However, you may not take action because you fear you’ll make a mistake. The good news is if you make a decision and it doesn’t work out, you can make another decision. It’s not a waste of time and effort because you probably learned valuable lessons. Accept those lessons and move forward.

Remember … No one is perfect!

2. Approve of you. The only approval you need is from you. If you constantly seek approval from others, you’re not self-confident. You are free to be who you are. What matters the most is YOU love and approve of you. Remember, “What others think of you is none of your business.” Some people may or may not be in your tribe or ‘get’ you — it’s alright.

3. Affirm you are talented. If you don’t believe in your abilities, who will? Know and affirm you have what it takes to succeed in whatever it is you do. Recall times when you did well and give yourself a ‘pat’ on the back. Also, make a list of activities you enjoy and do more of them.

4. Stop believing and thinking self-defeating ideas and thoughts. Parents, grandparents, teachers, etc. probably contributed to your belief system. They meant well but could have passed on self-defeating and limiting thoughts. The good news is you’re an adult and can shift your beliefs. You don’t have to be bound to thoughts such as, I must work hard to earn a living; You don’t get ahead without hard work; No one in our family ever got ahead with talent alone; and other limiting beliefs. Ask yourself, “Are these true? Is it true I have no talent?” You’ll be surprised by your answers.

Cultivate new beliefs. After all, your parents aren’t responsible for you anymore. You are responsible for you. Saying affirmations could work; however, they only work if you believe in them. Don’t say affirmations if you don’t feel positive about them.

5. Take ‘inspired’ action. Taking action for actions sake won’t work. Inspired action means you’re really enthusiastic about something. Whether you’re applying for a job or filling out a volunteer application, make sure you’re inspired to do so.

There isn’t a ‘perfect’ time to do something — this is an illusion. You may encounter obstacles and roadblocks as you begin to take ‘inspired’ action. Go around them and move forward; you’ll gain more skills and become more confident.

6. Get educated. Maybe your current skills need updating. Perhaps, it’s time to learn new skills which you can apply to a new career. It’s never too late for education. Remember: if you stop learning, you stop living, and you eventually die.

7. Laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh at your mistakes and correct them. What’s the worst that could happen? Making mistakes happens to the best of us. Even Einstein didn’t get it right the first time. You learn by ‘trial and error’ and correcting what doesn’t work.

Shake off low self-confidence and self-doubt by recognizing your abilities. Please remember, most people fail at one time or another in their lives. The word ‘fail’ isn’t a bad 4-letter word. In fact, many famous authors had their manuscripts rejected countless times. Some of them self-published before any major editor noticed them. Give yourself credit for trying and don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing the best you can and that’s all that matters.

Rebecca

Related articles

• Anne Naylor: 7 Ways To Build Your Confidence (huffingtonpost.com)