Living Bravely, Overcoming Self-Doubt

Self-doubt is the quiet enemy that whispers in the back of your mind, telling you you're not enough, that you’ll never be enough. It calls into question every choice, every word, every dream you've ever had. It hides behind the mask of perfectionism, convincing you that until you’re perfect, you can’t move forward. It tells you that others are better, smarter, more capable and somehow, you’re less.

Honest: Self-doubt is a lie. It’s a lie that masquerades as wisdom, but it’s nothing more than a thief. It steals your peace, your joy, and most importantly, your ability to move forward into what you’re meant to do. And if we keep listening to it, we’ll miss the life we’re supposed to live.

I’ve been there. I’ve listened to the voices the ones that say, “You don’t have enough.” The ones that whisper, “What do you think you’re doing? Who do you think you are?” And there have been times, honest, hard times when I let those voices win.

I’ve looked at myself in the mirror and thought, “I’m not ready. I’m not qualified. I don’t have the answers.”

And yet, I still chose to believe in something different.

I even got the word brave tattooed on my arm…….etched into my skin as a declaration, a reminder, a dare to live boldly. It was a promise I made to myself: that I would show up, that I would speak, that I would write.

But here’s the part most people wouldn’t see I didn’t actually start writing this book until nine years later.

Nine years of wrestling. Of second-guessing. Of stepping forward and retreating, running in circles and wondering if my voice mattered. I even joked and said you might as well go ahead and put on my tombstone “nobody listened to me.”

But bravery isn’t a one-time moment, it’s a posture. A choice you make, even when it's delayed. Even when you feel unqualified. Even when you carry more questions than confidence.

I’m not asking you to pretend that self-doubt doesn’t exist. I’m not asking you to shove it down or ignore it. That’s not brave. That’s avoidance. What I’m asking is for you to acknowledge it and then choose to do it anyway. You are not your doubt.

There’s a power in that. A power that says, “I may not feel ready. I may not have all the answers, but I’m doing it anyway.”

That’s where the magic happens. It’s in choosing to live boldly in the face of all the fear and uncertainty. And I promise, it will make you feel alive in a way you’ve never experienced before.That’s what I’m doing right now, as I write this.

I’ve never owned a business, but I do now. I don’t have a fancy launch plan. I haven’t even finished building out the website yet. I haven’t walked into the bank to open a business account. But I will. By the time this is printed, those things will be done.

The point is I didn’t wait until I had it all mapped out. I’m moving forward without a blueprint. I don’t know what I’m doing or exactly where this is going. But I’m taking one brave step at a time. Trusting, in faith, that when I set my foot down, the earth will rise up beneath it.

That somehow, God will meet me in the movement.

That somehow, it will all work out.

And maybe that’s what bravery really looks like not having all the answers but moving forward anyway.

One step. One page. One yes at a time.

I reminded myself I’ve done hard things before.

Remember when I packed up everything I had and moved a hundred miles away from everyone I knew? I left behind my entire support system, my family, my history, my safety net. All I carried with me was a car full of stuff and a heart full of shame. That was hard.

But in that unfamiliar town, through tears and trembling prayers, we built something beautiful. A home. A family. A small circle of friends who became a lifeline. People who didn’t care where I came from, only who I was becoming. They fed my soul and helped me heal.

I remember another season where I was so paralyzed by fear, I stopped moving altogether. I doubted myself so deeply I questioned every choice. I was stuck in a fog of second-guessing, afraid that if I moved, I’d mess it all up.

But if I go back even further…..there’s more.

I was a high school dropout, living in a trailer in my parents’ front yard. Three kids. A dog. No plan. Just survival. I felt like a failure. I felt like my story had already been written and it wasn’t the kind of story anyone would want to read.

But one day, I decided to fight for something different. I enrolled in college. Community college first, my associate's degree. That win became a bigger one. I kept going. Nobody could take away the pride I had inside from achieving something for myself.  I earned my bachelor’s degree. And then, through a few more seasons, more homes, more pets, and a lot more life I earned my master’s degree. Not because it was easy. Not because I always believed in myself. But because something deep inside of me refused to let the story end where it started.

Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is not wait to feel brave.

Viola Davis once said something to the effect of: "If you can’t be brave, then be strong. And if you can’t be strong, then be kind. And if you can’t be kind, then be honest. But whatever you are, just keep moving forward."

That speaks to me. Because there were seasons where bravery felt out of reach. The strength was too heavy. Kindnesses, especially to myself…. sigh…..was hard to come by.

But honesty? That I could hold on to. I could admit I was scared. I could say, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” I could cry while taking the next step.

And I did.

Because moving forward even messy is still movement.

That’s what Viola’s story reminds me of. She didn’t come from polished beginnings. Neither did I. Maybe you didn’t either. But we don’t need perfect paths. We need honesty, grit, and enough faith to take one small step. And if you can do that? You’re already braver than you think

If you’re waiting for self-doubt to leave before you start living, you’ll be waiting forever. I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in waiting. Life is too short to let self-doubt keep us small.

You do not need permission.

The truth is, you’re already enough. I know it doesn’t always feel that way. There are days when you look in the mirror and think, "Who am I to do this?" But that’s not the question. The question is, "Who am I to not do this?" The world needs what you’ve got, your story, your gifts, your heart. We need women who rise in the face of fear and self-doubt and say, “Not today.”

Living boldly is about action. It’s about walking into rooms with your shoulders back, eyes open, and heart full, even when the world around you is loud with doubt. And it’s about believing, deep in your bones, that God is with you every step of the way.

You’ll see the strength you never knew you had. You’ll see the woman you were always meant to be.

So, let me ask you:
What would happen if you lived without doubt?

If you lived boldly, with backbone and bravery

Pause here. Take a breath. Imagine the freedom in that choice.

If you stopped waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect answer, the perfect version of yourself
And just gave yourself permission to love a part of yourself right now?

Not the “someday” you. Not the polished, got-it-all-together you.
Just the you that woke up this morning with mascara-soaked pillows, still carrying fear but willing to show up anyway. What if you let the past stay behind you the old version of yourself, the “mug shot” moments, the mistakes and regrets fade gently into the distance?

What if you gave yourself permission to rebuild, not with pressure or shame, but with grace?

Beth Moore once said, “God is not looking for extraordinary people. He's looking for ordinary people who are willing to say yes.”

What if yes was enough to change everything?
What if you chose bravery right in the middle of chaos, the healing, the doubt, the rebuilding?  Please don’t doubt who you are.

And if you haven’t been loved the way you needed to be loved, find a way to love yourself anyway.

It took me so so long to truly understand that. To look in the mirror and genuinely like who I saw. Self-doubt and low self-esteem share the same roof and they lie. They twist the truth, block your progress, and are the worst enemies of your breakthrough.

There were so many times I didn’t feel brave. I didn’t feel ready. I just kept stepping forward, shaky and unsure, trusting that somewhere up ahead was a version of me I hadn’t met yet but I was determined to find her.

That version was worth the fight.

I want you to fight for your brave soul within.