When you start doubting every single thing that you do, it undermines your confidence.

These are some ways in which you can put an end to second guessing yourself.

First of all, you need to have faith in your own abilities. See everything as a learning opportunity. If you have doubts over whether what you did was right, especially after it didn’t turn out so well, analyse if there was anything you would have done differently at the time.

If yes, you know what to do if a similar situation occurs again.

If not, you did the best you could, given the circumstances.

Why beat yourself up over it?

You might have stopped doing the things that make you happy. As a result, you find yourself continually unhappy, frustrated in both your personal and professional life.

• You seem to have lost that ‘spark’ – there is hardly any energy, zest for life, or motivation left anymore.
• You find it difficult to connect with, or talk to others.

These are signs that it is time to regain control over your life.

It’s time to break the cycle of monotony and invest in yourself.

An ‘investment’ need not be financial – it could be one of time.

Spend time doing the activities that you love, those that brought you happiness in the past. It could be reading your favourite book, exercising cooking, or gardening. .

If none of these bring you happiness any more, explore other options. Most of the time, a walk is the best way of clearing your mind of the all the clutter.

You will no longer experience negative emotions when you are able to think clearly.

Learn something new:

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This could be a language, or a skill. Exploring areas that you haven’t visited previously (both literally and figuratively) broadens your horizons and lends a new perspective to your thought process.

• You could enrol for a cooking class, art lessons, or even try your hand at photography or bird-watching.
• Learning to play a musical instrument, with which you could express yourself creatively, is another great way of doing this.

You might be able to discover hidden strengths, or even rediscover a long-forgotten strength.

Expand your mind:

Talk to others who have opposing points of view. Figure out the flaws in their argument(s) and how you can put forth a strong case for the side you believe in.

Take good care of yourself:

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This doesn’t mean you should get a facelift or buy designer clothes. Rather, eat healthy. Wear clothes that make you feel confident. Pay attention to your grooming – get a fabulous haircut, polish your nails  – it’s the small things that contribute to you feeling great on the inside as well.

Set personal goals:

The feelings of self-accomplishment that are associated with achieving these lend to you having more confidence in yourself, that you are indeed capable of doing greater things in life.

What could you today to help regain control over your life?