New School Shoes

👟
Coleman asked me to help him tie his shoes.
He’s twelve.
And yes, this is a regular occurrence.

He wanted the laces of his new school shoes to not be so long.
He had taken the shoes out of the box and started wearing them.
He didn’t know that the extra holes on the sides of his shoes were meant to have the laces threaded through them.

I threaded the laces.
We tied his shoes.
He said, “That’s what those holes are for! My shoes have been flopping around this whole time! That feels so much better!”

I have some shoes like that, too.
Ones that I let flop around because I didn’t know that there was another way to wear them.

They’re called “Thoughts Where I Doubt Myself.”
Do you have a pair?
They’re totally NOT exclusive.
In fact, these shoes are way too available to the masses.

I’ve been wearing these Self-Doubt shoes for years.
And working for a long time to feel more confident. More often.
I wanted to feel confident in my confidence.
Yes. Confident in my confidence.

A year ago I decided to take a new tactic.

I’m paying attention to what I bring into my mind. Really questioning those debilitating thoughts about what I am contributing to the world and how I’m contributing it:
“I just want to do it right.”
“I don’t think it’s good enough.”
“I should do more.”
“I need to be better.”
“I wonder if I’m good enough.”

I analyze those thoughts a little bit instead of just believe them.
I asked someone to help me. My coach. My mentor. My advocate.
I’m seeing new holes to string the laces through.
Tightening up my Self-Doubt shoes.

They’re feeling better when I walk.
More managed. More controlled.
More cushioned with beliefs like, “Heck yeah, girl! You’re amazing!”

Self-doubt is not a good fit.
Not in womanhood.
Not in motherhood.
Not in your business.
Not in your life.
And not in your new school shoes.💙