How to Overcome Self-Doubt Fast: My 9-Step Rescue Remedy

You know those mornings where you wake up feeling off? Like self-doubt is sitting at the end of your bed, waiting to pounce the second you open your eyes?

That was me yesterday. I woke up on a gloriously sunny Sunday and felt like rubbish.

And let’s be honest, when you’ve been through some shit (like me), your nervous system sometimes likes to throw you into a full-body doubt spiral for no real reason.

But I didn’t let it win.

I had two choices:

✅ Let doubt run the show and write the script for my day.

✅ Grab my Rescue Remedy, flip the script, and overcome my self-doubt.

I chose the second one.

Here’s exactly the steps I used to turn it around and overcome my self-doubt...

Step One: Call it Out

I knew if I didn’t shift it, I’d end up stuck in my own head all day. I told my husband how I was feeling. No pretending, no “I’m fine,” just honesty.  Because when you say it out loud, doubt loses its power. I was also very compassionate with myself.  This is not the time for me to be hard on myself.

Step Two: Just Be

I gave myself 20 minutes to sit with it. No running, no suppressing, just letting it be. Then, I focused on the simple things I was grateful for. Doubt and gratitude cannot exist in the same space. That’s just science.

Step Three: Clear The Clutter

I ran through my KickStart Formula™, because when my mind is messy, my doubt gets even louder:

✔  Brain dump; every thought, every to-do, every worry, onto paper.

✔  Highlight the non-negotiables; even the little things, like ‘take a shower.’

✔  I put everything in order, numbering each action so I knew exactly what to tackle first.

Step Four: Take a Micro-Step

One thing that doubt hates, is action. I started a timer for 2 minutes (The 1% Factor) and started to move.  This took LOADS of effort.

Step Five: Journaling

Once I had gained some momentum on my KickStart List, and had given my son his iPad for half an hour, I journaled using this prompt “what lens do I want to see my life through?”. I wanted to re-write how I was voewing the world that day. I chose to see more opportunities for gratitude instead of evidence that my doubt was right. Although, it never is.

Step Six: Sunday Jobs

I made sure that I got ready for the week and did all my ‘Sunday-jobs’. Doing this is a true act of ‘looking after your future self’. I love to be ready for the week, like a proper Prepared Paula, as it makes my week so much easier.

Step Seven: Shake it Up

I listened to my favourite music, REALLY loud, and sang my heart out while I cooked the dinner.

Instant mood shift. Instant energy boost. Music + movement = magic.

Step Eight: Prioritise Sleep

I went to bed at 9pm, nice and early, so that I could chill out properly before falling asleep. Sleep is my number 1 priority for me & my business. Because sleep is not a luxury, it’s a business strategy.

Wonky mornings don't have to turn into wonky days.

Wonky mornings, full of self-doubt & fear, don’t have to turn into wonky days. The magic of turning it around is being aware & compassionate.

If you’re done letting doubt call the shots, click here to get my FREE training on turning down the volume on self-doubt, so you can turn UP the volume on your self-belief and your dreams.

Remember to give yourself a cuddle, not a hard time.