How to Stop Those Negative Voices From Running Your Life

By: Rachel Reva

I see all the time when friends and clients have a new idea, something that totally excites them – and for a moment they are stuck in the glory of possibility – and then a voice comes up and quickly and shuts it down.

In the form of : “It’s too risky”… “I wouldn’t know how”… “I couldn’t because I’m just a (girl from a small town.. have no qualification, work in admin, no one would take me seriously…)”.

DOUBT enters their head and quickly runs around screaming at opportunity, hope and possibility down to where they can barely whisper. I see it ALL the time.

Doubt is a bigger dream killer – it kills more dreams then failure ever will.

Let me say that again: doubt kills more dreams then failure ever will.

I get it, I have been there, and I know how scary it is when you are doing something new – but it’s important to know what is really driving your decisions (or lack of) when it comes to going in a different direction or starting something new.

Here’s a question that will stop doubt in its tracks:

Ask yourself ‘What if?’ instead of ‘Why not?’.

It is SO much easier to come up with reasons why we shouldn’t do something – why we shouldn’t go for that job, or apply for that promotion or decide to make that move, write that book, join the gym, start that course (or even go to an event that you know would be good for your goals but you don’t want to go).

Start with the ‘What If?’. What if… you smashed it? What if, you got the job? What if, it was a YES instead of a no?

The ‘what if’ will allow you to see into opportunity and explore the feelings and thoughts behind it… Most people start off with why they can’t – which is why they stay stuck and comfortable. When a new opportunity comes up, they respond with fear in the form of 20 reasons why it ‘probably won’t work’ instead of thinking about how it could.

They are responding out of fear, and not love.

Khalil Ghibran said: ‘Love and doubt have never been on speaking terms’.

When you attach fear to anything in your life, it will be restricted, limiting, and keep you handcuffed to comfortable – which for me is the biggest failure of all.

You can literally be ONE thought away from a totally different life.

So, whatever it is you have said you would love to do but (insert excuse)…. I challenge you today to start with ‘WHAT IF’?

It’s a powerful question. Who knows where it may lead you?

Article supplied with thanks to Rachel Reva at Life On Her Terms.

Feature image: Photo by Alex Green on Pexels

About the author: Rachel Reva is a PR consultant and author with a career that has spanned TV, writing, radio and politics. Born in Georgia, USA, Rachel now lives in Australia with her young family, and is heard every week on radio.