September 19, 2019

Dealing with Self Doubt (+ my fave Long Sleeve Lululemon Shirt!)

A few tips that help me shake self doubt, plus a look at the long sleeve Lululemon shirt I’m obsessed with this Fall!

Long Sleeve Shirt: Lululemon (My FAVORITE new purchase! I love that it’s really breathable even though it has long sleeves – and the color is amazing in real life. Highly recommend!) | Shorts: c/o Lululemon (On sale and selling out fast! Love that they’re reversible, and they’re not too short!) | Sunglasses: Loft | Shoes: c/o Nike (These sneaks make running SO much better! They have little foam beads in the heel that conform to your foot and cushion as you run. So cool!) | Necklace: Vrai & Oro (Truthfully, I usually don’t work out in this necklace, but I had it on from the outfit we shot before this. That being said, it’s my favorite necklace and I wear it almost every day!)

For some reason, I’ve been experiencing slumps of self doubt these past few weeks. Why? I’ve been asking myself the same question. I know it’s not very rational – I mean, I just celebrated a year of self employment, I signed my biggest contract of my blogging career, I have tons of big ideas… there’s no real reason why I should be letting self doubt creep in so much. So why am I allowing it to?!

On one hand, being your own harshest critic can be a good thing. I think it tends to make me feel grounded, especially in a world of influencers who think they are/just want to be “famous.” But the flip side is, it can easily push past self awareness to become a fear of what other people think. Sure, a large part of my job is to care about what you guys think so I can create content that brings value to your lives – but there’s a fine line that we all need to be aware of. When are we caring about what people think in order to better ourselves and when are we using that as an excuse to beat ourselves up?

Spoiler: We all experience self doubt.

Now I know most of you aren’t bloggers, but based on conversations from pretty much every other woman in my life, these thoughts are definitely not exclusive to my profession. Bloggers are NOT the only people who have a never ending to do list. We’re not the only ones who feel pressure to constantly be “on” – I know the Moms out there feel me on that! And of course we’re also not the only ones who have to think innovatively in order to get to the next level in their career. Overwhelm and self doubt are universal.

So what’s a girl to do? In full transparency, I’m still figuring that piece out. But here are a few things that you might find helpful:

Unfollow anyone who doesn’t make you feel good about yourself.

Social media is a weird part of our lives, especially Instagram. It’s so easy to compare yourself to other people you see on your feed. I find myself getting down if I don’t have interesting things to post on stories that day or a photo tanks – which is so silly! And if it’s a part of my job and I can say that, then you can too! Unfollow or mute people who make you feel less than or trigger negative thoughts. And don’t let scrolling or posting take up too much time in your life. You have other things to focus on!

Block out brainstorming hours.

I know that sounds crazy – especially if you’ve been busy. But it’s so helpful to take the time to look at what I’m doing now, what I’d like to be doing a month from now, two months from now, two years from now. It’s the same principal as manifestation! If you say you’re going to do it and envision how to make it happen, it’s more likely to become a reality. There’s so much power in that!

Move your body.

I know I say that this is the key to everything, but… it’s actually the key to everything! You don’t need to do a super hard workout or hit the gym for a million hours a day. Even a 20 minute walk can help you gain some mental clarity. Plus, endorphins are REAL!

My Long Sleeve Lululemon Shirt and Shorts

Since discovering that movement majorly helps my mood, I’ve started taking Luna for a longer walk or jog first thing in the morning, especially on days that I know I can’t get to the gym. And now that the mornings have cooled off, I’ve been reaching for this long sleeve crew over and over again. First of all, the color is DREAMY in person. Second, even though it has long sleeves, it’s so breathable. Literally perfect for those mornings where there’s a slight chill.

And then let’s talk about these shorts! Hannah was so shocked when she saw them for this shoot because I never wear shorts ? I usually think they’re too short or too tight around the booty – but these are just right. And REVERSIBLE! Plus the print goes perfectly with this top. Mornings with Luna never looked so good – especially before coffee!