3 Ways You're Gaslighting Yourself and How to Stop!
We all have an inner voice that guides us, warns us, and celebrates our achievements. However, there are times when we unintentionally undermine ourselves and downplay our experiences. This phenomenon is known as self-gaslighting, and it can significantly impact our self-belief and overall well-being. As a life coach to capable women who struggle, I am here to shed light on this self-sabotaging behaviour and provide you with actionable strategies to overcome it. Let's explore three common ways you may be gaslighting yourself and how you can reclaim your truth and confidence.
1. Ignoring Red Flags or Brushing off Intuition
How many times have you sensed that something wasn't quite right, but dismissed your own instincts? It's common to convince ourselves that everything is fine when deep down, we know it's not. This often happens in relationships, where we might ignore toxic dynamics and convince ourselves that it's just a rough patch.
Actionable Tip: Trust your intuition and address your concerns head-on. Pay attention to red flags and honour your emotions. Have open and honest conversations with yourself and others involved. Remember, your intuition is a valuable guide on your journey.
2. Minimizing Your Achievements
Have you ever accomplished something incredible but immediately downplayed it as luck or dismissed it as insignificant? This behaviour is a form of self-gaslighting. It diminishes your hard work, talent, and achievements, robbing you of the recognition you deserve.
Actionable Tip: Embrace your accomplishments with pride. Give yourself credit for your achievements, big or small. Practice positive self-talk and acknowledge your accomplishments and worth. Celebrate your successes and embrace the journey that led you to them. Remember, you are deserving of recognition and celebration.
3. Self-Doubt Dance
Do you often find yourself questioning your own feelings and thoughts? This self-doubt dance can be exhausting and damaging to your self-confidence. You may convince yourself that you're overreacting or being too sensitive, disregarding your valid emotions and opinions.
Actionable Tip: Recognize that your emotions and thoughts are valid. Trust yourself and your experiences. Practice self-compassion by acknowledging and accepting your feelings. Surround yourself with supportive individuals who uplift and validate you. Remember, you have the right to trust yourself and your inner wisdom.
Recognizing and overcoming self-gaslighting is a transformative journey toward reclaiming your truth and confidence.
Celebrate Your Wins, Trust Yourself and Seek Support
It's crucial to understand that self-gaslighting can be sneaky, often slipping into our lives unnoticed. However, becoming aware of these patterns is the first step to breaking free from this self-sabotaging behaviour. Remember, you are strong, deserving, and capable of reclaiming your truth and confidence.
If you find it challenging to detect and reprogram your self-gaslighting tendencies, seek support. As a life coach, I am here to help you navigate this journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment. Together, we can identify the root causes of self-gaslighting, develop strategies for self-validation, and build a foundation of self-belief.
Actionable Tip: Reach out for professional guidance if you need support in overcoming self-gaslighting. A life coach can provide you with personalised tools and techniques to help you break free from these patterns and cultivate a healthy self-image.
In Short
Recognizing and addressing self-gaslighting is a powerful step towards unlocking your true potential. Trusting your instincts, embracing your achievements, and validating your emotions are essential elements in reclaiming your truth and cultivating self-confidence.
Remember, you are not alone on this journey. Seek support from compassionate professionals who can guide you toward a more fulfilling and authentic life. Celebrate your wins, trust yourself, and never underestimate the power of your own voice. You deserve to live a life where you truly believe in yourself and love yourself unconditionally – where you’re the leading lady of your own life.
If you want to break free from self-sabotaging habits, consider personal 1:1 life coaching with me. Let’s have a free, no-strings consult to see what’s possible for you.
Carola Moon is on a mission to help ambitious and high-achieving women create more results in their lives. Carola is the life coach, sounding board, accountability partner and wonky-thinking detective to help her clients create their intentional life. She believes it’s indeed possible to have your cake and eat it!
She is a certified Co-Active Coach (CPCC) located in South Oxfordshire, UK, and works with her clients worldwide. Find out more about Carola at TheCarolaMoon.com.