Now here’s a question that people have been asking me all my life: how do I keep bouncing back from the different obstacles I have faced and where do I find the resilience to keep going? The answer is four very simple words: I believe I can.
Women and girls are statistically more likely to not try a new physical activity, apply for a new job or put themselves out of their comfort zone. Not because they can’t, but because they don’t believe they can.
It’s crucial to understand the message here: women and girls are missing out on opportunities because of self-limiting beliefs, i.e. not believing in themselves and fearing the judgment of others.
There are so many times where I have felt like I can’t do something – it even happened recently. My climbing coach had to persuade me that I could do an easy move, but I didn’t believe him.
I remained a complete skeptic until I did the move, on my first shot, easily. In the past, I would have not believed him or myself and not even tried. I would have lost that opportunity and anything that would have resulted from it.
Today, I ask myself: why not try? What have I got to lose? What’s the worst that could happen? Is there a reason (health or otherwise) that I shouldn’t be doing this?
These questions have helped me change my mind set and outlook to life completely. I didn’t believe I could make that move but the worst that would have happened would have been falling off the wall (I was in a safety harness with my coach holding the rope).
I’m perfectly OK with falling. After all, it’s simply an opportunity to learn, try again and eventually succeed.
It’s crucial to understand the message here: women and girls are missing out on opportunities because of self-limiting beliefs, i.e. not believing in themselves and fearing the judgment of others."
I have found by challenging myself to try something using these questions, I have been leaving my comfort zone bit by bit and this experience has been extremely rewarding because this is a space where I can test the limits of my potential.
It’s also satisfying to prove to myself that I can do something when I believe I can’t.
Life is no longer about what I think I can’t do, it’s now about believing that I can. I genuinely believe humans are at their best when they are out of their comfort zone. This is where they create, innovate, learn to believe in themselves and trust their instincts.
As I said before, what have you got to lose by believing in yourself?
This is my final blog post for this series for This Girl Can. It’s been an honour and an absolutely fantastic experience that I would highly recommend.
To anyone who has been reading my posts, thank you for reading, believing, supporting and following.
You can carry on following my journey on Twitter.
