January 1st is synonymous with new beginnings, a changing direction, and goal setting. As the Western calendar switches from 2015 to 2016, many of us look ahead with great hopes for a positive new year. We make lists of things we want to accomplish and changes we’d like to implement. Whether our goals are spiritual in nature or we simply wish to eat a more balanced diet, each of us holds great potential for transformation in our lives.
But as the weeks go on, some of us become less motivated, less hopeful. Our potential has not changed. But our belief in our abilities has. Doubt is often to blame when we lose the drive to follow our desires. Michael Berg points out, “Doubt will always present itself as a choice. In fact, the greater the miracle may be, the more room there will be for doubt.”
Our purpose in life is to create change and make the world a better place—a significant thing to accomplish in one lifetime! Yet, each positive action we desire to do for ourselves has a positive impact on the world. It behooves all of us to always work towards bettering ourselves, and thus the world around us.
So, how do we stay motivated when faced with self-doubt?
Our faith in ourselves starts with our certainty in the Light of the Creator. We dispel doubt when we desire to have certainty. When you hit a setback, remind yourself that there is a lesson waiting for you. Continue to direct your thoughts towards certainty that the Creator has a plan and you are a part of it even if you can’t see the plan right now.
Our negative thoughts may be the biggest hurdle in fulfilling our intentions for the future. They feed self-doubt making it difficult to open up the channel to greater blessings. Once you set a goal, give it your all. Even as we seek to improve our lives, there is no guarantee that we will be successful. We will fail from time to time. Having certainty means accepting this with the understanding that failure teaches us valuable lessons. When we see failure as part of the process, not as an obstacle to transformation, we can move forward with a more optimistic spirit.
Try enlisting the support of a friend. When you’re having a hard time overcoming self-doubt, turn to those who bring the most Light into your life. We are not meant to get through challenging times alone. Friends and family can be a tremendous source of positivity and can reassure us when we need it most. Voicing your self-doubt to others can help diffuse it and give you a better sense of perspective. By positively shifting the energy around us we can begin to have more confidence in our goals and ourselves, and thus more certainty in our path.
With certainty, we feel more capable and expect success in meeting our goals. When we quiet our self-doubt, we begin to open our lives up to miracles and blessings. Simply put, when you don’t believe that something good will happen, it won’t. “Once we have complete certainty—which is not easy to develop—we realize,” says Michael Berg, “that even the small things that don't make sense, that go against everything that seems right, come to us from the Creator—and therefore make us happy.”
