Why it is important to believe in yourself now more than ever.

You have the power to change your life. But these days, people are always judging us not only in real life but 24/7 on social media. Planting little seeds of doubt in our minds, which if we let them, can grow into big-ass trees. 

As a photographer, people are judging my work all the time. And because every single person can have a different opinion on one photo, some of the feedback I get can be hard to take.

I could have 100 people tell me a photo is stunning, and one person tell me it is so crappy they don’t even know why I bothered keeping it. And you know which comment usually sticks in my head? Correct. The mean one. Planting that little seed of doubt.

I have had to teach myself not to water those seeds of doubt. In fact, I have had to drown them in weed killer. Want to know how? Here is how I get past the doubt and have learned to follow my heart and be proud of my work no matter what.

Believe in Yourself.

If you believe in yourself, you will find ways to succeed. There’s no doubt about it. You’ll feel better about yourself when you accomplish something. And you’ll feel even better when others notice how much you’ve accomplished.

Be Positive.

So what do you need to do to make sure you’re positive? First, you need to start by believing in yourself. Then, you need to surround yourself with people who support you. Finally, you need to take action.

Have Faith.

If you believe in yourself, then others will too. People tend to follow those who lead by example. And when you act as though you believe in yourself, other people will begin to believe in you too.

Don’t Give Up.

There are times when we feel like giving up. We might think that our dreams won’t come true because we haven’t tried hard enough. Or maybe we just aren’t good at what we do. Whatever the reason, sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we can achieve anything we set out to accomplish.

Stay Focused.

If you believe in yourself, you will succeed. And if you fail, you will learn something new. So keep believing in yourself, even when things seem hopeless.

As a landscape photographer, it can be easy to try and please people, and create work that I think other people will like. I have learned the hard way that it is more important that I love my work and believe in it no matter what anyone else thinks.

I create all my landscape photos because I love them. Not because I am chasing the approval of someone else. Chasing the approval of others will only send you into a downward spiral of self-doubt.

So next time someone criticizes you, or you think your work isn’t good enough because you should have more followers on Instagram, STOP. Trust me, I have been there and it isn’t helpful. Just forget about it, and remind yourself what you love about yourself or your work. As long as you believe in yourself, you are unstoppable. 

To help you chase away that doubt and calm your mind, you should try my free art meditation. It is a great way to calm your mind and quickly get all those negative, unproductive thoughts out of your head. Just click here to get the link to the video.