Echoes of doubt

A reflection on the inner critic, the voice that doubts, compares, and holds us back.

Hannah had an opportunity to apply for a program she had always wanted.
The application form was open. The deadline was days away. Everything she needed was within reach.
Then the inner critic spoke.
"You're not qualified enough."
"Others have achieved more than you."
"What if they reject you?"
She believed those thoughts and almost closed the application.
But before doing so, she paused and asked herself, "What if this voice is only speaking from fear and not from truth?"
She submitted the application anyway.
Whether she got accepted or not wasn't the biggest victory. The biggest victory was refusing to let self-doubt make the decision for her.
Sometimes, the greatest barrier isn't the world outside us. It's the voice inside that convinces us not to try.
Don't let the inner critic have the final word.