Self-belief hacks
My friends often laugh at my ability to turn anything into a positive. Clients come to me with a limiting belief and two minutes later, that limiting belief has been turned into their superpower. The thing is, this isn’t bullshit. We are all capable of being stars.
The way we see ourselves is down to the story we tell ourselves each day. I am a hype-man, so I surround myself with hype-friends. Building your hype-community is one way of believing in yourself. Whether that’s a best friend, your brother/sister, your wife, your colleague, your coach. Ali and I have an amazing coach who holds us accountable and helps us remind ourselves, each week, what we are capable of.
We all have moments where we lack self-belief or motivation. But we all have the ability to use techniques to strengthen our subconscious to avoid longer periods of self-loathing.
Try some of the techniques below to begin to turn negative bias into positive bias and cultivate self-belief and motivation:
Music. Your 'space and physical environment' can really inspire and motivate you. Music and scents are a big one for me. I create a 'hype playlist' for each mood. One that fits morning, daytime or night. So, if there is ever a point that I need to lift or soothe my energy levels, I'll open Spotify and lose myself in the music.
Inspirational quotes. We consciously surround ourselves with people that lift us up. Do the same on social media if you spend time on it. Instagram can be detrimental if scrolling content with no real meaning. Consciously choose to follow people that inspire you every day - I like @thegoodquote on Instagram.
Acupuncture. I went through a stage of burnout in 2016. Acupuncture and diet lifted me out of the anxious exhaustion I was experiencing. I remember being on the treatment table, needles in my skin, feeling free of all worries - I felt like I was flying! I came out of the clinic and took a 90-minute walk in nature, mindful of every single sight and sound. I felt like I could take on the world, having felt exhausted and overwhelmed just a few hours prior to that. Acupuncture can help release toxins from our body and treat inflammation that has built up through injury or stress (mind and body).
Yoga and HIIT workouts. Yoga is an incredible tool for both the mind and body – it’s been found to balance the nervous system, easing us into rest and digest mode, decrease anxiety and stress, plus the endorphins from the physical exercise are a proven mood boost. For yoga, follow @aliroff & @tomwilsonleonard on Instagram, and try this quick 10 minute workout for a guaranteed mood-boost!
Massage. Similar to acupuncture, Ali and I use massage to release tension and toxins from our bodies. We see our masseuse (Instagram @recover_with_chris) once a week. Some of my best ideas have come to me whilst on the massage bed, completely relaxed and free from tension. It gives us the space and time to create.
Podcasts. Podcasts can be listened to anywhere, at home or on-the-go. I travel into town for big shoots and use podcasts to lift my mood and stay focused, especially when commutes can cause a bit of hassle and stress. Find someone you can relate to. Often creators are posting on what the World needs right now – check out one of our recent episodes: Coronavirus: How to stay motivated, fit and healthy at home while social distancing" - one of our most recent podcasts. Listen to the Wellfulness podcast here.
Videos. Again, instead of scrolling through social media aimlessly, use it 5/10 minutes a day to give you a buzz - before going on with your day. I like @execmindset on Instagram, plus we have many videos on mindset here.
Movies. Have you ever cried or laughed uncontrollably at a movie? As an actor, I feel the true benefit of losing myself in a role, and then a viewer losing themselves in a story. We place ourselves in the story, somehow. It can then spur us on to put the same grit and determination into everything we do. Three great examples of films where a protagonist laughs in the face of adversity to create an abundant life are The Intouchables, Forest Gump, The Pursuit of Happiness.
Inspiring People. Follow inspiring athletes or fitness figures, like @davidgoggins on Instagram. Similar to movies, we can put ourselves in the situations these great athletes are in. They are human too. Let your imagination run wild. I often think about David Goggins when I am half way through a tough workout, and ask myself "what would Goggins do?" - be inspired.
And if you still aren't feeling inspired, here is one of my go-to quotes for self-belief:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson
At a time where fear is being fed to us on a daily basis, let’s try to live consciously, and balance the negative with positive too. Turn the news off for a second, put your favourite music on and get your body moving.
“We are all meant to shine, as children do.”