Shade
Also known as Self Doubt
If Self-Doubt Were a Person…
She wouldn’t shout.
She’d whisper in a voice that sounds eerily familiar—soft, but persistent:
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“What if they don’t get you?”
“Maybe you should wait until it’s perfect.”
“You’re not like them… they have it all figured out.”
“What if you’re too much… or not enough?”
She lingers in the quiet moments, tugging at your sleeve just as you’re about to share something vulnerable. She wears your memories like jewelry—especially the ones where you weren’t believed, or felt invisible.
But here’s the truth: she’s not your enemy.
She’s the part of you that’s scared to be hurt again.
And when you meet her with compassion, she softens.
You can say:
“I hear you. I know you’re trying to protect me. But I’m choosing to show up anyway.”
Her name is Self-Doubt she goes by Shade now
It’s the feeling of uncertainty about your abilities or decisions—often triggered by fear: fear of failure, rejection, past mistakes, criticism, comparison, or perfectionism.
She makes you hesitate to speak up.
She makes you overthink every decision.
She makes you feel like an imposter, even when you’re more than qualified.
She makes you seek constant reassurance, even when your truth is already enough.
But the goal isn’t to silence her forever.
It’s to learn how to speak with her.
✨ Ask her questions.
✨ Challenge her stories.
✨ Celebrate your wins—big and small.
✨ Practice self-compassion.
✨ Stop comparing your path to someone else’s.
✨ Visualize your success like it’s already unfolding.
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🌿 Ritual for Releasing Shade (self doubt)
Tonight, I’ll light a candle.
I’ll write down every doubt that’s been tugging at me.
I’ll thank it for its protection.
Then I’ll burn the paper (safely), and whisper a new truth:
“I am safe to be seen. I am ready to rise.”
If this speaks to you, you’re not alone.
Let’s rise gently, together.