Estimated reading time: 15 minutes (or listen at the bottom of the page).

What you will learn: The biggest barrier to transforming self-doubt and a core exercise for boosting confidence.

The History of Self-Doubt

In the previous lesson, you learned that self-doubt is an important physiological mechanism designed to help you overcome, succeed and win.

But when your system activates, it might not feel like self-doubt is there to help you. And you might wonder why self-doubt can be so hard to manage, and why you react to it in ways that worsen distress.

Well, as you learned previously, the changes of the stress response, the effects of fight, flight or freeze and the energy of difficult thoughts, emotions, behaviors and sensations are core parts of human design that were originally created for the physical, primitive landscape.

So as you face the world around you, your system must adapt to the modern environment, learning how it can help you to successfully navigate the non-physical challenges of modern day.

And to help you do this, from the moment you were born to this moment as you read this page, your system has been taking in, processing, storing and retrieving information from your inner and outer environment to help you make sense of the world around you and how you can navigate it in your most efficient state.

And whenever you encounter a challenge that you need to face, your system draws on this vast wealth of information to determine how best you can take action to navigate whatever you're up against.

Then, as you take action based on your pre-existing information base, your system takes in new information, using it to update and improve the feedback that it creates.

For the most part, this process of absorbing and refining information happens automatically, outside of your awareness but when you examine past experiences, you can start to see this background process.

For example, when you explore past scenarios where you felt confident navigating tasks and challenges, you might notice that your confidence comes from observing the actions of colleagues, mentors or friends.

From trial and error, experimenting, adapting and trying again.

Or from knowledge gathered over time, from various sources that you've watched, listened to or read.

And conversely, when you explore past moments where you struggled with self-doubt and didn't feel confident navigating your environment, you might notice that you didn’t have the necessary information to understand what you were up against. Or what information you received wasn't the right fit for you or took you further away from your optimal state of alignment.

Gathering the information needed to successfully navigate the modern landscape can be a slow, painstaking process of trial and error, and learning, refining and learning again. And common misconceptions about self-doubt can make the journey even more tedious, frustrating and long-winded.

So the youstate approach™ is designed to simplify the process, by giving you a step-by-step method for understanding the physical, primitive energy of self-doubt and how it showed up in the primitive landscape. And how you can channel the ancient wisdom of your system into the non-physical tasks and challenges of modern day.

Primitive Power Meets Modern Day

As you navigate the modern world around you, a fun way of helping your system to make this shift is by using the power of visualization to create physical images, that bring a sense of visibility and tangibility to the invisible, intangible things that you face.

In this lesson, we will explore images of the primitive landscape and how the energy of self-doubt helped to successfully navigate the physical challenges of primitive days.

And we will explore a picture of the modern landscape and how the ancient wisdom of your system translates to modern day.

Then you will learn a fun, creative exercise for channeling the primitive energy of self-doubt into the everyday tasks and challenges that you face.

As you proceed, note that visualization is a unique, individual experience, and your mental pictures might seem vivid and realistic, blurry and vague or blank and non-existent.

Whatever you experience is okay. Whether you create mental images or simply reflect on or “think through” the descriptions given, this exercise will help you to feel more confident working with the energy that your system creates. 

Creating a Picture of the Primitive Landscape

First, take a moment to imagine, picture or think of yourself in the primitive landscape, hiking along a trail to a destination in the distance where you can forage for food, gather materials for shelter or explore new terrain.

When, along your way, you encounter a challenge that you need to face, like a wide river that you need to get across or a boulder blocking your pathway.

As you look out over the river, you notice islands of rocks that you can jump on to get across. And as you survey the boulder, you notice that it seems manageable enough to push out of your path.

As you approach the river, your system activates and your muscles tense, your heart and breathing rate increase, and your mental alertness increases, giving you the energy, drive, power and strength to take action to navigate your surroundings.

As the energy of fight, flight or freeze arises, you prepare to channel it into the power to progress, rest and observe™, and you notice the energy of self-doubt kicking in, causing you to pause and assess your environment.

You zoom in on the river where you notice sharp rocks and a rapid current flowing.

You notice a sharp pain in your ankle and growing feelings of hunger and tiredness.

And you recall past experiences crossing similar rivers.

And this feedback helps you to channel the energy of your system in three key ways.

As the energy of fight arises, you channel this energy into taking action to progress: using the extra boost of power and strength to swim against the current or stick your landings as you jump from island to island. Leveraging your upper body strength to use nearby vines to help you swing across and stabilize your landings. And mitigating weaknesses by finding a path to hike around the river, or a spot to wade across downstream with a slower current.

As the energy of flight arises, you channel this energy into taking action to rest: withdrawing temporarily from the river to rest your ankle, drink some water, and eat nuts and berries to gather your strength before moving forward again. And crafting a brace to protect your ankle as you jump or swim.

As the energy of freeze arises, you channel this energy into taking action to observe:
pausing in place to assess your environment; noticing bad weather approaching, dwindling supplies and darkness closing in. And noticing feelings of fear and frustration arising, and using this feedback to determine whether to push forward or hunker down for the night before moving forward again.

As the energy of your system arises, you notice the energy of self-doubt and how it shifts and changes, and you continue to progress, rest and observe using the feedback of your system to help you successfully navigate your environment.

You make it across the river and continue hiking along the trail, when you encounter a boulder blocking your pathway.

As you approach the boulder, once again your system activates, and your muscles tense, your heart and breathing rate increase, and your mental alertness increases, giving you the energy, drive, power and strength to take action to navigate your surroundings.

As you prepare to channel the energy of your system, you notice the energy of self-doubt kicking in.

And you zoom in on the boulder, noticing mossy, slippery areas and sharp cracks and crevices.

You notice an aching pull in your shoulder and upper body fatigue and weakness.

And you recall past experiences with obstacles and crafting tools to help you move them.

And this feedback helps you to channel the energy of your system in three key ways.

As the energy of fight arises, you channel this energy into taking action to progress: using the extra boost of power and strength to push against the boulder while leveraging your lower body strength. And mitigating weaknesses by finding a path to hike around the boulder, or crafting a lever to avoid sharp edges and protect your shoulder while boosting your strength.

As the energy of flight arises, you channel this energy into taking action to rest: withdrawing temporarily from the boulder to rest your shoulder, recharge and gather your strength. Or searching for a sturdier branch to use as a better lever to boost your strength.

As the energy of freeze arises, you channel this energy into taking action to observe: pausing in place to assess your environment, noticing rocks and mud blocking the base of the boulder; surveying surrounding paths and trails, and assessing remaining food and water. And using this feedback to determine how best to take action as you move forward.

As the energy of your system arises, you notice the energy of self-doubt and how it shifts and changes, and you continue to channel the energy of your system into taking action to navigate your surroundings.

And using the feedback and guidance of your system, you push the boulder aside successfully before moving forward again.

Creating a Picture of the Modern Landscape

Now, allow this description to fade, and picture, imagine or think of yourself in the modern landscape, navigating the tasks, obstacles and challenges of modern day.

Once again, you’re hiking along a trail to a destination in the distance. But instead of foraging for food, gathering materials or exploring new terrain, you’re moving toward a modern-day destination, like moving on after a breakup, improving your fitness, maintaining your day-to-day routine, starting a new job or managing your finances.

As you make your way, you encounter a challenge that you need to face. But instead of a wide river that you need to get across or a boulder blocking your pathway, you encounter modern-day challenges like a passive-aggressive co-worker, a chronic injury, an unexpected bill or relationship conflict.

As you survey your challenges, you notice islands that you can jump on to get across, but this time the islands are small goals and steps that you can reach to help you cross.

And as you survey your obstacles, they seem manageable enough to push aside. But instead of pushing against a boulder, you need to push against the intangible, invisible events of modern life.

As you approach the challenges in your environment, your system activates. And as tension builds in your body, you notice the energy of self-doubt kicking in, preparing you to assess your challenges, environment and resources and take action to mitigate weaknesses and leverage strengths. 

Channeling the Power of Your System

From these images of the primitive and modern landscape, you can see how the energy of self-doubt gives you the energy, drive, power and strength to take action to successfully navigate your challenges, adapt to your environment and maintain your optimal range.

And just like the primitive landscape, when you’re facing a modern-day challenge and self-doubt arises, the type of action that you need to take depends on the type of challenge that you’re up against, the resources available to you, and the status of your environment.

In upcoming lessons, you will learn how you can identify the unique patterns of self-doubt that your system creates. And how you can use these patterns to channel the energy of your system, to feel and function at your best, and overcome, succeed and win.

And in the next lesson, you will learn a fun, creative visualization exercise, for identifying and gathering the energy of self-doubt as you prepare for the process of channeling it.

But for now, when self-doubt arises, you can practice reminding yourself of the important role that this energy plays. 

And how the energy of self-doubt is a core part of human design, created to help you successfully navigate your unique challenges and environments.

And how you have the ability to channel this ancient wisdom of your system, into lasting clarity, power and confidence.

Listen to Ancient Power Meets Modern Day Part One: Your Hidden Superpower