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Dealing with self-doubt and anxiety before leaving a nine-to-five job.

In a few weeks, I will be stepping into the unknown. Even though I’ve been in this position several times already, I am still having so many anxieties and of course face a lot of self-doubts.

Before you decide to leave, you always see so many stories of people happy and excited that they finally decided to leave their dreaded nine to five job and how amazing their life became because of this decision.

What we don’t often see are the doubts, fears, anxiety, and even depression that follows.

Facing the reality of the hard work and preparation it takes to make sure you do not dive into this new lifestyle unprepared.

The fear that if you do not succeed you will have to crawl back to your old job and be in the same position as you were before.

And the depression you feel when you realize how lonely it can get, how unprepared you still are, and how it can take a huge toll on your personal relationships.

Being an entrepreneur and freelancer you will face a lot of ups and downs even before you dive into it fully.

There will be a lot of self-doubts when you are facing so many hurdles, that you may think is impossible.

You will be dealing with situations that are uncomfortable and there will be days when you do not want to get out of bed.

I’m in this situation right now and I’ve been finding that there are a few things that have helped me deal with the anxiety, self-doubt, and depression.

Listen to the full episode to find out how I have dealt with anxiety and self-doubt when leaving my nine-to-five job.

Listen Below:

Here are the 3 ways I have lessened my anxiety and self-doubt.

Find the right support. 

Having the support of friends with who you can bounce ideas and can listen to you is a huge help.

Do not be afraid to reach out to people who can be a good source of inspiration and support. It can be a lonely road ahead and you will need as much help as possible to get through the tough times.

Get a hobby.

Finding a hobby that has nothing to do with your work that will get your mind off the stress and anxieties. I have taken kickboxing lately and not only does it distract me from work, but it is also a great workout.

Being able to find joy in activities that do not have anything to do with your goals can be a huge stress reliever. Who knows, it may also help you become more creative!

Practice self-care.

Giving myself time to reflect and practicing self-care has been a huge help as well. Honestly, there was a point when I had to google what you had to do for self-care.

That’s how foreign that word was to me because I have never really done it!

So, I have taken the time each week to just be present with myself and not feel guilty when I just want to lay on the couch and watch Netflix or read a book, or go for a hike or just sleep.

Having self-doubt is really common in our everyday lives. It can be magnified when we are constantly putting ourselves out there and in a lot of uncomfortable situations.

We doubt whether we can deliver the right services for our clients, doubt if we can create continuous income to live, doubt if we are good enough.

The best lesson I have learned is that everyone no matter how amazing their life looks on the surface is dealing with their own demons.

It is often said that “the grass is greener on the other side”, but I often find that the grass is greener because it is artificial.

Do not avoid the sorrows, anxieties, and doubts. Instead, face those demons head-on.

Allow yourself to feel the hardships and give yourself time to learn from the lessons it is giving you. Because it is the struggles that is going to make us all stronger and succeed.

So, as I am preparing for this new lifestyle. Even though it has been one of the most difficult times of my life. I have come to accept the sorrows as much as the joys it has given me.

I hope that you can accept your hardships and enjoy the journey as well!