Is it Possible to Overcome Fear and Self Doubt?

Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt to Reclaim My Health

When I first faced my diagnosis and assessed my physical and medical condition, the reality hit hard. I was 52 years old, weighed 325 pounds, and had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Alongside that, I dealt with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and joint issues. After doing research and understanding what it would take to live a full and active life, a wave of doubt swept over me.

I called this stage the "What If" phase:

• What if I’m too old?
• What if I’m in too bad of shape?
• What if my medical problems interfere with my progress?
• What if I can’t exercise because of my joint issues?
• What if I try and fail?
• What if I never lose the weight or get my waist below 38 inches?

These questions flooded my mind. They weren’t just thoughts—they were mental barriers threatening to stop me before I even began.

Battling the Inner Critic

The fear of failure was intense. My mind started offering rationalizations to quit before I even tried:

• "You don’t want to exercise."
• "You don’t want to diet."
• "This isn’t how you want to live."

It felt like a war inside my head. But I knew deep down: giving up meant certain death. I wanted to live—not just exist. I wanted to live an active, healthy life for as long as I could.

Rejection and the Power of "No"

Fear of rejection is universal. In America especially, the word “No” is closely tied to our self-esteem. We hear it constantly growing up, and it becomes associated with "can't" and "won't."

How many times have you said:

• “I can’t do that.”
• “That won’t work.”

Or heard from others:

• “Nobody in our family has ever been able to...”

They’re not trying to hurt you. Often, they want to protect you. But to fight "can’t" and "won’t," you must ask yourself: "How can I do this?"

I began to reframe rejection. It wasn’t the end—it was feedback. I remembered Thomas Edison’s story: over 1,000 attempts at creating the light bulb. What if he had quit at 997?

Setting Goals as My Weapon

To combat these negative thoughts, I needed goals:

• Long-term goals (10+ years)
• Medium-term goals (1–10 years)
• Short-term goals (next 12 months)

I began by changing my mindset from “What if this doesn’t work?” to “What if this effort works?”

Self-esteem starts with how I view and respect myself. Once I respected myself, I believed the outside world would follow suit.

Visualizing My Future Self

One of my long-term goals was to lose 150+ pounds and reach 180 pounds. I visualized what that version of me looked like:

• What clothes would I wear?
• How would I feel?
• What could I physically do?

I even went out and bought a full outfit in size 180-pound me. I couldn’t fit into anything yet, but I hung them by my closet. Every day, I reminded myself: I will wear those clothes someday.

The Power of Storytelling and Repetition

I wrote a story about my future self—what I looked like, how I felt, what I could do. It was a vivid 10-minute read. I carried it everywhere. I read it every morning, every night, and especially when I felt discouraged. It became a daily affirmation of who I was becoming.

The Big Question

So now the big question is: How am I going to make this happen?

That’s where I am now—actively writing the next chapter of my journey. Step by step. Goal by goal. And always reminding myself: rejection isn’t failure, and failure doesn’t exist unless I quit.

Have you faced similar doubts in your own journey? How did you overcome them? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.

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