Dear Doubt
My Trusted Soul Sister … now.
A week ago, I made a bold decision: it was time to take a step (or two) up and into my brilliance by rebranding myself and creating a new website.
I was gung-ho for days — scribbling ideas, sketching visions, imagining the new expression of my work. And then, like clockwork, Doubt came calling.
“Am I too old to be rebranding myself?”
“Who do I think I am to take up more space?”
“Maybe this is a sign I should stay where I am.”
Her voice was sharp, heavy, almost parental — the kind of authority that makes you want to shrink. For a moment, I almost did.
But then two things happened.
First, I visited my 93-year-old father-in-law. And by golly — he is amazing. He came out and played golf with us. He showed me the three or four pretty intense photo and organizing projects he’s working on. And then, casually, he mentioned his busy social calendar: hosting three dinners with friends this week, plus two lunches out with “the guys.” Holy smokes! He’s not going anywhere — he’s living with a sense of purpose, joy, and possibility.
The second thing? (Don’t judge me.) I started watching the newest season of The Golden Bachelor. Those 23 women, all between 60 and 80, took my breath away. Not just in how radiant they looked, but in who they were: confident, joyful, grounded in possibility. Not a wilting rose in the bunch.
That’s when it hit me: Maybe Doubt isn’t here to stop me. Maybe she’s here to guide me.
Rethinking Our Relationship With Doubt
That’s when it hit me: Maybe Doubt isn’t here to stop me. Maybe she’s here to guide me.
Doubt is often painted as the villain, but what if she’s really the quiet sage in the corner of the room?
She’s not the booming voice of “You can’t,” but the gentle whisper of “Pause, my love.”
She shows up just before the breakthrough, not to hold you back, but to steady your steps.
She takes your hand and says: “Are you moving from your truth, or from expectation? Is this step aligned with your soul’s whisper, or someone else’s demand?”
Like money, Doubt has been misunderstood, especially by women. For centuries we’ve been told she is danger, darkness, weakness — that to doubt means we lack faith, strength, or ability. But really, she’s been here all along as a protector of our intuition.
She slows the spin of “shoulds” and “supposed to’s” so we can remember who we are at the core.
Imagine Doubt as a sister who’s walked this path before you. She is tender but unflinching. She will stop you from racing ahead when you’re fueled by ego or fear. She will ask you to smell the roses, to breathe into your belly, to check your compass before you climb the next mountain.
She is not a wall; she is a doorway.
She is not the darkness; she is the lantern flickering at the threshold, reminding you to carry light into the unknown.
The more you resist her, the louder and more forceful she becomes.
But when you welcome her, she softens. She leans in close and reminds you of your power to choose — from intuition, not obligation.
So perhaps the work is not to banish Doubt, but to befriend her. To treat her as a trusted advisor whose job is to keep you aligned with your deepest brilliance. When you sit with her, she will always return you home to your truth.
A Letter From Doubt
If Doubt herself could write to us, I imagine she would say something like this:
My dearest one,
I know I sometimes arrive with a heaviness you resist. But I am not here to scare you. I am here to steady you. To make sure the steps you take come from your deepest intuition, not from fear, obligation, or someone else’s story about who you should be.
I am the moment of pause that invites you to smell the roses before you climb the mountain. I am the gentle tug at your sleeve when your ego tries to run the show. I will sit with you at the threshold until you remember your light — and then, my love, I will step aside so you can shine.
I am not your enemy. I am your compass.
With tenderness,
- Doubt
The Truth About Doubt
So yes, Doubt showed up when I decided to rebrand. But instead of fighting her, I’m learning to sit beside her. She isn’t here to stop me. She’s here to make sure I rise from my brilliance — not from my fear.
When I look at my father-in-law at 93, still dreaming and creating… when I see those women on The Golden Bachelor, radiant in their 60s, 70s, and 80s… I know it’s never too late to step into what’s possible.
And when Doubt walks beside me, not against me, she becomes part of the brilliance, too.
✨ Reflections for You:
What is Doubt whispering to you right now?
Can you sit with her as a friend, not a foe, and let her guide you closer to your truth?
I’ve started calling my own Doubt guide Sophia. Sophia is the Greek word for “wisdom.”
In ancient Greek philosophy, Sophia referred to higher, divine wisdom — not just knowledge, but a deep, intuitive understanding of life and the universe.
In Christian mysticism, Sophia is often personified as the feminine face of God — divine wisdom embodied in a nurturing, guiding presence.
In Gnostic traditions, she represents the bridge between the spiritual and material world, gently leading us back to truth when we’ve lost our way.
That’s what Doubt does when I pause and listen — she becomes wisdom.
Maybe you’d like to name your guide too. When she feels personal, she feels less like a wall and more like a trusted companion.
With light, wisdom, and trust in the pause,
- Janet
Abundance-Focused Coaching for Women Entrepreneurs
P.S. Ready to reframe your own relationship with Doubt?
To see her as an ally, not an enemy?
Let’s explore that together in a Brilliance Mapping Session. It’s a complimentary one-on-one conversation where we’ll uncover your vision, untangle the doubts that hold you back, and map out the steps to bring your brilliance forward in a way that feels aligned and true.
“Doubt whispers for us to Pause, Breathe, and Check in — so every step we take is
rooted in alignment, not obligation.”
-Janet Hutchens