Befriending self doubt
Meet Garrett, the friend you never knew you needed
“You’re the bestest friend you could ever get. Treat yourself as such.”
The guy you keep seeing in these thumbnail images? That’s Garrett. And Garrett’s a real piece of work.
He’s the type who shows up late to the party just to crash it, eats and drinks everyone else’s stuff because he didn’t bring anything, and then leaves (also late).
He’s the guy who can lie out of both corners of his mouth… to himself.
He lives inside your head, talking shit whenever he gets the chance.
He represents self-doubt, the uglier version of yourself you catch in the mirror when no one else is looking. Garrett is the reminder that you have work to do, that you’re not doing.
Oh, Garrett.
You’d think the goal would be to kill off the poor bastard, or shove him deeper into the dark corners you dare not explore.
But Garrett - and your relationship with him - is invaluable. In fact, he may be your best friend, and you probably didn’t even know he existed so clearly.
Garrett doesn’t need to shut up. He’s right more often than you’d like. Has he told you lately that you suck? Good. He may have a point.
Treat your self-doubt like a bad friend with occasionally good advice. Sometimes, at your lowest, it can feel like Garrett is all you’ve got.
He’s not always right. He’s not always on time. But one way or another, he’ll let you know what’s going on, even when - ESPECIALLY when - you don’t want to hear it. Respect.
Self-doubt is your companion whether you like it or not. It’s not about battling it or vilifying ol’ Garrett. It’s about learning to pick up on the signals he sends - God knows he’s not going to be direct.
But he will clue you in on areas of your life you can (and secretly want to) improve.
Feeling behind in life? Not equipped to take a big chance? Unlovable? Like something must just be wrong with you?
Have you asked Garrett why he feels that way?
Because, as it turns out, Garrett is actually pretty easy to talk to. You just have to get past the awkward posture, the shit-eating frown, and the lazy drifting eyes that never seem fixed on anything. He’ll tell you everything you need to know. He might even help you clear the hurdle.
And feel free to call Garrett out on his bullshit, too. Sometimes he exaggerates or assumes because he doesn’t see the full picture, or because he just wants to be a dick. Again, he’s not always right. But this inner conversation matters. It’s how you move toward a version of yourself that is realistic, authentic, more confident, and better at communicating.
Over time, Garrett starts to seem less like a nuisance who shows up whenever he damn well pleases, and more like someone who arrives right when you need him.
Everyone has their own Garrett. Treat him with respect. Learn to live with him. He’s not so bad.
He just needs a friend.
Your self-doubt - the thoughts and feelings that once handcuffed you - can become welcomed insights and useful tools for improving your relationship with Garrett… and thus with yourself.
Related Poetry
Such Old Friends
From Fire & Earth: A ThoughPose Poetry Collection | 3/1/2024
Old friends
In our ways
There are the
Passive remarks
Distant and foreign
But near, inside even
The words would come
So easy, they surely would
But then again, such old friends
Need not speak, but listen instead
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