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Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel is the story of an angel who’s filled with self-doubt and fear, something that we can all relate to and have a story or two about.
Have you ever doubted yourself? Have you ever felt afraid? These can be pretty powerful emotions that can keep us from ever moving forward. Self-doubt and fear often swim in our heads, whispering messages inside our ears and trying to convince us that we’re not good enough, and so on and so forth.
But, while self-doubt and fear exist inside us, there are also other forces equally powerful or more so than those two that flow inside us. These are courage and resilience.
Self-doubt and fear can be co-dependent with each other. One arises from the other and is fed by the other. Yet, they can also be singular. There are plenty of manifestations, such as negative self-talk, procrastination, and a reluctance to do something new. While these can help us positively in certain circumstances, excessiveness can prevent us from living a good life.
Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel
Elaine Vanderberg’s Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel is a story about a little angel who finds herself with great self-doubt. As an angel, she has a lot of responsibilities, and everyone has very high expectations of her. But while it’s flattering when people think highly of you, it can also be quite a pressure on your shoulders. Now, Chloe’s grappling with the fear that she might just be a failure and whatever was expected of her might not be met.
Chloe’s journey is something that is very relatable to a lot of children. Growing up, we are often told that we can be and do anything that we want, but what happens when you think you’re really good at something and others think so too?
Growing As a Person
Courage is the willingness to act in the face of fear and uncertainty. One of the lessons in Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel is that courage helps us gain the strength to take risks. When we are able to step outside of our comfort zones, we are able to chase our dreams even if we think that the stacks are against us.
When we have courage, we grow resilient. We bounce back from challenges, and we can keep going despite the obstacles. When we learn to have courage and resilience, we are chipping away at the walls of self-doubt and fear.
- Be empowered to take action. When we are afraid, we tend to stay put, paralyzed by our fear of the unknown. But when we tap into our courage, we find the strength to take action, even if we are unsure what the outcome will be. This action, in turn, builds confidence and helps us to overcome our fears.
- Believe in your potential. Know that you always have the ability to grow from your negative experiences.
- Learn self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness. Understand that you are only one person, and you have your limits. This is especially important in times of struggle. When we practice self-compassion, we become less critical of ourselves and more accepting of our imperfections. This acceptance, in turn, helps to go beyond self-doubt and fear.
- Build self-confidence. As we take action and overcome our fears, we build confidence in ourselves and our abilities.
Developing Better Habits
The good news is that courage and resilience are not innate traits but skills that can be learned and developed.
- Challenge your negative self-talk. The first step to overcoming self-doubt is to become aware of the negative self-talk holding you back. Once you know these thoughts, you can challenge them and replace them with more positive and empowering self-talk.
- Set realistic goals and take small steps. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Instead, set small, achievable goals and take action towards achieving them. Your confidence will grow as you accomplish these goals, and you will likely take on more considerable challenges.
- Connect with supportive people. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and support your goals. These people can be a source of strength and encouragement when feeling down or afraid.
- Celebrate your successes. Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. This will help to boost your confidence and motivate you to keep going.
Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel is available in all major online bookstores!