Self Belief Blog Series – Numerologist Shaz Newman
Interview Series
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Q1. Building Belief: Foundations & Triggers
Can you share a specific instance from your entrepreneurial journey where self-doubt threatened to derail your progress? How did you identify the root cause of that self-doubt, and what steps did you take to build a stronger foundation of self-belief moving forward?
Firstly, I struggle to consider myself as an ‘ENTREPRENEUR’, and self-doubt pops up all the time for that reason. I have to be mindful of self-sabotage, which over the years has been solely responsible for keeping me down. A specific example is when I began my journey into sharing numerology and building as a business. I choose this example because it’s most current and applicable. I have always been interested in numerology, number sequences, the meaning of numbers etc etc, and then when I decided to share my love of numbers self-doubt instantly kicked in. I dealt with this in a practical way, similarly how I approach most things. I booked a 6 session course to discover more about how others work with it. That simply didn’t cut it, it wasn’t enough to calm the self-doubt, so then I booked another course, a diploma in numerology, and I passed with flying colours, achieving a distinction. You would think that would be enough to reassure my self-doubt. It wasn’t. So, next I started following numerologists on social media. All this did was make me feel even more inadequate, as they stood there looking amazing whilst presenting information like a font of all knowledge. I was at a point of putting numerology to bed, completely derailed, with self-doubt, social comparison, feeling too old………. When I happened to see your LinkedIn. I liked your simple and calm approach, and something about you spoke to me. I remember thinking ‘I bet she has 9 in her immediate chart. I have no idea where the confidence came from, but I decided that I would simply message you and ask you something. I don’t remember the question, but this particular contact was to be my make or break lol. It was my make, I had found the right person to steer me through the mire of self-doubt , and someone who would give me perspective, self-belief and a huge dose of common sense. It was exactly what I needed. If you are wondering how I knew that you were the right person to do that, then I believe I put a great deal of faith into intuition. I have trusted intuition throughout my life. I don’t always ask, but I always feel. I simply know when something or someone feels right.
The root cause of my insecurity and self-doubt is deep. Originating in childhood and continuing into adulthood. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and uselessness, affirmed by parents. As an adult, I understood that this was not the case, but the seed of doubt never quite disappears.
My steps to building a stronger foundation are always
1, Seek the knowledge
2, Find a trusting source for affirmation
3, Remind myself through good practice routines (journaling, meditation, mindfulness, etc) that I am capable, able and willing, and that I must believe in myself, and trust my intuition.
Q2. Inner Critic vs. Champion:
We all have that inner voice whispering negativity. How do you manage your inner critic when it comes to your business decisions and goals? Conversely, how do you cultivate and amplify your inner champion, the voice that pushes you forward and celebrates your achievements?
I think I have covered how do I manage my inner critic in Q1, but what I didn’t mention was friends. I have a very small handful of friends who I trust and respect implicitly. I would if I was uncertain, reach out to them, talking through my concerns. Often in doing this I identify my own solutions, but there is some reassurance to the exercise.
Conversely, how do I cultivate and amplify my inner champion? I believe I do this by accepting the feedback I receive, with grace and an open heart and mind. Feedback from others and gratitude for all that I have achieved, push me forward. I am also incredibly motivated when it’s something that I’m passionate about. Usually, my passion comes from making a difference for others, improving someone else’s life inspires me to keep doing what I do.
Q3. Fake it ’til You Make It or Authentic Confidence?
There’s a fine line between projecting confidence and genuinely believing in yourself. How do you navigate this in your entrepreneurial journey? Do you find there are situations where “faking it” can be a stepping stone to authentic confidence?
This is quite an easy one for me to answer. As you might guess from all of the above, I’m not great at faking it until you make it. I’m sure this works for many, and I think I would love it to work for me lol, but I could not live with my insecurities or the likelihood that I would make so many mistakes along the way. I’m not a perfectionist but I need to know that I’m doing the best I can to my ability. I would rather have authentic confidence. Having said this, perhaps this equates to one of my blocks. Whilst waiting for the moment when I feel sure that I have all the tools that I need to get started, I could have already been experiencing progress and learning as I go. I think my way simply delays, and probably adds to procrastination. If a friend asked me this question, I think my advice would be to go for it and not worry about authentic confidence, since this will creep in insidiously along the way.
Q4. Failure as Fuel:
Entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs as we know. How do you bounce back from setbacks and failures? What strategies do you use to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth, and how does that process strengthen your self-belief?
Hmm, strategies! I would say that I use challenges and setbacks as a learning opportunity and that’s how I overcome things. Depending on circumstances and what that thing is, I will ask an expert. Quite often, I will step back from that thing, and change direction or focus on something else for a while. I will also turn to spirituality and intuition for answers, or clarification. Interestingly, I don’t always choose to go with what I’m being shown and this is more often than not a mistake lol. For me, stepping away, and clearing my mind, taking a breath and coming back with fresh eyes is the most empowering. When I come back to that ‘thing’, whether I take or leave it, I will believe in my own decision at that point.
Q5. Sharing Your Light & Inspiring Others:
Self-belief is contagious! How do you use your own story and experiences to inspire and empower other female entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and their dreams? What advice would you give your younger self, who might be facing self-doubt at the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey?
I think that I possibly rarely share my story, although I think that I inspire others through my ability to empathise, so therefore must be sharing lol. I also think that I have the ability to listen, understand and support people in their own story. I think that I have great energy and enthusiasm, and am happy to step back whilst holding someone up. I think my genuine interest comes through to others, and I share wisdom and knowledge unconditionally. I have an open heart, and I easily share my wins and fails.
I think if I were to advise my younger self, I would say,
1, Be true to yourself, don’t people please, don’t cow tail for an easy life or to avoid confrontation. Remain true to your beliefs.
2, Don’t be afraid to stand alone, you are capable, you don’t need approval.
3, Only give space to the right people.
4, Love yourself, you are worth it.
From Numerologist Shaz Newman
https://www.facebook.com/shaz.e.newman/