Self Belief Blog Series With Jo Bell
Welcome back to the Self Belief Blog Series where we dig deep into the personal journeys and experiences of individuals who have mastered the art of self-belief.
Through a range of insightful interviews and practical tips, this series aims to inspire and empower you
This week is with Jo Bell…
1. 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?
Wow, that’s a big question. I think for me that was at the very beginning of my entrepreneurial journey when I was the decision maker and chief in deciding how I ran my business, how I marketed it and how I showed up for it on a day-to-day basis. It was a “what if I fail? What if no one wants me to coach them?” moment. That played on my old self-beliefs and wanting to hide under the duvet! What stopped me from taking that on board? I would say my journey to becoming a holistic success coach. I had enough self-awareness to question what was factual and what was human nature looking for an easy option out. I looked at the tools I give my clients and used them on myself. However, the number one reason for me pushing through that feeling and building on my beliefs and success was my ‘why’. If you have a clear reason why you are in business for yourself, it will continue to motivate you and help you thrive. I don’t really see myself as having triggers anymore. I look at them as interesting conversations with myself to keep me on the right path!
2. 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?
Great question, and this is what I spend a lot of time with clients working on. There are 2 things I do here. First of all it’s the check and challenge – what factual information do I have and what ‘assumptions’ am I hearing? Once I have clarity on that (and that is a really powerful thing to do in any situation) I then go to my triple ‘A’ – acknowledge, accept, action. I acknowledge that negative inner critic voice and start talking back. Once you make it a 2-way conversation you are already taking some of your power back. I then accept it for what it really is (depending on the facts and assumptions I have just looked at) and then I am in a place to take appropriate action. Sometimes that action can be in the 2-way conversation to the inner critic “thanks for showing up. However, that’s not factually correct. Now off you f***!” That alone resets the power and my Champion is riding high! Apologies for the language.
With regards to celebrating achievements, we are not great at seeing how far we have come. I try every week (set a reminder on my phone) to take a moment and review the wins – big and small – and enjoy the feeling it gives me. Then it’s….what next? What action do I need to take now to achieve my next step forward? That feeds my motivation and excitement for doing what I do.
3. 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?
Absolutely not to ‘faking it till you make it’. This goes against everything I believe in. Also, people are not stupid, they can see right through you if you are faking it. There is no depth to your words and vision. I was speaking to someone about this yesterday and I made them chuckle….it’s like understanding the authentic person someone is showing up as….. or seeing someone as ‘fur coat and no knickers!’
I know we all lack confidence sometimes, but I have found when I am true to myself, nothing else matters, because I am talking from a place of knowledge and honesty. That shines through and gives, not only yourself confidence, but those you are working/speaking with confidence in you. It’s ok to be open and vulnerable. That doesn’t make you weak or less knowledgeable. If I am feeling low in confidence I ask myself why I feel like that. This usually helps me put some context around it and helps me move out of that space. Does that make sense? Happy to discuss further if you need clarification.
4. 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?
That’s a simple one for me. I view setbacks as time to reflect and look to see what other options or paths are available for me. What do I really want to achieve from my strategy and do I need to tweak it to achieve it. Check and challenge is a great tool to use to keep you on your path. Failure only happens when you give up. If something doesn’t work, it’s because I needed to learn from it and grow from it. Tweak/change then go again. There is also a bit about not taking things personally all the time. Sometimes we need to, but in general, it’s never personal. Things happen daily that challenge us in business and our wellbeing. If we act from a place of fight or flight then we won’t be acting in our best, long-term interest. That reaction will be a quick fix for that moment in time. My main strategy is to come from a balanced perspective so I always find time to quieten my mind before looking for a solution. That might be going for a walk down by the sea or a simple counting to 10!
Every time I go through this process my self-belief is automatically strengthened because I trust my own judgement. That doesn’t mean I don’t get it wrong! It means regardless what happens, I am increasing my knowledge and moving forward.
5. 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?
My own story inspired me to become a holistic success coach and create my signature programme “Bring Your Own S**t”, which helps people understand who they really are and find their superpower. Many women I have worked with have now become business owners and entrepreneurs in their own right because they are now being true to themselves and following their dreams. From the success of this, I have created a BYOS community where we work with others to help them on their journey. This can be young people in our schools, entrepreneurs or the ‘what next’ people who just need some support to take the next step, but traditional avenues are not open to them. It’s exciting times!
Advice to my younger self would be – keep listening to your gut feeling on things and trust the process. You are right to trust your intuition. Noone else can see what you can. If it feels right, do it. If your voice is not heard, change the people you are speaking to. You have your superpower to help others, so go use it!
With over 25 years experience in health, well-being, education & business Jo has developed a series of coaching frameworks and tools that are tailored to individual client needs. As a holistic success coach, Jo works intuitively to put each client front and centre, with bespoke programmes that clear away the bullsh*t, to reconnect and trust your own instincts. This is how we flourish.
Check Jo out here – http://www.thejobell.com/