Over the past few weeks, I’ve been recording the vocals for an original song of mine and I’ve been struggling to get the recording just right. It sounds nice, but the passion and intensity I’m looking for isn’t there.

My husband shared a recording of me from last year singing the song at an open mic, and it was sung with fire and purpose. The energy I’m recording at home just isn’t that, and we both kept feeling it needs more. I needed to go bigger with it.

I did a take and he said, “That’s only 65%, give it more.”

I went again. “Better, but that’s only 85%. Give it 100%!”

It hit me. The song is about going for it. Not holding yourself back and giving life your all! 

The lyrics go:

Open up

Let it all out

There’s nothing holding you back

No one’s gonna judge or care what you say

It’s all in your mind

It’s your feelings

Let them out

Let them out

Let it out, let it out

There’s nothing to hold back

And here I was doing the opposite (actually holding myself back) while doing the recording. 

Why was I only giving it 85%? 

Because there was something holding me back... My belief in myself.

In the back of my mind, I continued to have some doubts about myself, about whether I’m on the right path, whether I can really have the life I want, whether I’m “good enough," and the stories go on and on.

Stories to try to stop me. To try and keep me “frozen” in my comfort zone.

Though 85% is huge gains compared to where I used to be, 100% is where I need to be–consistently.

I need to push outside of what’s familiar and perceived as comfortable, and keep going. Keep growing!

I’m proud of the growth I’ve made and know it wasn’t easy to get to where I am now, but I see I have more growth to do. I can’t let self doubt keep me from trying. I can’t let low self belief cause me to feel small or not fully capable.

Time and time again, I have proven to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. There’s nothing I need to prove to anyone else. 

So why wouldn’t I have 100% belief if I always conquer what I set out to do!

While looking back on 2023, I reflected on the original goals I set at the beginning of the year: to expand my community of friends, to perform on stage, to travel and see family more, and to grow my freelance work.

By the end of the year, it turns out I did all these things and more! I far exceeded my original goals and I did that with only partial belief in myself. 

What if this is the year of 100% confidence and 100% self belief? How far could I go in reaching my goals with that mindset?

Great advice I heard recently (probably from a podcast with Rick Rubin) was:

Whatever it is you want to express to the outside world, you need to have it within yourself. 

In my song I am trying to express to the outside world that you are capable of anything–that if there’s something you’re dreaming of, go for it! Let go of what’s been holding you back and move forward!

How can I express that to others if I don’t fully have it within myself?

That’s what I’m working on! 

When there’s 100% belief in myself, then that’s when the full expression of the song can exist. 

I must have it within myself first.

Through thoughts and actions that come from 100% self belief, I will find this consistently within myself. I’m so close, but consistent is key. This is my practice!

As we go into the new year and set our goals, my main goal is to create complete belief in myself. 

My belief in myself reflects throughout all areas of my life and, I wonder, what would life be like with 100% self belief?