Girl, Wash Your Face: The Rachel Hollis guide to self-belief

Everyone has a duty to fulfill their highest potential, but it’s beliefs that change everything. If you genuinely believe you’re destined for greatness, you’ll live your life in ways that make it happen.

The first step is to dream big. Think deeply about what you want most in life. Write it down and imagine it in detail. Pursue it relentlessly, even when things get difficult. Never give yourself permission to quit.

Many women make themselves small in order to accommodate others. But this is no way to live. Realizing your potential requires embracing every aspect of your character.

Achieving dreams can only happen by letting go of any hindrances. All of us have a responsibility to throw off anything and everything that stands between us and the life we desire.

One hindrance is the opinion of others. This is none of your business. Life has so many opportunities to offer, but they’re easy to miss if you’re chained to the idea that someone out there may not like it.

Another hindrance is arbitrary timelines. Ignore expectations about how long you should spend chasing your goals, or at what point they should happen. This is a key not only to success, but to finding joy along the way.

Trauma can be a powerful hindrance that derails your desired life completely. But you must harness that as fuel for the future. Look at your past with new eyes. Finding the positive is a must, no matter how difficult.

New mothers should have just two priorities. 1) Take care of self. 2) Take care of baby. Everything else can wait. Parenting proudly means accepting the parent you are, while trusting that you are doing your best. That’s enough.

Take care of your body. This goes beyond diet and exercise. Listen to your feelings, expect respect from others, and surround yourself with supportive people.

Follow these steps and you’ll be on the fast track to greater self-belief. But always remember: you have to stop believing the lies about who you are in order to become who you were meant to be.