Stuck

[Guest_10297]

Hello! I’m new here. Me and my family relocated to Australia about a year ago. While I acknowledge and celebrate the success of the move, I must acknowledge and admit my underlying issues and self confidence gaps. Despite being invited on merit and finding a job, I often feel that I’m not good enough. This extends beyond strictly just the work environment. As an individual, I feel like I haven’t progressed in years..”stuck”. In my career, I’ve advanced and held roles in executive leadership. However, I get stuck and hold onto old patterns that no longer serve me. I feel it is currently holding me back. To continue progressing in my career I need to move past those. At home, my wife and I have the same argument over and over. I don’t change. I try and make changes but they don’t hold and don’t show growth. Eventually, we are back at the same spot. 

I have a lot going for me and feel dumb for having my self doubts but the reality is that it’s still there. I know that isn’t uncommon but looking for a community to share this with and looking for helpful insights from someone that maybe has experienced something similar. 

Being that I’ve only been in Australia for a year and that my family and friends are across the world, I feel very alone. I’m seeking counselling, have looked to become involved in the community I live in, and am working on self-management and self-development. However, I’m looking for an online community to pair up with those other tactics to really make a change this time. I’m done trying things for them to not make an impact. Now is the time. 

I look forward to meeting everyone and eventually look forward to contributing and sharing my feedback with others. 

[Sophie_M]

Hi bamorgan1215,

First of all - a very warm welcome to the Forums! We’re glad you’ve found us and felt comfortable enough to share what’s been on your mind. It sounds like you’ve been reflecting deeply on this and that it’s something that’s been weighing on you for a while. Self-reflection can be incredibly powerful, but it can also stir up distress, especially when that inner critic becomes loud and hard to quiet.

As you mentioned, these feelings are not uncommon, and you’re certainly not alone in experiencing them. Even when we know we’ve achieved a lot, that self-critical voice can be quick to dismiss it all. And while it can help to know others feel this way too, it doesn’t always make the feelings any easier to sit with in the moment.

You’re already taking some really positive steps—seeking counselling, working on self-development, and now sharing your story here. That shows real strength and a willingness to grow. If you're interested, we have some older threads where members have shared their own strategies for managing self-criticism and talking back to that inner critic, here:

• How to be less self-critical?
• Talking to your inner critic

You might find some helpful ideas or even just a sense of solidarity there.

We hope that posting here has felt like another step forward. You’re not alone in this, and we’re here to support you anytime.

Kind regards,
Sophie M