Heidi Anderson 3 Photo Credit PerthNow

Heidi Anderson: Overcoming self-doubt and investing in yourself

This article is owned and posted by Perth Now – https://www.perthnow.com.au/opinion/heidi-anderson/heidi-anderson-overcoming-self-doubt-and-investing-in-yourself-ng-b881040051z

When I first started in the radio industry, I was full of confidence and ready to tell jokes and laugh every morning. I had no real ambition of changing the world, I just wanted to have fun.

It was my dream for years, and then in 2011, I was offered my very first breakfast radio job in Bunbury at Hit FM, formerly known as Hot FM.

I remember thinking this was going to be the best thing that ever happened to me and I would be lying if I told you it wasn’t, but over the past seven years it has, at times, been the hard.

I am not writing about this for you to feel sorry for me, I am writing about it because I have learned so many lessons along the way and made changes to my mindset that may be able to help you if you feel like I did at times.

I honestly didn’t realise how much working in the public eye would affect my confidence and self-esteem. You see I always thought I had my sh*t together and didn’t care too much what people thought of me.

Well, how wrong was I?

Working in the public eye and gaining a profile opened a can of worms I think I’d been hiding for a very long time.

My confidence was fake, I was full of self-doubt, and that was intensified by the industry I had chosen to work in. In radio, you are not only expected to share your lives, your personality and some of your deepest secrets, but you are sometimes criticised for it.

Radio has changed a lot over the years. Back in the day people would only know you through the sound of your voice and occasionally on the TV, but these days many announcers and hosts have social media attached either to their show and their own personal brands.

We have instant feedback But this can be good and bad.

It’s a great insight into what our listeners want, love and hate but it’s hard when they are critiquing your personality. And let’s be honest, everyone has an opinion online.

What some of you may not know is that we not only have feedback from you but also our bosses, teammates, producers anyone in the building really. It’s supposed to be constructive, but sometimes it can be tough especially when you are just starting, and it’s about your personality. Back in the Bunbury days, we were air checked by our boss every day, (for those who aren’t in the radio game, this means listening to parts of the show and de-constructing the content, you as a performer, your personality and the way you have said things).

I know I chose this industry, but it can still be tough to hear and take in at times. For me the hardest part about this was learning that people didn’t like me, I think that’s when I became a people pleaser. Hearing negative thoughts and feedback from listeners, I found confronting, and I think that’s when my demons started to surface.

Many people laugh when I tell them I am not always confident because if you do hear me on the radio I am quite loud, opinionated and outgoing. So, for people to hear that I question myself, they find that really interesting.

I have worked hard to overcome and tackle some of these demons through an excellent network of people I have just met along with my friends and family, so believe me when I tell you, you can change your mindset for the better through self-development, and that’s something I am now super passionate about.

I have put together a list of the things I have done over the years that have helped me change my negative mindset and helped with my anxiety and performance at work because I see it as a longterm investment into my mental health and personal growth.

Invest in self-development programs

When I first opened up about my anxiety on the radio, Terri from the Blissiree Pty Ltd contacted me, she reached out to help me, and I ended up trying her Emotional Empowerment Program, and I noticed a difference after the very first session.

The work Terri does is impressive, and she has not just been a huge help, she has become a friend.

I have been going to the spa for over a year, and I love the work they do, and their results speak for themselves. I recently tried one of their self-development courses, The Unstoppable You, which has changed my world.

People often brag about going to Tony Robbins Workshops and having HUGE breakthroughs. Well, I had that here in Perth.

This was by far one of the best investments I made.

I was questioning myself every day and the decisions I was making around my career and myself. After this program, I have honestly changed for the better.

I have blossomed in the workplace, and the negativity has slowly but surely disappeared. I wouldn’t say I am perfect, I am growing every day, and I can handle situations with so much more ease and clarity.

I am confident in myself and the decisions I have had to make.

I have seen a difference in all aspects of my life, and it’s just slowly getting better.

I am getting super open here but in the past I have had a manager who would negotiate my media contracts and business decisions, but this year I have gone it alone and I was a completely different person to who I was in the past when I first left university and entered the media industry. The anxiety I would generally feel was gone, and I did it all myself. I would sometimes have panic attacks before and during our radio show, but that has stopped too. I am now happy and performing every day like I used to.

I have built relationships with people like Terri and past bosses from the radio game who have believed in me. I have nurtured them, and they have all played a massive part in my career and the decisions I have made to be the best me.

Investing in relationships and programs is a big one for me.

Remove the negative people from your life

Delete and unfollow people that bring you down online and in “real life” move away from people that don’t bring out the best in you. I did this online as an experiment last year and the results spoke for themselves. I wrote down how I felt after seeing some of my favourite people online – I noticed almost instantly the pattern, everyone I was following I compared myself to and put myself down.

Thoughts like: “You’re not good enough, you’ll never be as successful as them, look at what they are doing etc”. The thing is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with what they are doing, everything they are achieving is about them and those thoughts were all about me. So, I unfollowed these super inspiring beings and I noticed the difference instantly.

Meditation

This has been one of the best things I have tackled, because it can be challenging and at times difficult to switch off, but push through and make that time for yourself. Creating time and space to step back from the world has been a big one for me. Introducing a daily meditation into my life and routine has changed me for the better. I now meditate before our radio show every single morning. Whether its a guided meditation or meditation without any guides and just silence I have seen the benefits in my performance and abilities at work increase dramatically.

Books, podcasts and videos are available online, and almost ALL ARE FREE! You have no excuse when it comes to YouTube and podcasts because they are free and there is so much information online and thousands of life coaches sharing their knowledge, tips and tricks. This has been a game changer for me and something I tell everyone to immerse themselves in.

Some of the greats I am obsessed with and have mentored me without even knowing are Oprah Super Soul Chats, Tony Robbins, Jake Ducey, Mark Manson, Melissa Ambrosini, Lewis Howe, Sarah Knight, Mel Robbins…the list goes on! Just Google, there is a world wide web out there.

However, if you want to invest in your mental health and mindset, it starts with you.

You are the only one who can take the first step to reach out.