Discover Magazine quotes Dr. Richard Davidson in this piece on how mindfulness can curb feelings of self-doubt.

Self-doubt is “at one level, a specific kind of thought a person has about themselves,” says Richard Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Davidson refers to it as a specific kind of self-narrative. This narrative is associated with the default mode of the brain — the part that is most active during passive tasks that require less focus. 

“This default mode is something that is associated with a lot of suffering,” Davidson says. He refers to the default mode as the “monkey mind,” or the part of the mind that is constantly chattering. This is where one can experience the consequences of self-doubt, including anxiety, social isolation and loneliness — overall creating a negative emotional state. 

However, Davidson says there are ways to help treat and control these feelings of self-doubt. 

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