Stop doubting yourself. I know you do it, you know you do it, and I'm telling you it needs to stop.

I decided to write this article this week after something that I noticed about myself this week. I am a Communications major with a Journalism and Political Science minor. I absolutely love everything having to do with Journalism, and I am leaning towards a journalistic career, specifically being a reporter. I'm currently taking my first news writing course in college, but in high school, I took a few courses in journalism, which means I have learned the basics.

The other day in class we had this assignment to find an article with an anecdotal lead. I know what this is and know how to find it, but I always end up doubting my knowledge and start stressing out over this assignment. I end up finding five articles that I think would work out, but when I arrive at class, our professor tells us to pick one article and read it aloud to see if we understood the assignment. I immediately felt a horrible pain in my stomach (always happens to me when I get really nervous), and before I know it it's my turn to share my article. I pick the one I think it is and nervously read it to the class. When I finished reading, my professor told me I did a great job, and as it turned out, I was the only person who correctly did the assignment.

So why did I work myself up over something so small? Why did I doubt myself on something I knew I did correctly?

I think this generation has a serious confidence issue. It’s not our fault, it's how we act towards one another. Just pick up a magazine or go on Twitter and look at the things that people write about celebrities; most of the time, you're reading more negative than positive.

This happens to normal people as well, face to face, or on social media. Everyone, even our family, tells us we aren't good at something at least once, and from that, self-doubt begins. When the closest people in our lives tell us we're not good at something, we really think about it because we believe they know us the best and they know what our strengths and weaknesses are.

That is not true. You know yourself the best. You know in your heart when something's right for you, just as you know when something isn't for you. Listen to what other people tell you, but don't take it to heart, it's just their own opinion. When you know something, you know it. I can't even tell you how many time I have messed up on a test because I always have to doubt my answer and rethink it even when I studied so hard for the test. Doubting yourself isn't healthy, it makes things worst, not better.

Be confident in yourself, smile, and stop doubting yourself. You are going to do great things, don't tell yourself otherwise.