From Self-Doubt to Self-Worth: How to Transfer Your Skills and Step into Your Power as a Virtual Assistant
“I’m not sure I could be a VA…”
If that’s a thought you’ve had recently, you’re not alone. When you’re transitioning from a corporate role, employment, or simply stepping into something new, it’s completely normal to feel unsure. But let’s get something clear from the start: you already have what it takes.
The skills, experience, and natural strengths you’ve built up until now are more than enough. You don’t need to be “more qualified,” have five certifications, or know every tool under the sun. What you do need is belief in your ability to deliver value and a willingness to grow.
So how do you make that shift from “Can I really do this?” to “People are lucky to work with me”?
Start With You
Before you think about services, systems or marketing - start with a little inner work.
Ask yourself:
- What do I naturally enjoy doing?
- What do people always come to me for help with?
- What do I feel most confident doing in my personal or professional life?
- What do I want my ideal day to look and feel like?
This is about discovering the sweet spot between your strengths and your lifestyle goals. Do you love supporting others behind the scenes? Are you incredibly organised? Do you stay calm under pressure? That’s all incredibly valuable as a VA - and the kind of stuff you can’t teach.
Shift Your Mindset
Imposter syndrome loves to whisper: “Who are you to charge for this?”
Let’s flip that: Who are you not to share your skills?
When you don’t put yourself out there, you’re doing a disservice to the clients who genuinely need your help. There’s someone out there right now drowning in admin, tech overwhelm or disorganisation, who needs your calm, steady support.
Instead of asking “Am I good enough?”, try this reframe:
➡️ What am I great at, and how can I make someone else’s life easier with it?
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present, professional, and ready to learn.
Here’s how to map what you already know into VA-ready services:
- Make a list of your strengths – not just job tasks, but your ways of being. Are you a great communicator? A problem-solver? Tech-savvy? Detail-oriented?
- Look at your previous roles – what did you actually do day to day? Writing emails? Managing diaries? Handling customer queries? These are VA services.
- Think about how you helped people – did you make processes smoother? Calm someone’s stress? Spot problems before they happened? These are valuable outcomes.
- Match them to VA services – there are clients looking for inbox managers, tech setup support, client onboarding help, social media schedulers, community support, and so much more.
You’re not starting from scratch. You’re simply repackaging what you already know, in a way that works for both you and your future clients.
Step into Intentional Action
Once you know your strengths and how you want to work, it’s time to take action — but in a way that aligns with your values and wellbeing.
Here are some small but mighty steps:
- Create a rough outline of your services based on your strengths
- Choose one or two tools/platforms to learn (you don’t need to know them all!)
- Set boundaries around your working hours — your time is your asset
- Practise introducing yourself confidently: “I support [type of clients] with [type of services] so they can [desired outcome]”
- Start having conversations — online or in person — with potential clients or collaborators
- Journal regularly about your progress and check in on how you feel
If you’ve ever said, “I’m not sure I could be a VA,” We invite you to say this out loud instead:
“I know what I’m amazing at. And I want people to benefit from my services.”
Your energy, your skills, your presence, they all have value. You’re not meant to sit quietly in the background. You’re here to create impact, build a business that feels good to you, and help others succeed too.
So be bold. Take the step. Back yourself. The VA world needs what you bring.
