There is only really one key to achieving anything in this world, and that is confidence. It can serve as a key to open opportunities, a stepping stone for climbing the highest peak of a mountain, cement that will make your road to success a wee bit easier, glue that will hold you together. Confidence can be a lot of things. Sadly, it is also one of the most difficult things to attain. It takes a lot of effort and willpower to even just bring out a small piece of it. But know that every bit exerted is worth it.
Being unsure of yourself takes a toll in living your life. Besides, how can you devote yourself in something if you’re too fearful to even try? Confidence can bring you to achieve many things some can only dream of doing. If that means challenging popular belief, then do it. Do it for yourself and for your personal growth.
This builds you up to not only be a great person, but a brave one as well. And if you’re facing one of those days when you just seem to have misplaced it, here are a few tips to help you find it.
It comes naturally
The truth is you are not the insecure person you were when you’ve just been welcomed into the world. You were born confident. An infant would not hesitate to do whatever made him feel is natural to him. A young mind would not even care about the mean thoughts the people around him would whisper. This is the truth; we should not merely envy the self-assurance a child naturally has, we should acquire it.
List down your assets and faults.
Know yourself more by knowing your strengths and weaknesses. What are you good at? Continue it, more so, cultivate it even more. Sharpen your talents and make the best out of them. Where are you slightly faltering? If this is your true passion, invest more time and work into it. Unfortunately, if it only deters your growth and confidence, then maybe you should drop it. Remember to only do things healthy for you and your state of mind.
Absorb positive feedback.
Believe it or not, criticisms aren’t the only words that are given to you. Receive praise, and receive it with grace. Learn to utilize it in order to increase confidence. Once you’ve gained it, don’t talk yourself out of the compliment, use it (possibly even recycle it). Nevertheless, don’t disregard the bad feedback as well. Take them and learn from them, make it an opportunity to better yourself even more.
Enter the dark room.
Accept within yourself that you have to go in the shadows of the unknown. Sometimes, even without a flashlight; but instead of being afraid of what lies deep, attack it with full self-reliance. Many things in life hang onto the thread of the unexpected. Don’t waste your time on what you did or what you could’ve done in the given moment. Know that you are strong and intelligent enough to withstand whatever may be thrown at you. Catch it, if you possibly can.
Jump the ledge.
It’s funny how, sometimes, you have to take a few risks in order to realize your true passions. To even start something is, itself, a jump from everything safe and everything you’re comfortable with. Whatever may be below, may it be a net, or a trampoline, or even rocks, tell yourself that you did it for the huge pay-off at the end. In conclusion, it will all come down to you being more self-assured and equipped with a sense of pride for having conquered your fear.
Prepare yourself.
Stare at the mirror. Practice you diction, your pacing of words. Fix your posture. Smile. Confidence can sometimes be a feeling that is taken from the outside. When you look good, strong and self-confident in front of many people, not only they, but you as well will believe it. Give yourself and others the assurance that you can stand tall and work your way through anything. After that, live with it.