“One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”
Dalai Lama
Confidence – a concept rarely spoken of as a choice and often spoken of as a “either ya’ got it or ya’ don’t” trait. The truth is that confidence lies within each and every one of us; and it’s up to us to decide whether we want to allow it to help mold us.
“If it’s such an easy choice, then why aren’t more people confident in themselves?”
The answer is simple – consistent practice of affirmations.
Let’s face it, we live in a time of instant gratification– instant responses, instant media, instant food. But for those who are not given confidence from our environment (family, friends, society, etc.), learning to believe in yourself and be confident in the qualities you uniquely possess requires the consistent practice of affirmations. This means training yourself to rely on your own opinion instead of those around you. Don’t wait for a certain number of likes on a photo to decide whether you’re looking good or not. Don’t rely solely on the support around you (though you should always be grateful) to help talk you down when you’re overwhelmed with work and life and losing confidence in your abilities. Don’t decide what traits you like about yourself based on what your circle thinks. Instead, rely on yourself – yes, it’s possible!
How do you do this? Here are a few tips:
- Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones – when you’re feeling down over your quality of work, stressed over deadlines, worried about falling behind in school and feeling hopeless, stop and take a deep breath. Remind yourself of the characteristics you love about yourself and how they’ll help you get your tasks done. Then segregate those tasks into manageable steps!
- Make an affirmations list – keep a list of positive statements about yourself, either in your phone or journal (whatever you keep with you most of the time). When you’re feeling down immediately read this list and give yourself a reason why these statements are true. Examples of affirmations include listing the traits you’re proud of or noting your accomplishments that remind you of your capabilities.
- Face yourself when speaking – it’s a lot easier to let your negative thoughts consume you when you’re not facing yourself so take a good look in the mirror every morning and remind yourself of your unique qualities and the immense opportunities that lie behind discovering that confidence.
The key is to be consistent. By constantly combatting your negative thoughts with positive and resourceful ones, you’re improving your state of mind – the most essential component to navigate through life. Over time, what used to be a conscious task will become effortless – giving you the realization that confidence is a choice and anything we strive for can be achieved with confidence, commitment, and consistency.
I’m always working to be a better version of myself & hope my tips can help you on your journey. I’d love to hear back from you on your thoughts/ journey – comment below!
POTENCIA 