Confidence is a Super Power

I believe that most people are confident sometimes and insecure at other times. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel confident in all situations and with all people? Think back to a time or a moment when you felt supremely confident or even moderately confident. Confidence is one of the best feelings you can conjure up and it can make you more effective, resourceful, and persuasive. Best of all, it feels really good!

If you’re already consistently confident most (or all) of the time, then I would characterize you as a “rare breed.” I’d guess that one out of a hundred people fall into that category.

If — on the other hand — you’re among the 99% of the population that lacks confidence, here are some tips, reminders, and strategies that may help:

• The development and maintenance of confidence is an ongoing process, and it’s one that you can control from the “command center” of your mind.
• The way you carry yourself, speak, and make eye contact with people has a direct effect on your self esteem.
• You’re willingness to regularly go outside your comfort zone to try new things, accept new challenges, and learn new skills can help you strengthen your confidence.
• Pay attention to the way you treat yourself — both verbally and nonShould -verbally — because that has a direct impact on your self esteem. It also sets an example for other people of how they should regard you and think of you. All things being equal, people tend to respect, like, and be attracted to others who are self assured.
• Setting intentions and then following through with them can be a confidence-building daily exercise. Setting goals (even small ones) and achieving them can have a similar effect. By demonstrating to yourself (and others) that you “can do it,” you’ll be laying the groundwork for raising your confidence level to the highest it’s ever been.

The cornerstones of building your confidence are as follows:

1. A strong desire to be the most confident version of yourself that you can possibly be. Everyone may have a different potential for “winning friends and influencing people (as Dale Carnegie might have phrased it), but there’s always room in people’s lives for personal growth, self improvement, and the pursuit of happiness!
2. Self awareness is a crucial component of building your confidence and realizing your potential. Self awareness can reveal ways in which you’re undermining your confidence and sabotaging your own success. Once you see where you’re going wrong, you’re in a much stronger position to correct it.
3. Inspiration is also part of the equation, and it can come in the form of the repetition of positive affirmations, watching motivational videos, reading confidence-building books, and surrounded yourself — to the extent possible — with supportive friends, associates, family, and partners.
4. Determination and commitment: Positive thinking doesn’t work for most people because they don’t take it seriously and apply it to their lives consistently. As I mentioned in a previous blog post: “An untrained mind can accomplish nothing!” (Source: A Course in Miracles) The first step to personal growth is to plant positive thoughts, ideas, hopes, dreams, and plans in your mind. Like a backyard garden, however, if you don’t nurture those positive thoughts every day, their growth will be stunted or those once-lofty intentions will wither and day. While it’s beneficial to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, it’s necessary to be your own best friend, life coach, and “cheerleader.”

In these trying times, we all need An extra measure of hope, encouragement, and inspiration. Hopefully, you’ve derived a little bit of each from this blog. Stay tuned for more good ideas in the near future intended to motivate, inspire, and bring out the limitless potential that lies dormant within us all.