Exploring Confidence #1
During lockdown and the time that followed, I noticed how low the confidence was of the people around me. Friends were isolating themselves and forgetting how to reach out and connect, myself included. It reminded me of the time when my parents decided to move to a new town where I didn't know a soul.
Naturally, ?I had to make new friends (again). Taking myself off to the pub was the easy part. Sitting at the bar on my own was horrendous. However, I smiled and chatted to people as they ordered their drinks, and then out of the blue, I was invited to join a large group of people. I was overjoyed, and friendships developed. This incident taught me that no matter what, you should just get out there, hold your head up, smile and just do it.
I even forced myself, when starting new jobs, to go and knock on the CEO or MD's door to say hi. Of course, my heart would be beating out of my chest, but I did it anyway. And I was always greeted kindly and even received the best coffee…
Just like back then I have had to make myself go out, even when I would have rather cuddle my dogs on the sofa. Luckily I could see myself retreating and so knew that I had to take action.
I am sure that just like me, you have many confidence stories. Often, lack of confidence is manifested as a different issue. Low confidence loves to masquerade as entirely other things. You can mitigate the problem if you notice the signs. Here are three ways that it could manifest, including isolating yourself:
Lack of healthy boundaries
Many people who aren't confident often try to make up for it by being people pleasers. They find it difficult to put in strong boundaries and simply let others walk all over them. So instead of saying yes to what they want, they say yes to what others want.
Perfectionism
The word implies something good, but the truth is, being a "perfectionist" is not a comfortable place to be. You will end up avoiding working on an interesting project or doing something you love. Nothing is perfect.
Socially withdrawing
Many people who lack confidence avoid social gatherings and even turn down a coffee with friends if it is in a new place. You may have trouble speaking up in groups, so avoid them or shut down in a social setting. The good news is you can work on this with practice.
What does confidence mean to you?
If I asked you what confidence was, where might you feel it, what would you hear, see or feel? Are there levels to your confidence? Do you have different kinds of confidence for certain situations? How would you describe this almost intangible feeling?
The dictionary definition provides a broad term that tells us that it is having faith or belief in yourself. So that a confident person is demonstrating their faith in their knowledge, skills, ideas, values and in who they are.
I think it means different things to different people in different situations. It is, I believe, highly personal and how you view it can have a big impact on the way you lead your life and business.
The flip side of confidence is that horrible sick feeling called fear. That nasty little chattering monkey appears when we least expect it to whisper sweet crap in our ears. However you feel about fear, the facts are that it keeps us safe (in survival mode). But, it also provides an opportunity to confront it, learn more about ourselves and grow.
Things that can help you to become more confident
Healthy boundaries
Setting healthy personal boundaries is an absolute must on your journey to making yourself a priority in your own life. It's a foundational part of the process, and without them, you'll soon be back to saying yes to everyone's needs and wants except your own. Building healthy boundaries is one of the best ways to put yourself and your needs first. They protect you from being taken advantage of or of being a doormat. They define who you are in each of your relationships and help you be more fully aware of who you are and what you want and deserve.
Personal boundaries also teach others how to treat you - with respect and care. They encompass your feelings, thoughts, beliefs, choices, intuition, needs and wants. Your boundaries should stay firm and clear, though you can choose in what situations to allow them to be flexible. They aid you in discovering your true self and making sure you live life on your terms. They develop your self-awareness, confidence and self-respect.
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The first thing you need to do is decide how you want to be treated by others. After all, if you don't know yourself, how can you determine how you want others to treat you and what you will and will not accept in your life? When we focus on other people's needs and wants only, we stop spending time on ourselves to discover what we want and need.
Start to clarify what you value in your life and what you want more of. Once you know what you desire and value, you'll be able to use those to decide how you spend your time and energy. Anything that doesn't align with them will get an automatic, no thanks.
Journaling prompts
Let go of perfectionism
This is a biggie. If you're engaged in perfectionism, know that it's a lie you tell yourself so that unconsciously you don't let yourself experience success or get any of your ideas finished. It can be associated with a fear of success more than a fear of failure. This is something deep in your unconscious that you need to work through.
Confidence is also believing and knowing that you are your best resource and asset. Confidence is acknowledging that you are scared but trusting, believing and being certain that who you are is perfect at any moment. Look around you. Who do you see, think, sense or know is confident? How do you know? Are they quietly confident or incredibly charismatic or somewhere in-between? You can learn a lot from watching and noticing other people.
The key, for me, is to just do it and learn from the experience. The longer you wait, the more those fears fester, and the more your inner bully can cajole you.
Perfection is not necessary. Striving for perfection will hold you back. Instead, think about what you can start (and finish today) that will help to build your confidence. It doesn't have to be the whole thing, do a chunk and celebrate.
Journaling prompts
Surround yourself with people who love you
As a human being, you need to connect with other people. Nothing can make you feel better about yourself than surrounding yourself with like-minded people who love you as you really are. This is not to say you need a bunch of "yes" people around you. But you still want people around you who are kind and honest.
Belonging is such an essential human need. Not to just belong but to be accepted for who you are. Your identity is tied into this feeling of belonging and covers what you have in common or differentiates you from others. What is important is being grateful for everything that you are, honouring and appreciating everything about you.
Find groups that you want to belong to. Being part of a group really promotes this sense of wellbeing and happiness. Research shows that when you are in a group where you are accepted and loved, that helps you grow as a person. And we do feel a lot happier.?Plus, there are loads of benefits, like shared values and interests and shared beliefs.
How do you connect with the people that are in the group? And what do you learn about yourself? You might find it really, really hard to go to networking meetings because you find it really difficult to connect to strangers. What does that teach you about yourself? What can you do about it? You may need to declutter the groups that you are in.
Journaling prompts
Ok, we have only scratched the surface with these three things, but hopefully, they have got you thinking about what confidence means to you. The next step is to explore how you can overcome these things by taking the next step forward by choosing yourself and creating the right conditions for building your confidence.
Finally, choose you
Choosing you means that you don't have to do what others expect of you. You don't have to people please. It is not selfish to choose you. It's important that you put your oxygen mask on first. What would it be like to say yes to you more often?
Are you ready to adventure with yourself? Join me in The Journaling Club, where each month, you will get to explore different aspects of yourself. You'll get to know yourself better and know what you want.