When you lack self-confidence it's easy to become stuck in the rut of settling for whatever you can get. Because your confidence is low, you don't really think you deserve anything more so you don't make a big deal of it when things don't go the way you want them to.
As you begin to build your confidence up you also begin to realize that you do deserve out of life, and you don't have to settle for any old thing just because that's what's there. You deserve the best life has to offer and that's what you're going to get! And then hard on the heels of this realization comes the next one...
The only person really holding you back from becoming the confident person you could be is... you.
Heavy thought, isn't it? And one that has weighed down more than one person and kept them from going after what they really wanted in life. Because let's face it... it's scary out there when you don't know what to expect, and when you're not sure you can handle having what you really want.
So what can you do when you're ready to climb out of your rut and face the world head-on? Here are three suggestions you can use to build your confidence, let yourself shine, and really go for what you want out of life.
1. Make a decision about what you really want.
You can build your self-confidence one decision at a time. Making a decision to go for something you really want in life takes confidence. Every time you decide on something and stick to that decision, you are adding to your confidence and pushing back the boundaries of your comfort zone.
To get started, ask yourself this question... If you could do anything without worrying about money, fear or time being an issue, what would you do?
Write down your answers -- and yes, you should have more than one. Don't censor yourself, just be open to what your heart is telling you and write down whatever comes to mind.
If you can do this exercise and really open up to listen to your heart without the mind trying to rationalize your answers, you are already more self-confident than you think you are.
Why? Because it takes confidence, and courage to really listen to your soul and not let logic, society or anything else get in the way of what it is trying to tell you.
Once you have your list, scan it and see what really jumps out at you. Every time I do this exercise, there is always one thing that jumps off the page at me, and keeps drawing my attention more than anything else on the list. For me that usually means "Pay attention. This is what you should be doing next."
2. Believe in yourself
I'm not going to repeat myself here too much because I just posted about this the other day, but good things really do happen when you believe in yourself.
When you believe you can do something, you have a much better chance at succeeding so do everything you can to deepen your sense of self-belief. Meditation, affirmations, and prayers all help to strengthen your mind and thoughts and help you move forward.
There's a great quote by James Allen that really sums this up... He says: "For true success, ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?"
I love the last two, because when you really start to believe in yourself those two questions will show up more and more often. And when you ask yourself "Why not me, why not now?" and the answer is that there is no reason in the world for why not you and why not now your, you'll know you are well on your way to being the confident you that's been waiting to show her stuff to the world.
3. Put your foot on the path and start moving forward
To paraphrase an old banking commercial here in Canada, if you want to start moving forward then start moving forward. Nothing happens and you'll never stop settling until you take the first step and start moving forward on your way to living your best life. The Confidence Challenge can be your first step on the path, if you'll take it.
Here's a little secret to get you started... Just taking that first step will give your self-confidence a bigger boost than anything you've ever done before.
Welcome to the 30-Day Confidence Building Challenge!
The basic idea is simple. For the next 30 days, you’ll find a new blog post on the topic here at at Ruthieisms.com every day. I’ll also post a tip each day on Instagram, and the Facebook group. You're also invited to sign up for daily emails that remind you to stop by to read each post, become part of our online support community to get additional tips and inspiration. To sign up, head on over to the signup page right now. (Or you can click/tap on the graphic at the bottom of this post. That will get you there as well.)
Over the course of this thirty-day challenge, we’ll practice our confidence-building skills, plus we’ll also explore the connection between courage and confidence, why they are both important and what we can do to become more courageous and increase our self-confidence on a daily basis. The end goal is to have a bag of tools to help us continue to become more confident after this month of exploration is over.
You may be wondering why I would want to host a challenge on building confidence. Well, the short version is, I need to boost my confidence too, especially when it comes to doing video and putting myself and my products out in front of people. There’s more to it of course, and you can get the full story here.
If you’ve been struggling with your own feelings of self-confidence and self-worth, or simply been too scared and intimidated to go after your dreams, you know that this is an important topic. Increasing your level of self-confidence will make you feel better about yourself and help you move forward in life and reach for your dreams. Most importantly, how courageous and confident we are has a direct effect on how happy and accomplished we feel. In other words, finding your courage and self-confidence is big step on the way to your successful life.
Are you ready to join me for 30 days of exploration and working on your own levels of courage and self-confidence? Like anything that involves human growth and self-improvement, it’s not always going to be easy and I will ask you to step out of your comfort zone from time to time. I’ll be stepping out of mine right alongside you.
That being said, I promise you it is well worth working on this particular aspect of personal development and you can gain quite a bit by sticking with me and giving it a try. At the very least, commit to signing up and reading each daily email and blog post. I’m sure you’ll get something out of it and hopefully you’ll decide to jump in and implement what I’m sharing each day. We’ll continue tomorrow with a look at how courage and self-confidence are related.
Are You Ready To Take Your Confidence To New Heights?
Enter your details below to join the 30-Day Confidence Building Challenge and get started today!
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Confidence Challenge, Day 6: Stretching to Build Confidence
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This is wonderful information, sure to boost anybody’s confidence. I hope your challenge is a success. I think that is the biggest problem sometimes, you just need to start.
Thanks so much Sharon! I figure if I can help even one person be a little more confident, then the challenge is a success. And yes, I think you’re right… sometimes we just need to take the leap and the first step no matter how scary it is. :)
What a beautiful service you are offering by creating this challenge. I am positive that much positivity will come out of it.
Thanks Elise! I appreciate the support. :)
Beautiful!
Building self-confidence is indeed a good thing to do.
Most times, the only thing we need to do is to take the first step although it may seem hard and then the second step, the third, and subsequent steps become easier to take.
I agree with all three tips.
~Izuzu
You’re so right Izuzu… the hardest thing to do is start. Each step after that gets a little easier.
Good Morning Ruth! I have my list down and ready to do this!
Looking forward to it.
Thanks,
Chery :)
Awesome! Welcome aboard! :)