Written by: Kelly Keefe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What is your relationship to confidence currently? Do you feel comfortable taking up space and owning your gifts and talents? Perhaps you find yourself shying away when given a chance to lean into an opportunity to level up. Our level of confidence is a major factor in the quality of life and the sorts of opportunities we attract to ourselves.
Confidence plays a pivotal role in achieving success and realizing our true potential. It acts as a catalyst, empowering us to take risks, persevere through challenges, and excel in various areas of life. Confidence doesn’t make our fear disappear (as we discuss in my book, Rise Above Fear). However, it supports us in being able to transcend it and continue to expand into our authentic fullest light. However, confidence is not an innate trait; it is a skill that can be developed and nurtured. Here are 7 ways you can begin to build, strengthen, and flex your confidence muscles, enabling you to achieve better results in all aspects of your life.
Embrace Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the foundation upon which confidence is built. Take the time to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement. Identify your accomplishments and recognize the value you bring to the table. By acknowledging your unique qualities, you lay the groundwork for building confidence. Two powerful questions that you can ask yourself to elevate your self-awareness are:
Who am I in this present moment?
Who am I becoming?
Set Realistic Goals
Setting realistic goals is essential for fostering confidence. Break down your bigger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks. Each small victory will give you a sense of achievement and boost your confidence. Celebrate these milestones and use them as stepping stones towards your ultimate goals. One of my late teachers, Guru Jagat used to say all the time, “Set yourself up to win! Let yourself be set up for victory!”
Keep Your Word
When our words match our actions, we maintain and supercharge our energy. Promises that we make to ourselves or to others that do not get fulfilled leak energy from us and begin to stab at our confidence. Confidence is rooted in our trust and belief in ourselves.
When we are unable to keep our word to Self or others, we are telling ourselves that we cannot trust ourselves which diminishes confidence over time. If you tell yourself you are going to do something, push through the resistance and see it through - this loops back to creating realistic goals so that you can sustain integrity in what you speak into the existence you are going to do. A huge plus in this, you keep your character and reputation intact, which will also amplify the quality opportunities and relationships you attract into your world.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
To grow in confidence, it is crucial to step out of your comfort zone. Challenge yourself to try new experiences, learn new skills, or take on tasks that push your boundaries. By embracing discomfort and taking risks, you will gradually expand your comfort zone and discover new capabilities. We are here on this planet to continuously expand and grow; expanding in awareness, potential, and dharma does not come to an end during this lifetime. And when we are not growing, we are becoming stagnant and essentially dying. What keeps us back from stepping out of our comfort zone? Most often, it boils down to some element of fear. Read Rise Above Fear today to elevate beyond it and allow yourself to step outside of the comfort zone that is keeping you stuck in an old version of yourself that is ready to be shed.
Adopt Positive Self-Talk
Our inner dialogue greatly influences our confidence levels. Our words create worlds. The language that we use on a day-to-day basis is rooted in the belief systems and subconscious dialogue taking place in the unconscious mind. Before raising self-awareness, there is a high likelihood that your inner unconscious dialogue is not a cheerleader but rather a critic. Replace self-doubt and negative thoughts with positive self-talk. Affirm your abilities, remind yourself of past successes, and envision a positive outcome. By consciously choosing uplifting thoughts, you can rewire your mindset and bolster your confidence.
Seek Knowledge and Skills
Confidence often stems from competence. Continuously seek opportunities to expand your knowledge and acquire new skills. Take courses, read books, or find mentors who can guide you in your areas of interest. The more expertise you accumulate, the more confident you will become in your abilities.
Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity
Failure is an inevitable part of life, and how we handle it greatly impacts our confidence. Instead of seeing failure as a setback, view it as a valuable learning experience.
Analyze what went wrong, identify lessons learned, and use these insights to improve your approach. Embracing failure with resilience will strengthen your confidence in your ability to overcome future challenges. Another teaching of Guru Jagat’s that I carry close to my heart all the time is setting ourselves up to win and how we will hold and manage success when it comes. How we handle our failures is also how we handle our success. Don’t let failures deflate you - rather use them as a practice to celebrate and respond with grace so that you are able to do the same when you win.
A reminder: you are here to be great and shine brightly… it is your birthright, and it lies within you! “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson
Confidence is not an overnight achievement but a continuous journey of self-discovery and growth. By embracing self-awareness, setting realistic goals, stepping out of your comfort zone, adopting positive self-talk, seeking knowledge and skills, and embracing failure, you can gradually increase your confidence and unleash your full potential. Remember, confidence is not about being perfect but about believing in yourself and your ability to handle whatever comes your way. Embrace the process, celebrate your successes, and watch as your increased confidence leads to better results in all areas of your life.
We will be launching my ‘Boosting Confidence for Better Results: Unleashing Your Full Potential’ course soon, so stay tuned!
Kelly Keefe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kelly Keefe is an innovative leader, empowerment mindset coach, speaker, best-selling author, and reiki teacher. She is the founder of The Heartspace established in 2016 helping individuals and groups find their inner peace and elevate into states of thriving. She has worked with thousands of people around the world, including C-suite executives and entrepreneurs helping them create fulfillment in their lives and exceed their goals while doing so. Kelly is a Frequency Therapist and multi-disciplinary artist. She uses her certified training and experience to bring a fresh approach to traditional therapy allowing for faster results and true resolution of problems and challenges.
