Written by: Jennifer Sharp, 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.
Do you display confident behavior? What positive or negative thoughts or actions do you demonstrate to those around you about your behavior?
If you are feeling confident, you will easily be able to do what you believe is right even though others around you may be critical of you and what you do. You will constantly take risks, admit to your mistakes, take ownership of them, learn from them, and are humble about your accomplishments. You are generally a positive person who has an awareness and understanding, a level of trust in yourself, your abilities, your value, regardless of any imperfections you may have.
If you display a lack of confidence, you base your behavior on what others think of you, you don’t leave your comfort zone for fear of failure, covering up any mistakes made and are dismissive of accomplishments. Low self-confidence can equate to self-destruction, manifesting itself as negativity in all facets of your life.
Why does self-confidence matter?
Why do so many of us struggle to find self-confidence? Is it learned behavior from childhood? Learned life experience? Workplace struggles? Lack of achievement?
When was the last time you pitched a project? Were you noticeably nervous, your voice heightened, and your words jumbled - you constantly apologized for all you perceived as not “going right”? Or were you visibly articulate holding your head high, admitted when you didn’t know something, and held your shoulders back with assurance. If you display confidence in yourself, you inspire confidence in others, and this leads to success and achievement, not only in business but in life.
How to gain self-confidence and maintain it
Change your daily habits. Break the negativity cycle for the long term. This begins with your mental and physical health. What changes can you make with your lifestyle? Do you meditate, exercise, get quality sleep?
Practice your personal branding, your awareness of the self and how others may see you. This can positively impact your level of confidence and you begin to think, feel and action “I Can” rather than “I Can’t.”
Celebrate the small wins, those little steps. Make a list of them. “Today, I got up an hour earlier. Today I had once less coffee. Today I walked an extra mile.” When you begin to do this, the negative self-talk will slowly dissipate.
Set yourself some confidence-boosting goals. Keep them small, achievable, like the small steps. Write them down and keep yourself accountable. Once you hit the target, move onto the next. Your strengths will become stronger and your weaknesses less.
Does self-confidence matter?
Yes, it does. Some of us learn it more readily than others. But it can be learned. When you feel confident, you understand and have an awareness about yourself where you trust your own abilities and know your value. By identifying and changing your lifestyle and by setting yourself small, achievable goals, you will automatically project confidence, rather than lack of it. Giving yourself a little boost every day maximizes and maintains good mental health, ensuring you can build a long term, confident future not only in your business, but in life.
Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Daisy Lane Publishing, or visit my website for more info!
Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jennifer Sharp is a leader in the publishing industry, having founded an award-winning publishing press. She has assisted many with telling their success stories globally, whether it be in business or life. She has created coaching and mentoring programs that develop the writer's confidence in themselves and strategies that help them stay confident within themselves in all areas of their lives authentically. She is the founder of Daisy Lane Publishing and Mindset Magic - Confidence Coaching. Jennifer is on a mission to support as many as she can with living their life fully with positive intentions and to assist them with publishing their story along the way. Jennifer is also passionate about children's picture books and poetry, bringing to life stories that deal with trauma, displacement, homelessness, separation, domestic violence, and language learning.
