Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is the first word of my Words of 2009 list.

I read a good quote a few weeks ago that said something along the lines of self-confidence being a powerful accessory for women. Then, I saw a blog post that people would do better by working on their self-confidence after the author witnessed someone deliver a poor pickup line. The idea of self-confidence has been perculating in my head ever since.

Self-confidence is a powerful force for all of us - not just women. On the surface, it appears as though men display this more than women. And, because I am a woman, I see it from my perspective. We are all self-confident when it comes to our ability to do something. The disconnect is that we don't apply that same self-confidence to our core selves. "I am confident in my ability to do X and Y. I am not confident in who I am at my core." We are bombarded everyday by media messages, friends, partners, etc who chip away at our core. Most of the time, these people aren't trying to be mean, they are just passing on their standards, wants, needs, etc to others. It is possible to get lost in the demands of life.

Yes, we can gain much more by working on our self-confidence. I am self-confident in some areas of my life, but not enough. Here's how I am going to use this word in 2009:

1. Know who I am.

2. Make decisions that support who I am.

3. Embrace failure instead of fear it.

4. Recognize when I have done a good job.

5. Think "self-confidence".

How does the word self-confidence play out in your life?