Fear of Failure. It is one thing that has held me back from attaining many of my dreams. I lacked the necessary self-confidence to overcome that fear.
Everyone faces that at times, but you have to ask, how do you overcome that self-limiting fear?
One huge way to overcome this is to work on your self-esteem and self-confidence.
To make time for your dreams and to break free from the strongholds of self-doubt and fear is near impossible if you have low self-confidence and low-self esteem.
Some people think there is a definite distinction between self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-esteem believes you are worthy of respect from others, and self-confidence is whether or not you believe in yourself. They both amount to the same thing, and we will talk about things that will give a boost to both.
Do you think it is possible to do things that will change things if you have low self-confidence? Do you believe it is within your control? I strongly believe that it is because there are many things you can do to increase your confidence if you put your mind to it. It is what YOU can do and not have to rely on others. Your negative thoughts can be changed.
You don’t need to do them all, pick and choose those that appeal to you, maybe a few at first, and give them a try. If they work, great! If they don’t, then try some others.
Keep yourself well-groomed.
This seems like such an obvious one, doesn’t it? But it’s incredible how much of a difference a shower and a cute hairstyle can make in your feelings of self-confidence and for your self-image.
Think positive.
Think of ways to replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. You can change your thoughts and make great things happen!
Kill your negative thoughts.
This thought goes with the last one. But it is so vital that it should be emphasized. Be aware of your internal self-talk. Those are the thoughts you have about yourself and about the things that you are doing. Be on the lookout for these thoughts and stamp them out as quickly they come. And then replace it with a positive one.
Get real and get to know yourself.
When you’re trying to overcome a negative self-image and replace it with self-confidence, your enemy is yourself. Get to know yourself well and start listening to your many thoughts. Keep a journal about yourself and also about the views that you have of yourself. Think about why you have negative thoughts. Ask yourself about your limitations and whether they are real or not. Dig deep into yourself, and you will come out with greater self-confidence.
Act positive.
And even more than just thinking positively, you must put it into action. Action is the key to developing self-confidence. It’s one thing to learn to think positive, but when you start acting on it, you change yourself, one action at a time.
Be kind and generous to others.
Know that being kind and generous to others and also to yourself is a way to have a better self-image, Follow the “Golden Rule” and you will feel good about yourself and feel that you are a good person.
Know your personal principles and live them out.
What are your personal principles upon which your life is built? If you don’t know, you are going to have trouble, because your life will feel directionless and pointless.
Stand tall and have good posture.
I have really horrible posture and slouch a lot, but I know it works because I try it often. When I remind myself to stand tall and straight, I feel better about myself.
Set a small goal and achieve it. People often make the mistake of shooting for the moon, and then when they fail, they get discouraged. Instead, shoot for something much more achievable. Set a goal you know you can achieve, and then achieve it. You’ll feel good about that.
Be grateful.
I’m a super strong believer in gratitude. Being grateful for what you have in life and for what others have given you, is a very humbling activity. It can also be an extremely positive and rewarding activity that will improve your self-image.
“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” – Walt Disney