You could do anything.  But something stops you.  
You know you have skills.  You know you have talent.  You've achieved things in the past.  
But now...  now...  
Something is holding you back.
You.
That something is you.  
You've asked yourself, "What will people think?" 
You've wondered, "What if I fail?"
You've listened to your critics.  And the loudest one is inside your own head.  Perhaps it's a voice from your childhood telling you that you're ordinary.  Perhaps your own voice has been telling you that for many years, so that you don't have to risk, you don't have to try, and can lazily accept "an ordinary life".  

But what if that voice is wrong?  What if you really are a unique bundle of skills, talents and emotions?  What if the world is just waiting for you to become your best you to present you with what you truly deserve?  How can you break through the fear barrier and develop more confidence in yourself?

As Nike would say, "Just do it". But sometimes we need help.  A catalyst.

One-to-one coaching could be what you need, or perhaps just a long chat with a friend who will push you to be what they know you can be.  
Attending a group workshop  gives you a safe space to tell others what you're afraid of.  And to meet some people who can become an informal "action learning" group, as you support each other beyond the workshop. 

The most important thing is to take the first step.  To "boldly go" where you've never gone before.  So what if you try it and fail?  There are very few situations where this will matter any more than a few days from now. (Okay, I presume we're not talking about climbing Everest single-handed, here).
So, here is your homework assignment:  

Before you go to bed tonight, write down the area of life where you'd like more confidence (eg better presentations at work).  Then, say aloud 10 times an affirmation which takes you in the right direction.  (eg "I'm working hard to give great presentations at work").  Giving yourself permission to do well, and giving yourself credit for the effort your making can make a huge difference to how you feel.

And, if you still need more help, our workshop on May 31st, or 1-1 coaching sessions are here to take your confidence to the next level.  Who could you be if you believed in yourself?  You owe it to yourself to find out.

Are we born confident? Or are we a product of our environmental factors? And most importantly, if I'm not confident now, can I become so?

I'm not here to get into the nature or nurture debate. That is complex and requires a greater investment in science than I've made. And when a friend tagged me in the post below, I wanted to share it with you.

Watch the video by clicking on "post" below

You may or may not agree with this kind of child-rearing. You may wonder if this how all the Americans you meet seem to exude confidence.

Whatever your feelings, I hope that the video has inspired you to realise this: Confidence can be grown.

I've seen how small changes in daily habits and rituals have driven amazing changes, both in those who've attended my workshops overseas and those I've worked with one-to-one.

It seems simple, but it takes boldness to affirm out loud daily "I am confident". And it works.

If you want to find out more, and see what increasing your self-confidence can do for you, we'd love you to join us on May 31st.

Why not take the first confident step? You're worth it. You already are amazing.

I'm really excited about running my first 3 hour open workshop in my local community.  Unleashing the power of our inner awesome comes from recognising our own unique blend of strengths, skills and talents.
Yet most of us spend a lot of our time thinking about why we are not good enough, why we are ordinary and why we cannot or should not be everything we'd dearly love to be.  

Marianne Williamson once wrote: “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? "  But so often, we forget.  We forget that it's okay to be our awesome and fabulous selves.  We doubt our abilities.  We fear that we won't make it through that job interview, that presentation, that upcoming confrontation with someone who let us down.  We shrink back, and by doing so, we prove to ourselves that we are "just ordinary".  Looking back at the testimonials for the workshops I've run internationally over the last year, I'm in awe.  It reminds me of how much awesome can be unleashed when people feel confident and learn to accept themselves as the unique bundle of treasures they are.  

If you need a dose of confidence, or to be reminded just how amazing you are, then come along to our Confidence Workshop on 31st May in Cookham.  There will be cakes and a whole bunch of awesome people who are about to get even more awesome.  I'd love you to be one of them.