- You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. –Christopher Columbus
Where would we be had Columbus not dared to sail across the flat earth to find a western route to the Indies? As I enjoyed the wildlife in Galapagos a few months ago, and saw the ruins of Inca culture, I couldn't help but be inspired by the bravery of the men on that first ship. They went into the unknown, the completely unknown, in pursuit of a dream. They may have sailed off the edge of the world. They may have been eaten by sea monsters. Many were killed by tropical diseases. Now compared to that, doesn't the thing you're not confident enough to do seem much more manageable?
I made the jump 2 years ago. I gave up a well-paid and relatively secure career in one of the largest companies in the UK. It took a while to decide, but once I did, there was no stopping me. I knew I couldn't go on the same way. I wanted to live a different kind of life, travel the world, be a better me. So far it's working.
I'm coaching people in different locations, I'm doing several different things that I never had time to do before, I'm following my passions, and I've experienced things I'd never even dreamed of. Suffice to say, my life is different and fulfilling in ways it never was before. I've not yet made my first million, but I do have a million reasons to be happy.
If you lack the confidence to make the jump, read on.
I made the jump 2 years ago. I gave up a well-paid and relatively secure career in one of the largest companies in the UK. It took a while to decide, but once I did, there was no stopping me. I knew I couldn't go on the same way. I wanted to live a different kind of life, travel the world, be a better me. So far it's working.
I'm coaching people in different locations, I'm doing several different things that I never had time to do before, I'm following my passions, and I've experienced things I'd never even dreamed of. Suffice to say, my life is different and fulfilling in ways it never was before. I've not yet made my first million, but I do have a million reasons to be happy.
If you lack the confidence to make the jump, read on.
 A flock of Blue Footed Boobies take to the sky at dawn off Galapagos (photo copyright Heather Harrison) | There's always an easy option, the well-trodden path, staying in our comfort zones. But if you want a different result, you have to do something different, or differently. To paraphrase Einstein, "doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of madness". So often in our daily lives, we stick to the same ways, the same things, and we get into a rut. Eventually this can sap our energy and confidence to try new things. We don't feel like we can do anything different. We're presented with an opportunity, but we feel we're not special or talented enough to take it on. Or someone challenges us, and we haven't the strength to stand up for ourselves... |
The truth is, we can break out of this cycle with just a few simple actions. The first step must be deciding to leave the shore.
1) Decide:
Finding a reason to break out of the old habits that sap your confidence isn't always as easy as it seems. You may be held back by friends stuck in their own negative cycle, or you may have sunk so low that you don't feel you deserve anything better. You do. The world needs you to shine.
Pick a reason, any reason, to boost your confidence: attending a wedding and needing to talk to strangers, an upcoming job interview, having a difficult conversation with your boss. Decide you'll be more confident. If you're reading this, you probably already have your reason, and perhaps a pretty strong one. Don't feel obliged to share it with anyone, just hold onto your reason. It will motivate you through the discomforts along the way.
1) Decide:
Finding a reason to break out of the old habits that sap your confidence isn't always as easy as it seems. You may be held back by friends stuck in their own negative cycle, or you may have sunk so low that you don't feel you deserve anything better. You do. The world needs you to shine.
Pick a reason, any reason, to boost your confidence: attending a wedding and needing to talk to strangers, an upcoming job interview, having a difficult conversation with your boss. Decide you'll be more confident. If you're reading this, you probably already have your reason, and perhaps a pretty strong one. Don't feel obliged to share it with anyone, just hold onto your reason. It will motivate you through the discomforts along the way.
2) Get some sleep:
It's hard to be confident and on form when you are sleep deprived. It's important to look after your body. And the very act of "sleeping on it" helps you see more clearly. Your powerful subconscious mind gets to work on the issues at hand, you wake up refreshed and ready to handle things. You'll be clearer about your decisions, and you'll feel more confident and willing to get going. Not sure that something as simple as sleep can make a massive difference to your confidence? Read this Huffington Post article and I guarantee you'll be getting an early night a lot more often.
It's hard to be confident and on form when you are sleep deprived. It's important to look after your body. And the very act of "sleeping on it" helps you see more clearly. Your powerful subconscious mind gets to work on the issues at hand, you wake up refreshed and ready to handle things. You'll be clearer about your decisions, and you'll feel more confident and willing to get going. Not sure that something as simple as sleep can make a massive difference to your confidence? Read this Huffington Post article and I guarantee you'll be getting an early night a lot more often.
3) Make a list:
You're record of making it through difficult situations is already 100%. Take a moment to think about that.
How many times have you said "I'll never make it to Friday without killing my boss", or "I'll never be able to do x" only to find that you have? Make a list of all the things you've achieved. Those things might be the things that make you blush when your partner/friend/parent is telling someone how great you are.
Write them down.
Add a few more things. It might even be "I got out of bed this morning even though I felt like staying in bed all day".
Read your list.
Now congratulate yourself on how much you've already achieved.
Feeling more confident already?
You're record of making it through difficult situations is already 100%. Take a moment to think about that.
How many times have you said "I'll never make it to Friday without killing my boss", or "I'll never be able to do x" only to find that you have? Make a list of all the things you've achieved. Those things might be the things that make you blush when your partner/friend/parent is telling someone how great you are.
Write them down.
Add a few more things. It might even be "I got out of bed this morning even though I felt like staying in bed all day".
Read your list.
Now congratulate yourself on how much you've already achieved.
Feeling more confident already?
4) Allow yourself to soar:
To soar, you must first learn to f.l.y. (First love yourself.) Let go of negative thought patterns and replace them with positive habits. Wake up each morning and recite your personal mantra. It's personal to you, but if could be something like this:
"Thank you for this new day. I am powerful and confident. I deserve success. I am an amazing human being. I can achieve my goals with ease. I love my confident life."
Affirmations can be a powerful way to break the cycle that makes you feel less than confident and powerful. We all get negative thoughts, but, we can change them.
Just yesterday I was reminded of the approach I learned many years ago from Jack Black's Mindstore technique. (I've linked to his book with audio CD and Kindle Edition below). Jack's view is simple. When the negative thoughts come, stop them gaining a foothold. Immediately tell yourself, "Delete that programme", then replace with a positive version of the thought.
I've used Mindstore techniques to help me deal with negative thought patterns, goal setting and achievement for many years. I'm more confident, more sure of what I do and don't want, and now I'm even in a position to help others make changes in their lives, grow their confidence, improve their businesses, try new things. Affirmations do work. Try them at the end of the day too.
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Albatross cools his feet in Galapagos (photo copyright Heather Harrison) Your jump needn't be the size of mine. There's no need to quit your job and turn your life upside down if you're happy with what you do.
Small jumps, or doing tiny things each day that scare us, help us build up our confidence for when the big jumps are needed.
Take the opportunity to do something a little bit scary. Whether it's going out of the house with no makeup on, dressing up in a shirt and tie on casual Friday, or joining a new club or evening class.
Pretty soon, you'll soar like an Albatross. They definitely look better when they're soaring. And so do you.
Be confident, my friends.
For daily confidence boosting tips, please like our Facebook page.
Small jumps, or doing tiny things each day that scare us, help us build up our confidence for when the big jumps are needed.
Take the opportunity to do something a little bit scary. Whether it's going out of the house with no makeup on, dressing up in a shirt and tie on casual Friday, or joining a new club or evening class.
Pretty soon, you'll soar like an Albatross. They definitely look better when they're soaring. And so do you.
Be confident, my friends.
For daily confidence boosting tips, please like our Facebook page.
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