“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
– Lucille Ball
Has there ever been a time in your life when you found yourself stepping out of your comfort zone and wondering, do I have the confidence to do this?
That feeling of inadequacy causes us to feel physically ill, concocting a million excuses to avoid something new, while our self-esteem spirals further and further towards nonexistence.
For those of us with a bit more humility, it can be daunting trying to drum up the necessary levels of confidence required to succeed in this world, let along sell yourself to others.
We’re the kind of people who do what we do for personal fulfillment, not professional gain. We do what we do because it’s right and fair and honest, not because we believe we’ll be rewarded at some other juncture in life.
What’s perhaps most interesting is those possessing the truest sense of confidence, believe they haven’t any confidence at all.
Little do they know what everyone else in the world already sees.
Marianne Williamson once said that, “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?”
Who are we NOT to be? – powerful words.
For those who possess both greatness and humility, reality can be burdensome.
We live in a world where it’s up to us to sell ourselves in our jobs, our communities and our social circles. But that often means being boastful and disingenuous.
But confidence doesn’t mean bragging.
Confidence is being true to yourself, while still possessing a level of unpretentiousness. It’s recognizing your skills and being proud of the prospects they offer. It’s being able to look back at your life and be proud of what you’ve done or accomplished – no matter how great or how small.
For as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
