Confidence

Confidence. If you Google this word you will get definitions like firm truth or belief in someone or something. Confidence in ourselves is very much linked to our self-esteem and self-worth. From this perspective on confidence, I think the majority of us struggle with confidence and I am no exception. When we do not have a high self-esteem or self-worth it is really difficult to believe in ourselves or have confidence in who we are. I have had a lot of individuals who have asked me where I get my confidence from and I don’t necessarily have a straight answer for them. I struggle with confidence and some days are better than others but I make a conscious decision every day to try and overcome my insecurities.

Confident is a word I would use to describe myself today. I am constantly putting myself out there. I get in front of people, do things outside my comfort zone, and challenge myself. I think my ability to do these things has come from my personality and how I grew up. I have always been someone who enjoys being around people whether it be in front of them speaking or performing or just a part of the group. Even with my desire to be around people I have not always been really confident or comfortable in my own skin. 

There is one situation in particular that really stands out to me when I felt insecure. In high school, I was a football cheerleader and of course everyone is a critic but they are not the ones putting themselves out there. I was really excited and I practice nonstop, literally. When our first game came around I was nervous but pretty soon performing for a large crowd every Friday night became normal. But then when it came time for a pep rally I was so nervous. I was a cheerleader for an all guys school and it was a lot more intimidated to be in front of them than a large crowd on Friday nights. Pep rallies were a different obstacle for me because I knew all eyes were on me. I was petrified and I am not joking when I say I almost passed out because I was so nervous. I remember walking out onto the gym floor and my heart rate spiked. After everything was said and done I was so proud of myself. I had not let my own fear and insecurities keep me from doing what I enjoyed. 

What this experience has taught me is that when you get outside your comfort zone it is okay to get nervous. I use to think being nervous meant you were not confident but it could not be farther from the truth. Getting outside your comfort zone is really difficult for me and I know for a lot of other people too. We all naturally like to stay in our comfort zones where we are safe from judgment but that is not how we achieve growth. I push myself to do things I would not normally do or feel comfortable doing. I like to think of it as living your life with abandon. Do things to be able to experience it instead of worrying about staying inside your comfort zone. Get your friends to go with you and experience it together. It’s okay to be nervous. Don’t worry about other people’s opinions because at the end of the day everyone was a beginning at some point. Confidence is all about perspective, find your perspective.