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Topics on Confidence cannot be overrated.

First of all, what is Confidence?

Confidence is an expression or feeling of certainty. It is the belief that one can have faith or rely on someone, something or oneself.

Where confidence is absent, fear, distrust, apprehension, timidity, weakness, cowardice and uncertainty find their way in.

Types of Confidence

1. Self confidence (Confidence in one’s self).
2. Confidence in others
3. Confidence in God
4. Confidence from ones effort.

We’re placing emphasis on Confidence in oneself.

What is a Trait?

A trait is a distinguishing quality or characteristic of a person. It can also be referred to as an identifiable characteristic, habit or trend.

The trait of confidence distinguishes and makes one stand out.

Confidence is so important that even talents can’t do without. A person might lack confidence so much that he begins to doubt his own abilities, he becomes uncertain on whether or not he is capable of doing what ordinarily he was sure of knowing.

A Singer or dancer might have all the skills it takes to perform with beauty; might be very talented too, but when the force of confidence is lacking, it becomes a challenge for such a person to perform before an audience without messing up.

I’d like to site an example using;

• Your cell phone
• A SIM card
• Your phone’s battery

Now, we all know that your phone can start up quite well without a SIM card and can be used, excluding certain features, but there has never been a time when a phone ever started with the power of a SIM card only, where the battery was absent.

The cell phone can be likened to you. The battery, our talents/gifts and the SIM card can be likened to Confidence. We are good with our gifts and can perform with them but some features would definitely be absent without the presence of confidence; just like we can start up the phones but can’t gain access to certain features.

It is the lack of confidence that would make a student teach his/her colleague in a closed group but would grow cold feet when asked to stand before the class to tutor on the same stuff with even lesser time.

It is the lack of confidence that would make a Singer sing with all sense of beauty only in the bathroom or the corners of his/her home but would develop cold feet when asked to present same song before a crowd.

Confidence is this beautiful. You might have encountered something close to this, where a person who knows little or nothing about a thing ends up sounding so right before people. Merely watching this person, how they walked with confidence in their gait, demonstrated and spoke confidently, with everyone giving them a pass mark. All that we saw oozing out of that person was the air of knowledge and all, when ordinarily we knew much more but were scared to speak up.

Let’s take a look at some reasons why confidence is needful.

1. Frees us from fear and anxiety
2. It eliminates self doubt
3. It provides greater level of self worth and inner peace
4. Enhances free flow of interaction with others.
5. Provides greater motivation to act
6. Gives the ability to stand up for oneself
7. It leads to greater success

If confidence is this vital, how then do we gain access to it?

To gain confidence, you first have to discover why you lacked it in the first place. Basically, it is an accumulation of negative experiences in life. Sometimes from childhood, resulting from abuse and harassment. This is like growing up in an environment where no one saw nothing good in you, it continued until you began to think likewise.

Negative experiences as a child can take confidence away and replace it with low self-esteem and fear. Understand this because it won’t change overnight. You have to know the reason why you lack it and perhaps reset your mentality and psychology, read books and seek help.

Confidence can be accessed through:

1. Continuously strengthening your mind; work on it

Speak words to you. Convince yourself over and over and again that you can do this damn thing! “Why must I remain in this level?” “I can do this” “they’re no better off! All they did was that they were sure of where they were going and were bold enough to stand out”. Speak words that will strengthen you. No one can do this better than you, honey.

2. Develop a lifestyle of personal growth and development

Seek after personal development and stick to it. Personally, there are times when I’d just feel I need sometime to myself. In those times, I unplug from social media, emails and all for sometime and spend time on books and do all that gives me joy from within and develop in some ways. When I return from such leaves, I return exhilarated. Self development should be hungered for.

3. Get rid of negative thoughts

Thoughts and questions that affect your capabilities. “Can I really do this?” “Ain’t that person looking smarter than me?” No! They’re not, the little they know was wrapped in confidence and reassurance. Do not think of yourself as incapable. Think of all the things you’d become if you put fear aside and dare to try!

Give it a try today!

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Do let me know in the comments if this helped you in any way. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to not miss a post.