People across the globe have a few things in common. Just like they need food, water, oxygen, shelter to survive, Self-confidence is also of utmost importance to lead fulfilling lives. The dictionary meaning of self-confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment. But Self-confidence is much more than that; it can have several sub-parts such as: Maintaining hope, Discovering our true potential, Facing our problems head- on, Putting our best foot forward, Looking beyond mistakes, Taking criticisms in a positive way, self-consciousness, treating others with respect and dignity and much more.
The most fundamental parts which form our self-confidence are:
- Positive self-concept- The way we perceive ourselves and the ideas we hold about our competencies and attributes is called self-concept. At a very general level, this view of oneself can be overall either positive or negative. Finding out an individual’s self-concept is not easy but to become a person who has a confident personality and has a positive approach towards life, it is very important to develop a self-concept. I’m sure we all have our strengths and weakness but it is no good to us or to others if we only focus on our weaknesses. Instead, we should be proud of our strengths and challenge to improve ourselves on a daily basis.
- Self-esteem- As a person, we always make some judgment about our worth, our value, this is known as self-esteem. Deciding that we are unique and no matter how we are, we’ll become the best version of ourselves goes a long way in ensuring that we lead happy and fulfilling lives.
- Self-efficacy- People differ in the extent to which they believe they themselves control their life outcomes or the outcomes are controlled by luck or fate. We should believe that irrespective of our luck, fate or destiny we will be able to achieve the goals we have set out for ourselves and fulfil all our desires by working hard and making constant efforts.
- Self- regulation- This refers to our ability to organise and monitor our own behaviour. Many a time, we may not feel like doing what is expected of us or not feel like doing our daily chores, Trust me that is completely normal and literally, each and every person feels this way at some point in time.
- When you are feeling hopeless, remember the way things are now will not last forever. Don’t worry endlessly over every problem, your whole future still lies ahead of you. Happiness in life does not depend on how well things go in your youth, irrespective of how many mistakes you make, you always have another chance. Be ambitious and keep striving towards the future. It is important not to lose hope.
- Do not allow yourself to compare oneself to others! Be true to who you are and continue to learn with all your might. Even if you are ridiculed, even if you suffer disappointments and setbacks, continue to advance and do not give up. When you muster this strong determination in your heart, you are already halfway to victory. Aim to surpass your limits in your current situation. Those who can accomplish this throughout life are true victors, the true geniuses.
- Freedom is relative. You may run away from hard work and effort, declaring yourself a free spirit, but you cannot run away from yourself- your own weaknesses, personality and destiny. The more you try to avoid hardships, the more they will pursue you. It is important to face your troubles head-on. If it weren’t for the various obstacles life presents us with, we probably wouldn’t appreciate what it is to be truly free. Never give in to Defeat!
- No one’s personality is flawless. We all with an exception, have our qualities that render us less than perfect. But it is a waste of time to become obsessed by such things and succumb to feelings of self-hatred and unworthiness. You will only hinder your growth. Our personality is the substance of our lives and how we’ve lived it decides our true happiness.
- Remember, no one has only faults or only merits. We all have a mixture of both. Therefore, we should strive to develop and polish our positive attributes. As we do, our shortcomings will fade until they are no longer apparent.
- Sensitivity is a personality trait. In and of itself, it is neither good nor bad. But if you have that trait, you can choose to turn it into a plus. If you feel stung, take a moment to congratulate yourself on having the capacity for humility and self-reflection. People who are indifferent often lack any perspective for self-improvement.
- Bravely overcoming one small fear gives you the courage to take on the next one. Make goals. Whether big or small, work towards realising them. Be serious and committed to your goals, you’ll get nowhere if you treat them lightly.
- It is pointless to be caught up in outward appearances. If we are sincere, people will understand our intentions and our positive qualities will radiate.
- It’s much more valuable to search for the positives in others- you achieve nothing by condemning people’s flaws. It is actually useful to reflect upon one’s self, even for a moment and seek to think about the emotions and positive qualities of people whom you are indifferent about. Being confident about oneself goes a long way in ensuring that you lead a happy and fulfilling life. Some of the points may seem difficult or even impossible to imbibe, but you’ll definitely reach there.