“Stop comparing yourself to others. Flowers are pretty, but so are sunsets, and they look nothing alike.” Unknown

I finished my 9-week class with a major U.S. insurance company on Tuesday and our focus was on confidence. We talked about how you gain confidence and how you lose it. We discussed the impact of having it and not having it. And we dissected the never-ending process of restoring confidence once it slips away.

Sadly, we can’t always avoid times where we get beaten down by others or even ourselves. It can come from our boss, but more often than not, it comes from ourselves. We start to compare ourselves to others around us. We are trying to attain perfection, but it’s not possible. We make a mistake and then beat ourselves up mentally. We let doubt creep in and then we start to hesitate or second guess ourselves. As our job gets more stressful, the more our confidence wanes, and the vicious cycle continues.

Today, I want YOU to build your confidence up. Start watching your highlight reel not your blooper reel! Stop listening to your inner critic—since when has that voice been helpful or kind? Challenge those negative thoughts. Remind yourself that NO ONE is perfect and perfection is unattainable. Remember mistakes and failures are how we grow and learn. Give yourself grace and forgiveness. Be kind and supportive of YOURSELF! You’re amazing, but if you keep focusing on the negatives, you will never be able to see all of the positives. Start today by writing down something (or many things) you are proud of having accomplished. Confidence, and lack thereof, is a slippery slope, but we are the one’s who are in charge!

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” Malcolm Forbes

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!

Beth