It’s healthy to picture confidence as a bonfire. If you feed it with fuel, its flames will burn bright, and if you control it well, the flame of your confidence won’t explode into arrogance. However, no one can be so confident that life will never affect them. Sometimes, the rains of circumstance will pour over that fire, and dampen it.
The good thing to remember is that the ember of your confidence and self-belief is never put out. So when you take that confidence knock, finding yourself again is more than possible. It just takes a little time to get there. But when you do, that fire will be all the stronger.
But where, in practice, do you even begin? If you’ve fallen over, it can be hard to find your footing again. As helpful as affirmations seem, it’s not always easy to fool yourself back into where you were. It’s hard to describe, but certainly a clear emotion to feel.
So – let’s discuss how to bounce back from a confidence knock once and for all. The methods might change each time, but these principles should always assist you:
Identify & Challenge Negative Thoughts
Now, it would be a mistake to think you can control every passing thought that comes to mind, even the world’s greatest monks haven’t been able to do that. But you can certainly identify and challenge perceptions you keep repeating to yourself. For example, if you’re continually mocking yourself for weight gain, seeking a professional about that is key. If you dislike corrective work you’ve had done, that doesn’t mean you look unappealing, nor does it mean there aren’t treatment options such as hyalase available. The more you can challenge negative thoughts, the more incrementally they change.
Set Realistic & Attainable Goals
One of the best methods of building confidence is to set small goals and achieve them. This is because instead of just affirming your worth vocally, you’ll be making tangible steps in reality. Even something as simple as heading out, buying a few ingredients, and cooking a brand-new recipe can be enough. This way you will have increased your capability, achieved a goal you set for yourself, and come out the other side better for it. It’s hard not to feel a sense of accomplishment in that, and enough of those steps will help you start feeling more confident in who you are. It’s a good, practical method of proving to yourself that you’re pretty good, actually.
Practice Self-Compassion & Forgiveness
It’s never easy to be kind to yourself, especially if you’ve made a genuine mistake. The truth is, though, that everyone makes mistakes. There isn’t a human being on Earth who hasn’t except for maybe infants who haven’t had the chance to make good on their potential for mistakes yet. The best you can do, outside of seeking to make it right, is to accept it. This way, you can forgive yourself, and move forward. Note that you don’t need to continually wallow in guilt to be better. Sometimes, forgiving yourself, moving on, and extending that to others is a chance to enhance your empathy. In the long run, that helps a great deal.
With this advice, you’re certain to bounce back, even from a confidence knock.