Boost your confidence

This post came out from The Straits Times (10 October 2015)
Title - Boost your confidence - Feel better about yourself with these easy tips

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Letting others' opinions affect us
2. Comparing ourselves with others
3. Seeing only our limitations and not our potential
4. Being afraid to make mistakes
5. Allowing our confidence level to remain low

On Letting others' opinions affect us

• Ring-fence the comments. Write them down. Challenge them. Accpeting them at face value without doing a proper analysis to determine if the comment holds any truth is detrimental to your confidence.

On Comparing ourselves with others

• Understand that the people who admire have their fair share of flaws and inadequacies too - but they choose to keep on moving instead of staying still to admire others. Have a balanced view of people. It is far more useful to tend to our own backyard than watch others. 

On Seeing only our limitations and not our potential

• Do not compare your background or looks with others. Think about what you have instead of what you do not. 

On Being afraid to make mistakes

• It is perfectly alright to make mistakes. It is part of growth and progress in all aspects of our lives. Mistakes serve as great teachers, and help us to learn, reflect and recognise our resources before moving forward.

On Allowing our confidence to remain low

• Each time your confidence level drops, remind yourself of this scenario. Like stacking cards, every time you replay this scene, it brings a new level of confidence. Over time, it will become a permanent part of you.
• When you are empowered with the right beliefs about yourself, you will be able to scale greater heights in your career and relationships, and lead a life filled with joy and fulfilment. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big