Confidence is not automatic. It does not come because
we wish to have it. It comes because we experience success.
Self-confidence must be built and nurtured.
All of us
experience failures. These, to a degree, can tend to destroy our
confidence. If we dwell on our failures and forget our past successes,
it is possible to develop a fear of the future. This, in turn, will
inhibit the rebuilding of our self-confidence.
Another way to destroy
self-confidence is to always compare ourselves to others. There is
always someone more capable in an area than we are (even our areas of
strength). A tendency to constantly make comparisons can unintentionally
lead to a decrease in self-confidence.
Being governed totally by
the need to gain the approval of others will also make achieving
self-confidence difficult. Finding our own uniqueness, and then building
on it, is a key ingredient to ensure a good level of self-confidence.
Below is a list of “starts” and
“stops” that can help you build self-confidence. Check those you feel
need increased personal attention.
I plan to:
1. Start liking myself
2. Stop running myself down
3. Stop comparing myself to others
4. Start making full use of my abilities
5. Start viewing mistakes as a way to learn
6. Start remembering past successes
7. Start becoming an “expert” at my present job
8. Start finding areas in my life in which I can make positive changes
9. Start initiating a self-improvement program
10. Start taking action rather than just planning to take action.
PROBLEM SOLVING IS AN
IMPORTANT SKILL WHEN DEALING WITH INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT. BEING AN OPEN
PERSON, RATHER THAN STORING RESENTMENTS, HELPS.
ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE ARE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR DEALING WITH INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS IN AN OPEN MANNER.
