Confidence is King/Queen

What is authentic confidence?

According to the dictionary, confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities. This definition seems a little vague; I think it's a bit more complex than that.

Confidence is the result of a developed self-awareness or self-identity, positive self-image and healthy personal belief in oneself. What does it look like when all of these things are present and in order?

Most of us have met someone who exudes confidence. The aura about them draws you in, intrigues you and makes you want to get to know them. They seem to move with ease; they're comfortable in their own skin. Confidence is a very appealing and attractive quality that is undeniably noticeable. Natural confidence not only appeases our senses, it magnetizes. Real confidence authenticates one's character. And contrary to popular belief, you cannot "fake it until you make it." Confidence isn’t something you pick up or put on. It is something you possess; you either have it or you don't.

But confidence doesn’t come about automatically. To attain authentic confidence requires discipline and investment in yourself. It is an ongoing, life-long journey. It's an inside job and cannot be achieved through the "fake it...." philosophy. That method provides temporary results and fake cannot attract authenticity. So, how do you build authentic confidence?

1. Know yourself - many people today are so absorbed by trends, popular culture or the media that they become carbon copies of other people. Or they have never learned this concept and thereby do not have a sense of self-identity at all. There is only one you. You are a one-of-a-kind original. Get to know her!

2. Put yourself first - busi-ness can be your own worst enemy. By the time you've completed your to-do list and cared for others, you're depleted leaving no time to take care of the most important person: You! Intentionally spending time to care for yourself and doing things that you love just for the enjoyment of it is a very good and fulfilling practice.

3. Acquire a positive self-image - how you perceive yourself is extremely important. Self-image is the mental picture we have of ourselves. It is the characteristics by which we view or describe ourselves. A woman who has a positive self image may see herself as beautiful, engaging and intelligent. And while we all have flaws, she accepts them as parts that make up the whole. Flaws don't necessarily detract from us. It is when we embrace them, that our light shines.

4. Believe in yourself - "Your entire experience is fabricated out of what you believe about yourself." ~Rev. Ike This is a well-spoken truth. Self-belief is the personal assessment or calculation you have about yourself. What you think and the way you feel about yourself affects your belief system and your experiences throughout your life. For example, you may be very gifted or have several talents but a lack of self-belief will short circuit your natural ability to function in your areas of gifting. Your abilities must be driven by your belief that you can. Another's belief in you is wonderful but nothing can produce greatness except self-belief. What do you believe about yourself?

5. Love yourself - self-love is nurturing, caring and respecting oneself. It is the actions one takes to support one's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs and making one's own personal well-being priority. The woman who loves herself gives to herself, treats herself well, and holds herself in high regard. Self-love makes you secure and feel beautiful. Physical beauty is fleeting but beauty that comes from self-love is timeless.

There are many benefits of authentic confidence and they are rich. These riches begin internally and reflect themselves externally. Here are three benefits just to name a few:

It increases your value. Confidence affects every area of your life. It tells people who you are, what you do and how well you do it. When you are confident in who you are, others see your value.

It creates self-esteem. Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities, self-respect. This one speaks for itself. It's like a gift that just keeps giving.

It’s magnetic. Confidence attracts people, opportunities and other good things to you. It exudes positive energy from you to those around you. People admire confidence. They want to know you, be in your company, even emulate you. They want to know why you have this quality and how to get it for themselves.

Confidence can attract you to just about anything you want. Confidence gives you peace in your inner being, a glow in your flow, and an overall positive outlook on life. Life lights up for the woman who loves and believes in herself. Confidence makes you, Queen!

To learn more about how to build authentic confidence, stay tuned for information on the announcement of courses in the weeks to come.

If you have any comments or questions, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you,

K. Day