7 Steps to be Confident …Step 2 – When are you Confident?

Whenever we want to improve something about ourselves it’s important to realise where we are now so that we:

• have a benchmark and notice our improvement
• focus on what already works rather than just focus on what doesn’t work

So when are you Confident?

If you are not sure – that’s quite usual. Often when I ask my clients this question they look at me puzzled. They know when they don’t feel confident – they feel anxious, shy or nervous, however when are they Confident? They haven’t given it any thought. So now is the time for you…..when are you Confident? Or I’ll ask it another way – When are you NOT lacking in Confidence?

Is it when you are with friends, cooking a meal, driving, making something, gardening……Write it down.

You make think that what you have written is not a big thing – however realising that you do have confidence in something is significant.

I understand that feeling confident about being able to do something is more about being competent. It’s not the same as having that true inner confidence and trust in you, however it is a start.  By having an awareness of how you feel, think and behave when being Confident; by understanding HOW you DO Confidence means that you can learn to transfer this to other situations.

 

If you would like to explore this further then you may be interested in the Confidence Home Study Programme where you will find in-depth exercises that you can complete in the comfort of your own home. By completing this 6 module programme you will be able to build and develop your confidence so that you can be your best truly confident self.

 The first step to be Confident is to understand what confidence means otherwise how will you know when you are truly Confident? So let’s have a look at the definition in the Concise Oxford Dictionary:

Confidence /konfid(ə)ns/  1. firm trust 2.a) a feeling of reliance or certainty b) a sense of self-reliance; boldness…

Some interesting words there. For me, Confidence is about trust – having full trust in yourself and that there is certainty that things will be ok. Having studied and worked with many people to develop their confidence levels, I have discovered that there are a few misnomers about Confidence. So let’s get clear on what Confidence is and isn’t.

So, the good news is that we all have the capability of being confident. You don’t need to be beautiful,talented, famous, extrovert – (and that’s fine if you are). It’s about
believing and trusting yourself. Watch this week’s video to find out more:

So how would life be like for you by fully trusting yourself? What would be different? How would you behave?

The first step of any change is to be aware of where you are and where you want to be – and so this is why it’s important to really understand and define what having true inner
confidence really means.

If you have had enough of having low self esteem; you know that deep down you need to move forward and it’s the right time now for you to invest in learning to have full Confidence in yourself, then contact Lindsey on 01832 280168 or email me on lindsey@glows-coaching.co.uk so that we can discuss the best way forward.

Confidence is fundamental in nearly every aspect of our lives, yet sadly so many people
struggle to feel confident, perhaps incorrectly believing that they have to be born with it. Lack of confidence can affect not just areas of your life such as career, relationships and even health, it can also hinder success, sense of fulfilment and contentment.

For example, people that lack confidence tend to worry – possibly causing health issues.
They may be overly apologetic and nervous, so hindering success in their careers. They may be painfully shy, avoiding social occasions and therefore find building relationships difficult.

The good news is that confidence really can be learned and developed. This week’s video
gives you the overview of the 7 steps to Confidence. And in the next 7 weeks –you’ll discover each of the 7 steps in more detail.

By watching the next 7 bitesize videos you will know how to become more Confident, so whether you are working on your own confidence levels or supporting other to become more confidents – these will be of benefit to you.

So how does having true inner confident benefit you?

Having confidence means being able to face your fears, cope with life’s demands and challenges. You are able to be honest with yourself and with others –people trust you. You build up better relationships, take control of your life, grab hold of opportunities and successes that lie ahead of you.

It really is worth the time and investment to learn and build the skills of becoming more Confident.

What gives you a Spring in your Step? I know that when the sun is shining, I have a spring in my step – it makes the world a brighter place – literally. I remember when I was pregnant 18 years ago with my eldest, we’d joined an ante-natal group and were asked to introduce ourselves including sharing something that we enjoyed. People said things like golf, painting, reading, music….I said “Sunny Days”!

However we can’t rely on something external that we have no control of to give us a Spring in our Step. Having coached many people that want to make a change in their lives, I often ask what makes them tick – what gives them a spring in their step – often they don’t know…to begin with. And when they do know – it can be liberating. And what about you? Do you know?

When we understand what fulfills us, what gives us joy, what gives us a spring in our step, then we can make the decision to ensure that we have more of this in our lives.

If you would like to discover what gives you a Spring in your Step, then contact me, Lindsey on 01832 280168, lindsey@glows-coaching.co.uk to see how coaching can support you.

Lindsey’s Lightbulb Moments [2:45]

Sometimes life can seem difficult, we may experience stress at work or in our business, sadness at losing someone close and all manner of other challenges that can seem to consume our lives. This short video [2:45 mins] is a reminder that we all could do with remembering that we have other aspects of our lives that are great and to celebrate life with a little bit of help …….chocolate and wine??

If that doesn’t work then talking to a coach who is independent; who is skilled in enabling you to overcome blocks and barriers so you are able to move on in your life without the stress and other emotions dragging you down; who will explore with you alternative options and enable you to have fresh perspectives; who will encourage you to take action and get results….that may be the answer. If you are interested in finding out how coaching can benefit you, then contact Lindsey on 01832 280168 or email me on lindsey@glows-coaching.co.uk

Lindsey’s Lightbulb Moment 

This week’s short video is from a very deluxe hotel room at the Reebok Centre in Bolton where I was attending an Entrepreneur Event. The Event reminded me that many people dread the thought of networking or being in crowds of people. If you have your own business then this can hinder you and the business moving forward, so networking with confidence is a skill to develop.

I’ve realised that the video hasn’t given you many tips – my apologies – I think I was rather too chuffed at being given a deluxe suite rather than a standard room! So some tips for you are:

• Be prepared – what is your intention for the Network? Is it to build relationships? Meet someone specifically? Learn? Also make sure you have enough Business cards (if relevant)
• Research - Are you able to research about other people attending? People love to hear that you know about them and this can help build instant rapport
• Dress appropriately – First impressions do count – if you have egg on your face you will get noticed – for the wrong reasons
• Listen….really listen to the other person – listen out for their name and make sure you say it so that you have a better chance of remembering their name
• Ask open questions so that you find out more about the other person “How…What… Where…When…Who…”
• Your Story  - We all love to hear a story – so practice telling your story – succintly. How can you make this interesting – how do you benefit others?
• Be Positive – don’t knock your competition, the venue, moan or be negative – it can damage your credibility
• Relax – Remember that there will be many people that also dislike networking – you are not the only one. You could even look out for others that feel shy and talk to them – they may well really appreciate it
• Stand Balanced – By standing balanced with equal weight on each foot – you are unconsciously informing your brain that you are feeling balanced. Our bodies and minds are interconnected – this can enable you to feel more confident

Enjoy the short video…not often you will see me lying on a bed!

If you are interested in developing skills and confidence at business networking events then click here to find out more or contact me to register your interest.

Spring is a great time of year; our garden is full of birds singing their courting rituals and building their nests; each day I look out of our window and there are more buds forming, the daffodil trumpets are joining in the merry throng. It’s a time for building, growing, rebirth and as Robin Williams says Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”

It’s also a time for Spring Cleaning the home, getting rid of the winter grim, decluttering the cupboards packed with unnecessary “stuff”. It takes time to clean and have a clear out, however we feel so much better when we do make the effort - it feels less stressed, fresh and organised.

But when do we make time to spring clean our own minds? So often people say to me that they have too many thoughts whirling around in their head, they hold on to negative thoughts from past experiences, they have old habits that really are just doing them harm now. So stressful, How about you?

Spring cleaning our minds does take time and effort – however washing away negative thoughts and emotions, sweeping out all the hurt from the past, not under the carpet – really get rid of it, means that you have the space to have fresh, clear ways of thinking giving you more energy and less stress in your life.

One way of ensuring that you make time to have your own spring clean is that you may like to come on the next Confidence Workshop. You will have the time to declutter your thoughts so that you have a clearer and relaxed thought process, get rid of unwanted beliefs holding you back and open your mind to new perspectives, allowing your confidence to grow.

Enjoy this week’s video in my garden sharing so thoughts about Spring Cleaning our minds [2:20mins]

 

If you are walking down the street, would you notice a penny on the pavement? And would you bother to bend down and pick it up?

Successful people are on the lookout for opportunities – however small, and welcome opportunities; turning these to their advantage. They use opportunities as a starting block to springboard forward to success. They keep looking for more, not relying just with the one that they have found; always open for more.

So how do successful people find the opportunities? I’m sure that you know people that always seem to land on their feet – they seem to be lucky in life. Here’s the thing; they have the same opportunities as you – the difference is that they grab hold of the opportunities and take action. Opportunities are one of the keys to success – however to unlock the door and open it – you need to take action – and that’s the difference to successful people – they are on the lookout for the key – they pick it up and then they use it to open the door.

Sometimes Confidence can hold people back from taking opportunities. If you suffer from lacking in Confidence and missing out on opportunities, help is at hand. Take this opportunity to learn how to be more confident in the comfort of your own home – to find out more click here.

This week’s video is about one of my favourite subjects – beliefs. When working with many of my clients, both individual sessions and at my Confidence Workshops, we explore beliefs that they have about themselves that are stopping them being confidence and successful in their lives. Many of my clients feel liberated when they realise that the beliefs that they had about themselves that were holding them back were not true. Beliefs are NOT fact, they are opinions and ideas that we pick up (often when young) from others and from our experiences. Watch this week’s short video to find out what is in the middle of beliefs!

If you have a belief that is holding you back – then contact Lindsey on 01832 280168 or email me at lindsey@glows-coaching.co.uk – your step to move forward to a more fulfilling life.

This week’s short video [2:40 mins] is here just to get you to think about what you call people and that this can have a detrimental effect of them. Many of my clients have shared with me a negative identity that they have about themselves, and through coaching, they have identified where this has originated from. I then work with them to change this belief they have of themselves – which has been very liberating for so many of my clients.

If you can relate to this issue of having a negative identity about yourself that is dragging you down and it’s the right time now for you to get rid of this so that you can feel so much better about yourself, then give me a call on 01832 280168.