Recall from the recent message Life by Choice, I stated that the real surprise was the boost of confidence that came from handling the situation in a positive manner, a choice that I made.What is it about this confidence thing and how can you have more of it?
Confidence is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances”.This definition is expounded by stating that this confidence exists without any hint of conceit or arrogance.
The root word in confidence is fid, a Latin word meaning faith. “Con” means with, so confidence literally translated is “with faith”.
Thinking back on the incident where my car was broken into and my purse stolen, did I have confidence in my ability to handle that situation? Absolutely not! I had no experience with a situation such as this. Had I let that thought dominate, I might have very well become angry, upset or overcome by the incident.The one thing I did have confidence in was knowing that my approach to the situation would play an important part in the outcome.
As I began taking action, calling the police, financial institutions and car dealer, I made an effort to deal with each person with a “smile in my attitude”. I needed their help. Less than 6 days later life was back to normal and the incident was a blip on the radar screen of life.
The surge in confidence came from recognizing that I had faced a completely unfamiliar situation and handled it well. This increased confidence has positively impacted all areas of my life. What can you do to increase your confidence?