Negative self-talk? Low self-esteem? Poor self-worth? I think it’s safe to say that we all have those moments in life when we wonder if we are “enough”.
We KNOW that God’s Word tells us that those negative thought patterns are untrue. Yet, sometimes we may wrestle anyway because, the truth is, we live in a broken world. It’s a continual battle to fight against those lies.
I have some great, practical tips to share with you today to help you in your confidence journey!
It’s time to build up self-confidence and embrace who God made you to be!
First, let’s tune in to how you are talking to yourself. When you experience a negative situation, what kinds of things are you saying to yourself?
Your inner dialogue is SO important to the way you see and value yourself.
To help us dig deeper, I invited back award-winning author Jacqui Letran. Jacqui has spent over 20 years teaching teen girls and their parents how their minds work so that they can choose their emotions and build their confidence.
Jacqui Letran’s incredibly insightful guide to help teen girls overcome their self-doubt and anxiety with simple practices made a lasting impact on the mothers and daughters in my ‘Ohana Experience. The simple statements she made, like “you are the boss of your brain” were truly eye-opening for many and brought a revived sense of confidence.
She explains how our beliefs about ourselves are formed by significant emotional events and are stored in our subconscious. Then, when we start on those negative thought patterns, our subconscious is busy sorting through our past experiences to make a connection between that negative voice and our beliefs.
Without our conscious intervention, we will continue to believe those unfavorable and damaging thoughts.
Here are some steps you can take today to break that cycle:
- Be aware of your thoughts and feelings.
- Replace NEGATIVE thoughts with a NEUTRAL thought. Example: “Even though I feel angry, I choose to be calm”
- Say your neutral thought 3 times. “I choose to be calm”
- Keep repeating until you feel calm. “I am calm”
Jacqui walks us through this process in the clip below:
Why a neutral thought? Forcing yourself to feel positively when you are in a state of heightened emotion may be asking too much of yourself in that moment.
But by starting with calm, you can work your way up to positive.
Check out Jacqui’s Podcast, “Stop the Bully Within”, for even more advice on how we can better understand our mind and build confidence!
As I was thinking about confidence, I was reminded that God shares several events in His Word that encourage us to rely on His strength and power even when our own self-esteem falls short. The Moses’ story is a great example of this! God used him despite his insecurities and imperfections. How encouraging!
Finally ladies, I have one more tip for you to start right now: Posture Up!
Carry yourself with a beautiful posture. When you carry yourself with strength, poise, and beauty you are celebrating who God made you to be.
So, if you find yourself slouching, posture up! Walk with confidence, knowing that there is only one you and only you can fulfill the unique purpose God has for your life.
I’m cheering you on in your own confidence journey!
