30 days of self love – confidence
Posted: September 1, 2010 at 8:00 amWelcome to the 30 Days of Self-Love Reflections (30 DSLR for short)!!!! For those of you just stumbling across my site and this movement, the 30 DSLR is to bring a positive change into each of our lives one day at a time. Each day will feature a new topic and message to reflect on and motivate positivity throughout your day and, hopefully, beyond. I look forward to everyone’s participation and the growth it will bring us! Here we go! 😀
**************************
When trying to decide what topic would best suit the start of 30 DSLR only one thing came to mind. Confidence. Confidence portrays so much beauty and strength, yet somehow always seems just out of reach to achieve. Why? Because we don’t believe we deserve it or fail to see what we have to feel confident about.
[Source]
That’s right. We each have something in which to lay confidence. All of us have unique strengths and qualities that we should not ignore or gloss over, but instead lift up into the light and proclaim as our own with pride and joy. Those things which we can take ownership of in confidence come in many shapes and sizes. You can see it in your mad cooking skills, your ability to make others laugh and laugh with them, your giving of love for a friend/spouse/child, your ability to push your body in a workout, your smile, your good sense of style, your mind and ability to problem solve, your compassion on others, your go with the flow demeanor…ANYTHING!
[Source]
Do not forget your strengths by focusing on weaknesses, because we all have those too. BUT those do not define us. Our strengths define us. Something else to remember. You are stronger than you think. You may not believe so, but you have the power to change everything. You have the power to turn your life into something beautiful. You are reading this post and stepping out to love yourself more, then in turn love others more, and then have the potential to change the world. Yes, YOU! Each of us have that power and simply moving, or even desiring to move, towards a positive place speaks volumes.
[Source]
Be confident in what you can do! Trust in yourself and the changes YOU can make and that can happen in you. We all start somewhere. I did too. I knew I couldn’t keep half living and things didn’t change in one day. It hurt and many tears fell on my path. They still do. BUT I knew change was possible and that I could be that change. I did gain confidence in God, but I still had to do the actions. If I can do it, you can too. Take those steps and remember how wonderful you are. BE CONFIDENT TODAY! Tell yourself you can do this. You can change your outlook, your focus, the message you share. You can!
Take a few moments to quietly reflect on confidence and recognize what you have to offer. You have something! Focus on that throughout the day. Whenever you feel down, remember who YOU are and what you have to be proud of. Don’t negate it!
What do you have to be confident about? Proclaim it in the comment section and don’t forget that affirmation!
Quotes to Reflect On
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. ~Author Unknown
We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. ~Roderick Thorp, Rainbow Drive
**To be added to the email list and receive links to the posts in the morning, please let me know of your interest in a comment below.
Tags: self-love reflections
What a great post! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to know myself better and become more confident in myself. I wish we were born with this knowledge…
Agreed! Maturity really does help us see things in a better light. I’m sure you can relate to that being something to work hard on with the Ms. I want her to always know how we wonderful she is!
Tina, I just want to say thanks again for doing this. It couldn’t come at a better time for me.
I’m confident because of my intellect and my drive to succeed despite my fear of failing and the unknown. I’m confident that I can handle what life hands to me and make it my own.
GREAT IDEA!
Great first post! And that first quote you mentioned at the end really hit home for me.
I’m confident in my ability to help people and inspire them through my writing. Playing with words has always been a passion of mine, and deep down I believe that I can do good things in my own life and in the lives of others with that gift.
Also, just FYI: I’ll be away for a few days and unable to comment, but I’ll still be keeping up with the challenge!!!
I figure everyone can’t participate every day but I’m glad you’ll still be making an effort for the reflections even if you can’t comment. 🙂
And you certainly do have power with words.
Day one, love it!!!!
I’m confident that I’m a good friend and have the drive to achieve my goals.
Great job with this Tina!
I am SO excited for the next 30 days, Tina! And truthfully, this couldn’t come at a better time for me. I need to be more reflective and take time thinking about the positive.
I am confident that I am a very hard worker. I have 3 part-time jobs, and I love being able to say that I work very hard for what I have!
Thank you again!
I’m confident because I can talk to anyone. About almost anything. It is a big help in my job and comes natrually to me.
Wonderful kick off post!! 😀
I feel like confidence can be very very tricky. It’s also easy to manipulate. You could feel confident about one thing, only to let another person’s comment completely rob you of that confidence. Don’t let people rob your confidence!
On the other hand, you can also manipulate yourself into being confident. Sometimes if I pretend and act completely confident in a situation, all of the sudden, it’s not an act:)
Great point. We need to be firm in our confidence and not let others bring us down. And I agree that the fake it til you make it idea can work wonders sometimes.
I like this idea.
I am confident that I am a good mom. I am also confident that I have the ability to succeed in my job with my new responsibilities.
Have a great day!
I’m confident because my body is carrying a baby. It’s amazing what God does to make this miracle happen!
I can’t get over the timing of this. I have struggled with letting fear, worry and dread control me my entire life. I have been reading a book by Joyce Meyer titled, The Confident Woman. I have two quotes from the book posted all over my house. 1) Confident people make it a habit to think and act positively. 2) Confidence is a decision not a feeling.
I realize that without confidence I can never experience true joy. I will definitely spend time today thinking about what my unique strengths are. Thank you.
Joyce Meyer writes some great stuff, huh?
Glad this was a great way to start your day! Have a good one.
Yeah let the 30 day Par-Tay begin;)
Its interesting as I have aged how I look at condfidence. When I was younger I thought it was all about the way I presented myself, going out into the world with straight shoulders, making eye contact with everyone I saw, but it would take only one comment or questioning friend to pop that air filled confidence Balloon. Now to me confidence includes this outward appearance, but I also know in my heart that what I am doing or saying can be backed up with knowledge or ability. Somedays may be harder to see th confident me, but those are fleeting moments that are easily recaptured by refocusing and knowing that if someone is trying to steal my confidence it is because there is something missing in them.
This is something I am beginning to learn with age as well! Confidence isn’t so much holding myself up high and proving to others that I’m confident, but having a confidence deep down in myself that isn’t rattled by the comments or actions of others. It’s a kind of confidence I can’t imagine myself having 5 years ago!
wow, what a great start to the month! it’s so true, we live out exactly who we think we are, that’s why we gotta think positively and confidently! i am confident i’m a great wife 🙂
Lovely post! I’ll be reflecting on this throughout the rest of my day x
I am confident in my strength as a friend and confidant. I cherish the fact that so many good friends come to me for advice or just for someone to talk things through to.
I’m also confident in my strength as a single woman. I have done and seen so many things. I support myself and can live on my own and thrive. That motivates me. 🙂
Yes. Being able to support yourself is vital. Great thing to be confident in!
Confidence is a word everyone should be a word everyone allows themselves to WEAR.
Over the past year, I’ve gained a tremendous amount of confidence in myself. Not only did I crush my once-upon-a-time excuses of “I can’t run because…” and run a 5K (without stopping), but I’ve managed to change the way I look at myself in the mirror. Sure, we all have poopy days of “I’m bloated”, but even on days where I’m not thoroughly happy with my appearance in general, I am able to look at myself and find something beautiful and something strong.
It’s amazing to think about everything I know I am…because I love being a mother, a wife, and I’m a go-getter…anything I put my mind to, I can do. I confidently put my heart into everything I do in life.
Great day one topic, Tina!!! 🙂
Thanks for this, Tina.
I am confident because of I believe that I can overcome (or at least improve upon) my inherent weaknesses. For years, I have been working hard at becoming a kinder (to others and to myself), more patient, more accepting person. I am confident that I will continue to grow more loving and less rigid in my standards for myself.
I am also a fighter and a survivor. I am confident in my ability to overcome adversity.
I am confident in what I have done: getting to a healthy place, where I’ve been able to bear two children.
I am confident in my ability to love and to embrace.
I am confident in my ability to stand up for myself.
What a great way to start!
I’m confident that I have the power to control my life. I know that getting to where I want to be in the future will take a lot of hard work, but I’m confident in my abilities to reach my goals. 🙂
Another great one! We do have the ability to do so many things if we just have the confidence to take the first step.
Great kick of post!
[…] am participating in Tina’s 30 Days of Self Love series and was really excited about the first topic: Confidence. While I am by no means perfect I […]
Great post and excellent start to the 30 DSLR! I am confident in my professional abilities, my marriage and my relationship with my family, among other things.
What a great post to kick things off with!!! 🙂
Love this quote “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not”
Couldn’t be more true! I used to think successful people had everything figured out… but usually they don’t, they’re just learning, too. So why can’t I be one of those successful people that are figuring things out along the way? Well, I CAN 🙂
great first post….confidence that is the secret ingredient!!!
Great post Tina! I am confident in my ability to help others reach there health and fitness goals through teaching aerobics. I love sharing my love for group exercise with others, and seeing them gain confidence as they learn to love exercise as well!
Wonderful first post for 30 DSLR!
Tina, you are amazing, I LOVE this! Please include me! I need to share this with some loved ones as well.
I am confident in my compassion and my ability to seek the best for others and always try to build others up.
I love this first post so much, Tina! You hit the nail on the head – confidence is such a hard quality to truly own, and I think a lot of that has to do with a fear of appearing too self-absorbed or arrogant or something…as if we don’t deserve to be confident in ourselves, in our abilities, in our unique beauty. We DO deserve it, we SHOULD own it and be proud of that fact versus trying to tone it down all the time. Of course I say all of this knowing how hard it is to be truly confident but that’s what the next 30 days is for, right??
There is certainly a difference between confidence and arrogance. It took me so long to understand that and then I would always put myself down trying to be humble. Humility is still an excellent quality but shouldn’t keep us from claiming our strengths as well. Excellent thing to bring up.
Ahh…confidence. That thing which has eluded me for so long.
As I reflected, I would think of a quality, then think of someone who greater exemplified that qualify, or times I faltered, and a frown would appear and my gut tighten with definite lack of confidence and fear.
It took awhile to come up with something that made me able to keep my head held high. I am confident in my independence and in my strength/resilience.
But, that doesn’t seem like such a great thing. It feels like survival. I’d rather be confident in my ability to love, to reach my physical goals, to attain my dreams of using my writing to influence and inspire…
Day one and I am already discovering things within myself! I love this statement, “I did gain confidence in God, but I still had to do the actions.” I am good at self-reflection, but action is necessary to become the person I want to be!
Thank you for 30 DSLR! I am so glad I found your site!
Melinda
Reflection does bring about so many new thoughts, huh? And I think the strengths you first mentioned are beautiful ones to have as well. You may view it as survival, but its still strong and wonderful.
Thanks for writing this – it really hit home for me. I am a newlywed, just finished my master’s degree, and am working part time for minimum wage at a coffee shop right now. It is a huge blow to my ego not being able to find something better right now to help support myself and my husband. I have to remind myself that I AM capable and have a lot to be confident about – I can’t let my job title define who I am as a person. We can be our own worst enemies! Thanks for reminding us to stay positive and believe in ourselves 🙂
I’ve faced letting one thing define me before too and its so hard when it doesnt play out like you hoped. I’m glad you can recognize other things that make you a wonderful person as well. Keep focusing on those.
this is such a great project! I am loving 30 DSLR already!
I am confident in my ability to encourage. I am confident in my own desires and goals and motives. I am confident in my ability to move forward, one step at a time, and make one healthy decision at a time.
I don’t talk about this on THS THAT often, but I am confident (and lately have been feeling a renewed confidence) in my losing the weight I need to lose to be at a “healthy weight” – although I have lost 40 lbs, I still have more weight to go to be at a lower risk for many health problems. I have felt a jolt of “getting it done” the last few weeks, and am making positive steps in losing the weight, taking the best care of my body (and my soul, mind, and heart!), and being PROUD of myself for my accomplishments. I am CONFIDENT in my followthrough and that I can (and WILL!) do this!
xo
You definitely should be proud of that progress! Fighting for health is a tough thing and you are doing so well. Great thing to have confidence in!
so well put! i am a fabulous cook, pretty darn funny, smart, and hard working. and i am confident in the woman that God made me to be…thank you for the amazing reminder!
I am confident that I am a loving wife and a loyal friend.
I focus on my weaknesses so often and forget my strengths. My strengths define me, we are all not perfect, and I never will be perfect. But, I can grow to be the best person that *I* can be.
I feel that I’m most confident when I’m around people I love: my close friends, my family, my Fiance. Whenever I’m in a new social situation, I take on a shy demeanor and am critical of everything I say, feeling as if I’m being judged. My goal today is to stop that nonsense! When I’m meeting new people for meetings or lunches at work, I’m going to stick to the confident being I know I have inside of me. I will repeat to myself: “You are smart, worthy, and capable. There is nothing you can’t do – you haven’t failed yet.”
Great first post – really something to think about!
I am confident I will be able to follow my passions in life.
Hooray, September 1st has arrived!!! Thanks again, Tina!
It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not. ~Author Unknown
I just found that quote yesterday and wrote it down at my desk – It’s SO TRUE!
It got me thinking about my confidence level around different people. I feel pretty confident around people most of the time, but sometimes I get in contact with someone and all confidence goes out the window and I know it directly relates to “who I think I’m NOT”. I refuse to do that today and beyond. I refuse to be held back by MYSELF.
I love the pics you posted today. If you post one every day, I’ll be able to make one of them my desktop so that all day long I’m reminded of the days topic for 30DSLR 🙂
What a cool idea to put them up on the computer. I love that!
This couldn’t have come at a better time – I have a job interview today and am in need of a little confidence to shine through! 😉
I only started to gain confidence in myself once I found my own sense of self worth. I used to revel in treating myself badly, but during this whole healthy living process I’ve learned that I need to treat myself with more respect. With that has come confidence. I know I’m worth it. I don’t let people walk all over me like I used to, I speak with conviction, I make decisions with more certainty. As mentioned above, getting older and a little maturity has definitely helped!
Hi Susan.
I hope your job interview went well today. I’m sure your confidence shined through beautifully.
LOVE this!! I am confident because I am not afraid to be alone. Considering two years ago this was my worst fear coming to life, that makes me very proud!
Love this <3
So inspiring!!
I am confident in my intelligence. As I enter into this new realm of searching for my career, I'm realizing that I have nothing to be afraid of because any company would be lucky to have me. I feel blessed that God created me with a mind ready to learn and retain knowledge!
I’m confident that I do my job well even if I doubt myself at times. I learn and learn and learn. God has blessed me to do ministry and I love to learn new ways to reach out to others. I am always trying new things even if it is crazy or off the wall.
Something I learned recently that I love, is that your greatest weakness is your greatest strength. Instead of looking at my weaknesses with… weakness… I see what is returning to me. My fear is my faith and courage returning, my anger is my authority retuning.
I am confident that I can inspire others and speak from my heart, particularly in the presentation that I am giving this evening. I am confident that who shows up is there for a reason and that I stay present with them. I am confident that I support myself and that I am fully supported by my universe, my god, and my family. I am confident in my clarity and my purpose.
I love reading everyone’s posts!
It’s all mental and the more we can do to think better about ourselves and each other, the closer we are to our goals.
Beautiful post!
wonderful post! i am confident in my optimism. i have a positive outlook on life and try not to let myself get caught up in unnecessary negativity.
I hate my reflection. I sit here crying my eyes out because I just found out a few minutes ago a dear friend shot himself. And when I think on confidence, all I can think about is him. He had everything going for him. Smart, funny, religious, sweet, good looking, athletic, wonderful family… I could go on. He had a dream job of being athletic director of a major university. If someone should be confident…shouldn’t it be him? That’s all I’ve got today. I’m in pieces.
Katy, I just got finished praying something serious for you. I am so saddened to hear about your friend. Sometimes we can’t understand the workings of people’s minds and why they do these things. I wish there was something I could say or do to heal the hurt you are feeling right now. I’m so sorry. Let me know if you need anything and know you will be in my prayers.
Thank you, and I’m sorry to bring down your wonderful message! I just did a cathartic post on him, but you were the lucky first place I stopped to vent to after finding out. How does that always seem to happen? Best wishes, beautiful post!
Do not feel bad for coming here and posting what was on your heart at that moment. It gave you the chance to vent and me the chance to pray for you and your friend and all who cared for him. Nothing bad about that. It takes confidence to be so open and vulnerable. I hope you’re feeling a little better and I will continue to pray. Great big virtual hugs coming your way.
Katy, I just found your post. My heart goes out to you and your friend’s family. I’ll be praying.
What a great post Tina! I think you and your readers are going to learn a lot throughout this whole process. For me, my confidence comes from knowing that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I’ve always been a free spirit of sorts, with lots of ambition, drive and motivation. Now that I quit my full time job to follow my dreams in becoming a writer, I can fully appreciate that incredible passion I have.
Confidence used to be about looking INCREDIBLE, being skinny and getting hit on by guys, but confidence to me has changed drastically throughout the years and now is about following my heart and being an ambitious young woman!
Thanks for the great post Tina!
I am confident in myself enough to know that everything will somehow work out. I am confident in my ability to find the positive in everything and to not feel hopeless when things don’t go my way. I feel like confidence is deeper than just feeling good about how you look and how you present yourself; it’s about feeling good about the decisions you make throughout the day. I am confident in myself in that way and it carries over into how I carry myself.
Great post! I am confident that I’m a good wife and partner to my husband, I’m confident that I’m smart and funny and I’m confident that I’m doing what God wants me to do, even though it doesn’t seem like it.
I am confident in my intelligence and my ability to treat others with respect and dignity. I know that I am a very smart woman, and that others see me in this way. I also know that my confidence and outspoken nature are sometimes off-putting for people, especially my quieter classmates and colleagues. However, in my work with clients over the years (as a clinical social worker who has worked with several “challenging” populations: violent men, men who have committed sex crimes, victims of domestic and sexual violence, and people suffering from a major mental illness), I know that my compassion and ability to always treat people with respect and dignity is one of my greatest strengths. Even in intimidating situations I can remind myself of my intelligence and my determination to respectfully interact with everyone, and I will feel confident.
Confidence is so important for your work. I bet the people you work with feed off your confidence and it helps them so much. Great reflection!
I am confident as a mother and a wife. Since losing weight i am also confident in how I feel about myself.
Great post!
Today was the perfect day to discover your blog!!
I’m confident because I am a young, successful, professional. Although I still struggle on a daily basis to build personal self-confidence, I take the time to remind myself what I HAVE accomplished. When it comes to ambition and a successful career, I have challenged and pushed myself more that most people my age. Knowing this gives me a little boost in confidence; hopefully soon I will build enough strength to gain confidence in my personal life! Thanks for making me take a second to think about this …
Perfect topic to begin with!
As long as I listen to my heart I will get to where I am going!