| When we have little self respect for ourselves or a | | | | or fearing others opinions of you. All our energy is |
| very low self esteem it becomes very hard to be a | | | | diverted in the wrong direction. If I'm making a |
| success at anything. We often fail before we even | | | | speech I want to making the speech and not be |
| start something, simply because we tend to avoid | | | | thinking about what the audience is thinking. |
| situations we fear. The very idea of something can | | | | The true path to building self confidence is to devote |
| send us running for the hills. But it is this very | | | | yourself to excellence in all that you do! |
| avoidance that is responsible for compounding the | | | | Here is how it works. When making a decision, do |
| problem. You see, giving up something before you | | | | your best to choose the better option over the easy |
| even start is habit forming. Each time you take the | | | | option. The choices you make determine whether |
| easy option you make it harder for yourself the next | | | | you 'remain in' or 'move out of' your comfort zone. |
| time. | | | | The better option usually takes us out of our |
| Denis Waitley once said "To establish true | | | | comfort zone. You see, we often settle for the easy |
| self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes | | | | choice because it is the one we are familiar with, |
| and forget about the failures and the negatives in our | | | | even if it is not helping our cause. |
| lives." So, the good news is that overcoming low self | | | | When you have made your choice, devote |
| esteem is not as difficult as it may seem. The view | | | | excellence to the path you have chosen. In the |
| that self confidence is something we are born with is | | | | beginning you will still probably avoid some of the |
| simply not true. It can be learned like anything else | | | | more uncomfortable situations but this is to be |
| and it comes through building on our previous | | | | expected. Mahatma Gandhi once said "No matter |
| successes and learning from our mistakes. It doesn't | | | | how insignificant the thing you have to do, do it as |
| matter where you start from because success is | | | | well as you can, give as much of your care and |
| only relative anyway. What is certain though, to build | | | | attention as you would give to the thing you regard |
| self esteem you must make the decisions that will | | | | as most important. For it will be by those small things |
| allow success in to your life | | | | that you shall be judged." |
| Imagine how you will feel when you can face any | | | | As your sense of positive pride grows through giving |
| situation with a spirit of adventure and a calm | | | | your best, you will increase self confidence and build |
| attitude. When toleration of uncertainty is second | | | | your self esteem. You will begin to feel good about |
| nature. When you become a "take me as I am" | | | | yourself and have more energy and passion to take |
| person who is not scared to fail once in a while. This | | | | on bigger things. We will never conquer low self |
| is not arrogance, this is simply you being yourself and | | | | esteem through analysis alone. Building self confidence |
| not dancing to the beat of someone else's drum. It is | | | | is only possible by allowing success into our lives on |
| a big problem to go through life wanting to be liked | | | | an ever increasing basis. |