As humans, we sometimes compare ourselves with others even if we do it unintentionally.
It’s a healthy activity provided the comparison is being made to motivate us to do better, to achieve more.
However, if it makes a person feel inferior or lowers their self-confidence, then it is time to take a step back and focus on one’s uniqueness.
It is quite natural that there are going to be qualities, skills and talents where others may be better than you.
Conversely, you too have qualities, skills and talents that are unique to you or areas where you are better than others.
Don’t let your mind play tricks with you to undermine your self-confidence.
Instead focus on the positives by honoring your strengths – those things that you are naturally good at or have become good at through practice and effort.
When you are connected with your Inner Self, it becomes easier to see your strengths and understand your place in the Universe’s scheme of things.
Here’s an exercise that I did recently with a client to help her understand herself better as she looks at a challenging career move.
Take a clean sheet of paper and make three columns for your different types of strengths.
Label the columns as Natural Strengths (like writing, cooking, painting); Special Learnt Skills (like driving, accountancy, dancing, computer training); and Positive Character Traits (kind, friendly, trustworthy, loyal).
Take 10 minutes to brainstorm and enter your strengths in each of these columns. You would be surprised to notice that the list is not as empty as you might have imagined. If there is less strength in one column, there may be many in another. The total of all your strengths remains!
Just think, if you could acquire strengths in some areas through learning and training, surely you can acquire others as well in perceived areas for improvement?
This way, you will end up feeling more capable and better about yourself. You’re more likely to start tackling some of those things you’d like to be able to do!
How do you remind yourself of your strengths and use them to achieve your goals?
I’d love to read about your special method to keep your moral going in the comments box below.
Taking charge of your career requires knowing your strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. It also means having the confidence to step out and raise your visibility.
If that sounds like you, then you want Karmic Ally Coaching’s Confidence Checklist pronto.
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