If confidence could be bottled, it would be an overnight sensation. Confidence is a trait we admire in others and lament the absence of in ourselves. But while some people may indeed just be born confident, it’s a skill the rest of us can acquire with practice and the right mindset.
As all the best performers and public speakers know, confidence is as much about appearance as it is about feeling it.
If confidence could be bottled, it would be an overnight sensation. Confidence is a trait we admire in others and lament the absence of in ourselves. But while some people may indeed just be born confident, it’s a skill the rest of us can acquire with practice and the right mindset.
As all the best performers and public speakers know, confidence is as much about appearance as it is about feeling it.
We are so tough on ourselves.
For some crazy reason, we think that there’s this fixed set of rules, this dummies’ checklist to life that revolves around our existence, that we are suppose to adhere to. By completing each life’s milestone would mean that we are closer to achieving the “perfect life,” the life that we are supposed to have, to lead.
So we forged ahead, created lofty goals for ourselves and pursued them relentlessly be it in our career, family, education or simply gaining a step up in our social economic status.
I’m turning 28 soon. And as another year of my life is coming to a close with the big 3-0 beginning to loom frightfully close, I, like many others, use this as a time of reflection. I’ve been looking back at all the wonderfully hard learnt life lessons, the varied experiences that helped propel me to where I am today.
It’s funny when I come to think of it: the more I age, the more open I become to learning about myself, my loved ones and my surroundings.
Recently, I was speaking to a friend of mine about his job experiences. Finding a job in the research sector has always been his goal, but for the longest time, he stayed unemployed. Wanting to help out a fellow brother in need, I shared with him some job application tips that worked for me. I wanted to understand why he hasn’t been able to achieve his goal; I mean, if you really want something so badly, then what’s stopping you from getting it?
Speak up. You cannot be afraid.
You have a right, to let your voice be heard. To have your opinion, to believe and to stand up for the values you embody.
You have a right, to speak to the world and let everyone around know of your existence. To be heard, to be courageous, fierce and daring.
You are entitled to your own feelings, ideals and convictions. Stop holding yourself back and hope someone will come along and speak your mind.
Growing up, I was lucky to have my dad play such a huge impact on my childhood years. Despite being a blue-collar worker from an electronics manufacturing plant who worked long hours daily, he made it a point to have dinner as a family every night. He was present and involved in almost every little aspect of both mine and my sister’s life; making every effort to be the best father he could.
Time is always running out.
There’s simply not enough of it. Not enough for me to learn a new language, not enough for me to start a sideline, not enough for me to be happy. There’s always something I need to do, something more urgent, something that I am responsible for.
Yet, I wished I lived a little. Maybe, book an impromptu trip out of the country without knowing the destination?
This summer, I’ve finally graduated from university and freed from the chains of the education system. To many of us, graduation day is often hailed as one of the greatest milestones in a student’s life. And every single one of us have his or her own story to tell, depending on the faculties and institutions we graduated from. Despite graduating with top accolades from a prestigious university, it didn’t make me feel great.