Image Artwork: Blue Whispers of Truth © Jo Jayson
Earlier this month Oprah gave an epic speech at the Golden Globe Awards about the power of speaking your truth.
“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have.”- Oprah
Speaking your truth is indeed powerful and we have probably all witnessed at times how the truth can set us free. But in order to truly speak you truth, you have to first feel confident and secure in who you are.
Being confident is not about feeling better than anyone else, or feeling certain that your truth is going to be taken in a positive way. Instead, confidence is not needing to compare yourself to anyone else and not needing anyone’s approval of your own truth.
When you speak your truth it is not up for debate. It is your truth. And for those who are willing to listen, for those who need to resonate with it, the truth will always be inspiring.
Being confident ultimately is about being comfortable in your own skin and secure in who you are. You cannot be truly confident if you don’t accept yourself or know yourself.
In order to accept yourself, you need to know yourself. You need to be able to look at yourself dead straight in the eyes and know who you are, and what you are truly capable of.
Many of us however, live in a society where we are constantly told we are not good enough. This happens through the materialistic culture that permeates us all. You need to have this car, this house, these clothes, this hairstyle, you need to have all of this, in order to be someone who is valued and respected.
But the truth is, that the only way you are going to be valued and respected is if you value and respect yourself. At the end of the day, this is all that matters.
As author Brene Brown states-
“Nothing has transformed my life more than realizing that it’s a waste of time to evaluate my worthiness by weighing the reaction of the people in the stands.”
When we do things to impress others, or because we think that’s what others want from us, it puts us in a powerless position where we constantly feel like we need to do more in order to be more.
This creates an endless chase and mentality that you need to “fix” yourself in order to become who you want to be.
The truth is, that you are already perfect, you are already worthy by just being here. You don’t need any credentials, or particular clothes or even a smile on your face to be considered worthy. You are worthy regardless.
You are worthy.
When you start to realize this, when you start open to the idea that you don’t need to be anything or having anything or do anything in order to be worthy, a confidence emerges. A true confidence that shines from within and helps to guide you on your way.
Being confident doesn’t mean that you are never afraid. It doesn’t mean that you have life all figured out and you know exactly what you are doing at any given moment. Being confident is about trusting yourself and knowing that you will be ok wherever the path may take you.
Reaching that level of confidence in your life, gives you the courage to go after the life you desire. It gives you the courage to express and speak your truth, and it gives you the power to be honored for exactly who you are.
When you allow your true light to shine, it also creates a ripple effect on the world around you. When you speak your truth others are encouraged to the same.
When you come to this place, it is important to know that not everyone is going to accept you. Not everyone is going to be ok with you speaking your truth or taking off your mask or being the true you.
What you will find however, is that the people who you were constantly serving, the people you were constantly trying to impress with either accept you, or melt away from your life.
You will also find that the opinions of others won’t matter to you, because they are not in your control and they are not your responsibility. It is not your business to care about what other people think of you. All that matters is what you think of yourself.
At the end of the day you are the one that has to live with you. You are the one that has to lay in bed each night with your own thoughts, regrets and decisions. At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable with you.
When you start dropping your mask and stepping into your true, authentic self. When you start being true to you. It opens a new wave of consciousness in your life.
You feel more connected to your purpose, you feel happier, and you feel stronger in what you have come here to achieve.
Being confident is about owning all of you and not making apologies for who you are. You are worthy just for being you, you are special just for being you, and you deserve to lead a life free from the expectations of others.
Finding this level of confidence in your life doesn’t happen overnight. It happens gradually through small shifts in your mindset.
These shifts include-
- Positive, loving self -talk
- Accepting where you are in your life right now
- Accepting your flaws
- Knowing that you are worthy- no exceptions
- Practicing gratitude
- Forgiveness of the self and others
- Constant self-care
- Meditation
- Checking in with yourself and how you are feeling
- Embracing your humanness – knowing it is ok to make mistakes and get hurt
- Remembering that you are here to grow and learn, not have everything figured out
- Acknowledging that everyone is just doing the best they can with what they know
- Accepting failure as a part of success
- Becoming your own best friend
You owe the world nothing, but you owe yourself everything.
Looking at yourself in the eyes, feeling the fear, feeling the vulnerability and allowing yourself to be seen is an act of true courage and when practiced frequently it can help to shift and change your life to one of truth, of purpose and of confidence.
You may also like:
29 Messages to Improve Your Self Worth
Moving from a Fixed to Growth Mindset
