Confidence is Developmental

​Lyrics: Little Boy, in a baseball hat. Stands in the field with his ball and bat. Says I am the greatest player of them all. Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up his ball. And the ball goes up and the ball comes down. Swings his bat all the way around. The world's so still you can hear the sound. The baseball falls to the ground. Now the little boy does not say a word. Picks up his ball, he is undeterred. Says I am the greatest there has ever been. And he grits his teeth, and he tries it again. He proceeds to try until he strikes himself out!

Now it is supper time, and his mama is calling. Little boy starts home with his bat and ball. Says I am the greatest that is a fact. But even (I did not know I could pitch like that!) A song by Kenny Rogers.

This is a picture of self-confidence and self-esteem, which today is what many young ones lack, and it is not limited to our youth.

In this week's episode a certified life coach expounded how our teens and parents can cooperate to aid and assist their teens to develop the skills necessary for their successful future.

Interestingly, the origin of confidence comes from a Latin word that conveys the idea of trust or self-trust, not to be confused with Arrogance or hubris because there is no meritorious evidence for self-confidence.

Self-confidence is always connected with knowledge, experience and practice of a skill or natural ability.

Having a healthy level of self-confidence is helpful in our personal and business life. Research has shown that people who are more confident tend to excel academically, are personally motivated to pursue their goals, often seen in professional athletes. Even affects how we present ourselves to others in general.

However, how can we boost a healthy portion of self-confidence in ourselves if we are struggling in this area?

We begin by understanding that there are seven billion people on this God-given earth and every one of us is different in many levels, so, we need to stop comparing ourselves to others. The inclination is to compare ourselves in social media, comparing our income salary, and admittedly, it is natural to make these comparisons, but it does not boost self-confidence, but only creates envy.

We must make a conscious effort to reflect on our own strengths and achievements, we are in a personal race, it is not a competition.

With the risk of being accused of brow beating, you want to surround yourself With Positive People. How do they make you feel in their company? Are they encouraging, uplifting or do you find them toxic company even after trying to redirect the conversation? We are the average of the sum of the five people we associate with.

Take Care of Your Biology:

This Tip cannot be overly emphasized to acquire self-confidence. This concept is based on the idea that it is impossible to feel good about yourself if we are neglecting our biology. When you practice physical well-being, you are convincing yourself that you are doing something positive for your mind, body, and even your spiritual state.

A few months ago, a guest on the show was telling me how he reflects on the food he ingests by using acronyms. An acronym for the (diet) means (did I eat that?) or a little more ominous, the first three letters is (die), and it works for me.

A healthy diet comes with many benefits, including elevated levels of confidence and self-esteem. When you give your body the nutrients it needs, you feel much healthier, stronger, and with more energy, as a result, you will feel better about yourself.

Fortunately, my better half is an excellent cook, and when we talk about going out for lunch, I quickly tell myself of how much better the cooking at home is compared to local restaurants, they cannot hold a candle in comparison, when you think of the unhealthy ingredients used, not to mention the expense.

Studies continue to show that physical exercise boosts self-confidence, but when we consider improving our body image, it is incontrovertible. It does not have to be strenuous, but moderation is the key, it will provide you with longevity and especially if it is fun. But it is raining outside! Do not let that stop you, put on water-resistant clothing and ride your bike around the block, unleash the youngster within and try something new and accelerating.

Practice Meditation: It is much more than breathing exercises to relax, but includes self-talk that helps to accept yourself, your strengths, your contributions to those around you, your purpose in life. This will mitigate the negative mental chatter that interrupts your confidence and self-esteem.

I will tell you that I have learned much more from failures than successes, they are mor indelible. Learn to embrace those moments of no success. Thomas Edison had about 7000 failures before he succeeded in the invention of the light bulb. He assertively argued that he learned 7000 ways it did not work, he embraced his failures and was in-love with the process of resolving the issue.

Make it a habit to face your fears head on because, they are exaggerated and unjustifiable, do not disregard or run away. Never ever say, "I cannot manage this." This is impossible." But always tell yourself, "I can do this." Or "I can try and do my best and learn from it." Even if you strike yourself out like that little boy, there is always something to be learned, he learned he was the greatest pitcher of all.

As humanity, we are all in the same boat, we all have strengths and weaknesses, we all mumble and stumble along through life, it is only human for the young and old, you are not alone, I must remind myself as well.