Building confidence and resilience takes time and effort but it does worth it as the effect you get affects every aspect of your life in a positive way. Below are some tips on how to build/improve your confidence levels so that next time you face a challenge, you will know that you CAN do it, that you have the power to stand up to it and make the best out of it regardless of what life throws at you.

• Know who you are
  • Write down unique skills and experiences that define you (not just professional skills but skills that will set you apart, maybe you know few languages or have mastered a musical instrument?)
  • Write down your strengths and what makes you who you are today (if you were a celebrity writing your own biography, what qualities would you be proud of? What defines you?)
  • Think back about all positive experiences that made you energized or excited (big and small wins, maybe it’s running a marathon, maybe it is performing in a school play, or maybe it is driving a truck? Focus on the experience and how well it made you feel)
  • Write down your dreams, your plans and your goals. Think of all things you wanted to achieve since you were a teenager, or maybe earlier, and check mark the ones that you already have achieved.
  • Believe in yourself and your abilities. We often focus on our limits instead of our possibilities, the choice of what to focus on dictates how you approach every opportunity you get.
• Be proud of your achievements
  • Write down/surround yourself with all your achievements/reminders of your achievements up to date, big and small (if you don’t know where to start, read old cards that you have received, look at your resume, or maybe it is a new recipe that you have mastered, or maybe it’s pictures of your children or spouse? Or maybe it is a picture of all kids whose lives were saved because of the charity that you have led?) 
• Know your toolbox
  • Write down/discover and prepare resources  and tools (blogs, websites, books, quotes, guides, courses and workshops) and people that are able to support you/help you develop new skill-sets or knowledge you need/want to have to succeed
  • Write down all things that make you happy, energize you, things that reduce your stress or anxiety or make you feel relaxed, and think how you can maximize their presence in your life (if warm baths relax you, perhaps getting bath salts will make you feel better).
  • Once you discovered what things make you happy/energized/relaxed, develop a plan on how you can utilize their use when you actually feel you need them. This way you create a system so that next time, if for example, you are scared of public speaking but have to deliver a presentation, you will turn to your toolkit and use things that reduce your anxiety (whether it is special oils, favourite song, a kind letter from a supportive friend or personal mantra- you will know what to do).
• Being resilient builds on 3 components:
  • knowing your strength – know both strengths and weaknesses, and focus on targeting both so that your weaknesses become opportunities for growth rather than your limitations
  • having a vision –  what legacy do you want to leave behind? what change do you want to bring to the world? what do you want your kids/spouse/family/friends/co-workers remember you for? what do you want to be known for? 
  • being positive regardless of your current environment/situation – think about role models and success stories of celebrities or great people that made themselves successful regardless where they were born/who surrounded them (e.g. Oprah was told she was not fit for television; Einstein was told there was no point for him to continue studying at school (told by his teacher); Steve Jobs was fired by Apple, etc.) However, these people had a vision and didn’t focus on rejection regardless how painful could be. Instead, they focus on moving up, developing and proving people who failed to see their abilities wrong.