Tag Archive for self confidence

5 Signs You Need to Improve Your Resilience

October 2, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

Need a little more resilience in your life? It could come in handy during tough times. Today we’re offering you some “tough love.” from GenuLines.

5 Signs You Need to Improve Your Resilience

Successful people are resilient in some shape or form. If not they would never overcome failure.

You might see yourself as resilient, and in many ways, you could be right.

But if the following descriptions fit you, then your resilience may be falling short . Here are five signs that mean you need to improve your resilience.

1. You’re afraid of failure
Failure is a natural part of success. You may fail several times before you succeed in something.

In fact it may even be necessary before you see that success.

Being able to face your failures is a part of being resilient. If you let all your unsuccessful attempts keep you down you may never try again.

Being afraid of failure may be a sign that your resilience is not as strong as you think

2. You let negative thoughts keep you down
Resilience is a sign of mental fortitude. You can survive challenges without pervasive thoughts discouraging you from trying.

Negative thoughts also impact your mental health. And they can lower your perception of self-worth.

If you’re prone to constant negativity you need to work on your positivity. Positive thinking is a tenet of resilience and can help you find success.

3. You don’t learn from your mistakes
Growth is an important factor in resilience. Improving your skills and abilities will lead you to success.

How can you ever grow as a person if you keep making the same mistakes over and over?

Take a clear look at your mistakes. Don’t place blame.

You’ll improve yourself. And, you’ll grow.

Don’t pretend your mistakes never happened or you’ll be unable to avoid them the next time.

4. You lack confidence
Resilient people are confident in their abilities. even without success on the first try. Confidence gives you the willpower to try new and intimidating things.

If you’re too afraid to try, you’ll never succeed.

5. You don’t take responsibility for your failure
It’s easy to place blame on outside factors that you have no control over. You won’t always have power over everything, so you have to take every situation for what it is.

By acknowledging what you can control and change, you take agency in your life. Admit it if something didn’t go right because of something you did.

Don’t always blame others for your mistakes.

Resilience gives you the power to overcome challenges. Without it, you’ll be more prone to give up.

If you find that some of these signs describe you, then you may need to take steps to improve your resilience.

JohnK 10-2-2023
chiforyourself.com

Overheard: “Fall seven times, stand up eight”

~Japanese Proverb

How to Fight For What Is Yours

September 5, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

An old saying tells us to pick our fights carefully. We’re not suggesting violence. But there are times when you can be more combative and GenuLines shows you how to do that.

How to Fight for What Is Yours

Everyone has needs which at some point will collide with others. In such cases, you may need to fight for what is yours.

There are ways to handle the situation and not get too overheated or out of control.

Always be respectful of others’ feelings. There is nothing wrong with fighting for what you deserve.

But keep in mind that others are going to try to fight for themselves.

That could cause you to become angry with them. And you might say something disrespectful in the heat of the moment.

Stay Calm
Try to remain calm and remember that the other people are trying to get the same as you.

Along those lines, always present your case based on the facts. Don’t introduce false information to try and sway the decision makers to your side.

When you have the facts on your side, you can reference them and where you found them.

Be ready for any counter-arguments from others fighting for what you want. Preparation will help you know what to say when they present those arguments.

And you’ll be able to prepare an answer ahead of time.

Sticks And Stones?
Never revert to name calling and don’t make the situation personal. In most cases, what you’re fighting for has little to do with peoples’ personalities.

So it has no place in the discussion.

For instance, you may be competing with someone for a promotion at work. If you start attacking them on a personal level, it’ll likely backfire on you and you’ll look bad.

Make Room
Let other people speak. If you interrupt people before they speak their minds, you may not get the full story.

You may jump to incorrect conclusions. By allowing others to finish what they have to say, you can present a more appropriate argument.

Expect the same when you speak. And ask to speak without interruption.

Above all, try to remain calm throughout the process. You’ll exude confidence.

That can strengthen your position when others are getting hotheaded. You’ll be the bigger person.

And that could give you the advantage.

JohnK 9-4-2023
chiforyourself.com

Overheard: “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight”

~ Sun Tzu

Do You Believe in Your Own Potential?

March 13, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

You’re capable of great things and people have been telling you that for a long time. But deep down you’re not sure you believe it’s true.

Let’s unpack this with a GenuLines look at a perplexing question.

Do You Believe in Your Own Potential?

While we all have dreams and aspirations, few of us are aware of our own potential. It can be hard to see the good and admirable traits in ourselves, much like it is with our faults.

But, believing in our potential is a crucial part of developing self-confidence.

To achieve all you’re capable of, you have to believe in your potential. It can help you to try new things, challenge yourself, and take risks that could lead to success.

GenuLines has come up with a few ways you can boost belief in your potential.

Spend Time in Self-Reflection

The first way to determine if you believe in your own potential is to spend time in self-reflection. Ask yourself what you’re capable of; what are your strengths and admirable qualities?

During this time, try to focus on the following:

? What is your potential?

? What do you want to achieve?

? Do you believe you can achieve it?

? What can you do with this potential?

Focusing on these questions. Answering them will help you to identify your potential and give you stronger belief in it.

Write Down What You See As Your Full Potential

Now that you’ve had time to reflect on what your potential is, you can list the needed qualities and skills. This will help you affirm what your potential is and your belief in it.

Study this list and keep it close by. Be sure to look at it whenever you feel yourself doubting your potential.

This way you’ll keep your potential top of mind.

Prove Your Potential to Yourself

To believe in something people sometimes need to see it. This even extends to what they believe about themselves.

A great way to believe in your potential is to prove to yourself you have it. Act on it; challenge yourself by pushing the limits of your potential.

This challenge can be career-, hobby-, or relationship-oriented. As long as it challenges you and forces you to showcase your full potential.

When this happens you’ll have a well-earned sense of accomplishment and confidence. And you’ll believe in your potential without doubts.

Surround Yourself with Those Who Believe in Your Potential

We all like to think we don’t let others affect us. But the reality is that the people around us, especially those close to us, do affect us.

If those close to you doubt your potential, you’re likely to do the same. You don’t need that negative influence in your life.

Instead, be around people who are more likely to encourage you to achieve all you can. Believing in your potential is an essential part of being confident and successful.

At times this will take work. So keep at it.

And keep believing.

JohnK 3-13-2023

chiforyourself.com

Overheard: “They can conquer who believe they can”

~Virgil

What Is Peace Of Mind And Why Do You Need It?

December 26, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Peace of mind is in short supply today. We’d love to have it but many of us wonder if we’ll ever get to that point.

But you can have it as GenuLines shows you today.

What Is Peace Of Mind And Why Do You Need It?

The words “peace of mind” often take on an ambiguous meaning. They can range from the serenity of a Buddhist monk to being able to sleep at night without a racing mind.

The phrase “peace of mind” has become watered down over time.

But there’s actually a valid reason for the various definitions of these words. We’re unique individuals navigating through life with a lot of perspectives and experiences.

So achieving peace of mind must also differ in its definition.

Your path to this state requires you to be your own trailblazer.

Whatever approach you take to reach piece of mind, it’s only important that you do.

Having It All

You can have all the drive, motivation, and intelligence in the world. But if you lack focus the road in front of you will always appear blurry.

We’ve already looked at the fact that peace of mind varies from person to person. But there’s one definition that encapsulates it.

– Peace of mind is the ability to appreciate and respect the person you are, realize that you are not perfect and that mistakes are inevitable. And you want to keep a limit on the regret and second-guessing you leave behind.

Looks Are Deceiving

There are many examples around us of people who, from the outside looking in, seem to have it all. They’re dominating the game of life.

Unfortunately, a lot of these people feel anything but successful in their own minds.

Sure, they may look like they’ve raced down the path of success. While this may be true; they’ve arrived at the finish line with a lot of extra baggage.

It could be that they made some unethical business decisions to accumulate a fortune. On the way they neglected those closest to them in pursuit of personal goals.

The point I’m getting at is that peace of mind is not a destination you reach.

In reality, it’s the WAY you reach this destination. As the ancients might say, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”

Going For Broke

As you go through life, make sure to never fall into the “succeed at all costs” way of thinking. This may get you many of the material things of value the world has to offer.

But the enjoyment will fade out at some point. Another way of saying this is do things the right way.

Most of us have some form of moral compass. This could be our religious beliefs, cultural values, or personal code of ethics.

These things serve to speak to the person we are and the person we are to become. In your pursuit of success in this life, never jeopardize what is right to get ahead.

Make a habit of staying true to yourself. You’ll sleep well with a clarity of consciousness.

And that comes from knowing you did things the RIGHT way.

JohnK 12-26-2022

chiforyourself.com

Overheard: When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there”

~ George Harrison

What is Your Confidence Quotient?

April 25, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Is your confidence up to the task? It may be time to take stock of where you are on the confidence scale.

These questions from GenuLines are intended to help your sweet spot.

What is Your Confidence Quotient?

Yes you want to be confident. But not so confident that you come off as arrogant.

You want to project the confidence needed to succeed in life and reach the goals that you’ve set for yourself.

Read and answer the following questions (all yes or no) and then look back on your answers. You should have a pretty good idea if your confidence quotient is high or low – or in the middle.

This will show you areas you need to work on to raise it.

Do you feel guilty when you say “no?”

Saying “no” can be traumatic for you if you lack confidence in your decisions.

You may find yourself making up lies to get out of things rather than saying, “no.”

Do you compare yourself to others?

There’s always going to be someone smarter, richer and better looking than you. Until you become comfortable with yourself you’ll lack confidence to go farther in life.

Do you feel intimidated in most situations?

You’re likely to feel intimidated by others if you compare yourself to others. (see previous question) Don’t think of yourself as inferior to them.

Stop comparing yourself and enjoy the moment.

Do you stand up for your values and beliefs?

Let’s say you easily get swayed by others or stay silent in an uncomfortable situation. You could lack confidence.

Compromising your belief system can be a confidence killer.

Do you try hard to impress others?

When you’re confident, you don’t have to strive to impress. You’ll impress others with your mere presence.

Confidence exudes an image that means you don’t have to try to impress – it will become natural

Are you money sound?

Financial well-being can add to your confidence quotient. If you have trouble budgeting and spending you may need help from a pro.

A financial planner can give you more confidence in your financial future.

Do you hesitate to take the initiative on projects or ideas?

Building confidence helps you feel good about taking on challenges and new ideas. It’s okay to take a back seat to someone who knows more and whom you can learn from.

But put yourself out there by sometimes taking the initiative.

Do you feel confident about your future?

It’s important that you feel comfortable about the choices you’re making. This will go a long way toward impacting your future.

That future encompasses your health, family and job decisions that you’re making now. Be sure they’re based on facts.

Assess your confidence quotient and determine what you need to do to raise it.

Check your progress

Take action on your weak points. Later, when you feel you’ve made progress in the areas you needed to work on, answer the questions again.

And see how far you’ve progressed.

JohnK 4-25-2022

chiforyourself.com home

Overheard: “It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.”

-Lillian Hellman

Why Self-Confidence Matters

March 28, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

You know that self-confidence is important. You just don’t think about it much.

Today you’re invited to sample some food for thought from GenuLines.

Why Self-Confidence Matters

It often seems that confidence is elusive, like a smoky mirage.

Sometimes, it feels magical and wonderful; other times it can be frustrating.

But you can build up your self-confidence without having to resort to mystical means.

‘How?’ you ask. It’s simple.

Start by recognizing that confidence is a skill you can learn. You set a goal and take small steps each day to work towards it.

Keep reading to find out more about self-confidence and why it matters.

What Is Self-Confidence?

Self-confidence isn’t tangible. You can’t touch it and say, “This is confidence.”

It’s something we get a feeling for when we, or others, have it.

Likewise, we can recognize when someone lacks it. Even when they try to attempt to compensate for it, we sense it and feel bad for them.

The good news is that self-confidence is a soft skill. Which means you can learn it and apply it to your daily life.

It’s not fixed, like your height for example.

It’s based for the most part on your mindset and the actions you do to follow through. You can boost your confidence and self-esteem by trusting your abilities.

Seeing yourself succeed in your mind is the first step in making better decisions.

Then, when your decisions make your life better, your confidence gets a nice little boost. And round and round it goes.

Confidence is Infectious

Even though we can’t see it, we still sense other people’s confidence levels in the way they behave and speak.

When you’re confident, you exude excitement and energy. You’re motivated to work hard and feel that same energy.

The downside is it goes both ways.

When one person lacks confidence, it can deflate everyone around them. They get the sense that there’s no point in trying.

Why Does Self-Confidence Matter?

There are different reasons why being confident can improve your life. Below, you’ll find a few examples of how it can make you a happier, more fulfilled individual.

Allows You to Take Positive Risks

Confidence can your life bring balance and a sense of direction. Making a conscious decision to develop your confidence does several things.

It allows you to take positive risks. It gets you out of your comfort zone.

And puts you on the path to success. The trick is understanding your own strength.

You have to believe that you can master whatever skill you’re working on.

Yes, it’ll be weird and difficult in the beginning. Yes, you’ll make mistakes along the way.

So what?

That’s what life is about. This is what boosts your self-esteem and makes you better at everything you do.

Empowers You to Embrace Your Failures

We all make mistakes. We all fail and meet obstacles in our lives.

The key is to understand that failures are a necessary part of progress. Read that again and let it sink in.

You may think that when you fail, it’s the end of the journey. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. To embrace your failures, you have to think of them as detours.

When you’re forced to change lanes or take a detour that doesn’t mean the entire journey is over. It means you’re taking a different path.

You’ll get there when the time is right.

Now, why do some people succeed after failing and others don’t? Those who manage to do that learn from their mistakes.

They go over what went wrong and find a way to fix it. In other words, they use their failures to their advantage.

They use them to prop themselves up and give them the push they need to keep going on their path.

Let’s Pause

Think about Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of these two names?

Success? Fame? Glory? All of the above?

What about failure?”

These are two of the most familiar names you can think of. You say they haven’t failed.

Well, in truth they have—many times, in fact.

Yet, they’re smart enough to use their failures as stepping stones to aim higher and work harder.

Imagine the contributions we would never know if these two men had given up every time they failed! One of Edison’s quotes about refining the light bulb is, “I haven’t failed.

I’ve found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Enables You To Trust Yourself

Many times, we can be our own worst enemies. We critique every move, every word, and every thought over and over again.

In moderation, it can be a great incentive to do better. Although, this only works if we treat ourselves with the same kindness and empathy, we show others.

Sad to say, it doesn’t happen very often. The best way to break out of that negative self-talk is to have faith in yourself.

Have faith in your decisions Even if you made mistakes in the past, that doesn’t ensure future failures. Own up to your bad decision, embrace it, and move on.

That’s now part of your DNA; it’s helping shape a stronger, more resilient person. Imagine it being part of your arsenal or a superpower.

Now, you’ve turned your mistake into something that can make you more resilient and less anxious.

A Final Note

Self-confidence is an integral part of who you are. Knowing why it matters may be the difference between being happy and being miserable.

Having that self-assurance can help boost your relationships and career. You’ll also be able to inspire others to become happier and more fulfilled.

JohnK 3-28-2022

chiforyourself.com home

Overheard: “With confidence, you have won before you have started”

~Marcus Garvey

Boost Your Motivation Skills In 5 Steps

May 31, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Motivation seems to work on its own schedule. One day you’ll have it and the next you won’t

Consider connecting the motivation “dots” with this GenuLines list of motivation boosters.

____________________

Boost Your Motivation Skills In 5 Steps

Hard times are mile markers on the road to a life of fulfillment and achievement. The toughest of these markers to deal with tends to be motivation.

The following 5 helpful steps are in no particular order. They’re intended to boost your motivation and drive to reach your goals.

1. Know Your Why

When you set out toward your goal you have an ideas of why you’re doing it. But as you do the work you may start questioning this why.

And there WILL be days in which you feel less motivated than others. Keep the why in front of you so you can get up from your falls and keep pushing.

2. Know Your Direction

Extreme motivation can cause you to put your head down and work like a maniac. Sometimes this mindset helps you.

But you’ve goy to keep some sense of direction. Big goals rarely consist of point A and point B.

Instead, keep in mind a general outline of each step toward your destination. So yes, keeping your nose to the “grindstone” is good.

But looking up every now and then to adjust your direction helps, too.

3. Allow Small Victories

If you don’t enjoy small successes in pursuit of your target you’ll run out of gas before you get there. Enjoy your journey.

Take some time to reward yourself when you pass one of the (often many) small steps along the way.

4. You Versus You, Not You Versus Them

This step is especially important. Your goals are YOUR goals. Letting other people’s pursuits dictate what you strive for is a slippery slope.

If you want to make a comparisons make it to the person you were the day before.

5. Controlled Tunnel Vision

Consider this: your target goal likely involves only one facet of your life. And your life must not stop while you pursue it.

Your motivation and energy will focus on the biggest victory you’re after. This is true whether this goal is career, athletic or more personal,

In any case make sure you honor all facets of your life that will get you there. Balance is always key.

Don’t let the rest of your life fall to the wayside while you chase one dream!

JohnK 5-31-2021
chiforyourself.com

Overheard: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily”

~Zig Ziglar

Being a Perfectionist May Be a Sign of Low Self Trust

February 5, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments

Are you a perfectionist? If so, your expectations may be set too high. GenuLines takes a look at this tendency, flaws and all.

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So you’re a perfectionist

It’s natural to want everything to be perfect. The trouble is there’s no time for it.

You’ll be disappointed to find that most people aren’t perfectionists.

You need to learn how to manage expectations.

It’s a delicate balance, and you have to know when you’ve done as much as you should. You can always do more, but you need to move on.

You snooze you lose

Another problem with perfectionism is that you may miss opportunities. Suppose you decide to hold off releasing a product because you want to put more features into it.

You delay the release of the product by several months. But you see that your competitors are finished releasing their versions.

The product you would have released was better than your competitors. Customers would have likely bought your products over your competitors.

Try explaining that one to management or shareholders!

Spreading the news

Good customer experiences with products get shared with friends and family. This sharing also occurs on social media channels, which in turn, can go viral.

It’s more challenging to build up a product that’s not yet released than it is to build up one that is.

When perfectionism is okay

There are cases that call for perfectionism. Medical techniques and technologies come to mind.

In most other fields, though, perfectionism will hold you back. It’s not necessary, and it only leads to frustration and delays.

Of course, you should never release products that have a sloppy design. Or are dangerous to the consumer.

That’s where this delicate balance comes into play. The product needs to meet safety guidelines.

Your reputation is at stake, and you don’t want customers bashing your product or your brand. In this case, it may be necessary to delay the release of products until they are safe, etc.

In self we trust

How is being a perfectionist a sign that you don’t trust yourself? You think that nothing is ever good enough and that you have to keep striving to be better.

When you trust yourself, you can reel in expectations to manageable levels.

JohnK 2-4-2019

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