Confidence with a capital C

This blogging thing is a bit addictive.  It’s true, there are far worse things to become addicted to so I am now happily admitting my fascination and secret fondness for blogging. Alas, here’s blog number 3.

As we embark on recruiting our next group of trainees, we have been having many conversations about how we build confidence in young people who have been disengaged from families, school, employment and community.  We have talked this topic to within an inch of its life and I got to thinking that we might have been making this matter more complex than it needs to be.

As we live in a modern, interactive and electronic world, I did what any self respecting researcher would do and posted a message on Facebook.  I asked my nearest and dearest the simple question “What makes you feel confident?”

Although I expected nothing less, I was pleasantly surprised to receive so many wonderful and insightful responses from my beautiful friends.  I wanted to share some of their responses with you.

“The one thing that comes to mind is being around positive people. People who bring you up - not down.......”

“Feedback, both good and not so good gives me the confidence to give most things a crack even if they don't always turn out the way they were planned!”

“Completing something successfully from beginning to end - like baking a cake from scratch”

“facing a situation or person that is daunting - both at work and in life. Whilst it will always seem safer/easier to avoid, whatever it is will always linger and can only bring you down.... I have a little motto - if you can't shake it, then face it”

“Knowing what you stand for and what you don't stand for. Living true to your values and having clarity in the difference you want to make in life. Knowing and being comfortable in you gives you confidence.”

“confidence = know yourself, like yourself and be true to yourself!!”

“Moving into a new situation/place/position, so slowly that you don't even know that you're moving, and concentrating only on the moment. Step by step, breath by breath, and then, without even realising it, you're somewhere you once thought was impossible.”

Look out Trainees, we are now well and truly on the confidence building track.

So, as you read this, I hope you are encouraged by these words and tackle your next challenge with passion, commitment and confidence.