CONFIDENCE.
(According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
noun | con·fi·dence \ ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s , -ˌden(t)s \
1. a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances.
Growing up, I’ve always been the girl who worried a lot – worrying about the inability to attain knowledge to pass tests, not meeting assignment deadlines, or what other people would think. But 2018 has been a self-changing year. I could even feel myself changing. So now you’re wondering what I am mean and how did I do it.
First, stop caring what other people think. I stopped caring if people seeing me as selfish or b*tchy, but as long as I give myself self-love from time-to-time, then it’s worth it.
Second, stop devaluing yourself. I had a bad habit of seeing who can get to the finish line fastest, but I stopped devaluing myself whenever I compare my life to others. Instead, I use their paths as motivation and lessons to learn so that I can continue on MY path to success. We all have our own timeline and we’re not competing against each other. We approach life differently and we should use each other’s energy to grow as one.
Third, be proud of your body. Be proud of how you look. The way you perceive yourself versus the way other people perceive you will always be different. We tend to look at the negative things because we are never satisfied especially when growing up with family who are never satisfied. But as long as you are healthy – eat healthy, do the exercises you enjoy, and just breathe, then be happy with the body you have, no matter what shape or size.
Four, don’t let someone dictate your decisions. I’ve repeatedly said not to let anyone discourage you from going after your dreams. After all, you created those dreams for a reason because you wanted to achieve something. I was lucky to have parents who supported my college major and career choice instead of being typical parents who wanted their children to become engineers, doctors, pharmacists, etc. I was also lucky to have dated someone who called me out on things, pushed my boundaries, and made me stand firmly on the ground. (See previous dating posts for more details). But don’t let anyone make decisions for you. Tell them that you stand by what you believe in and you make your own dreams come true.
Since middle school and high school, I’ve always enjoyed being behind the scenes. But taking improv during my last year of college brought a side of me that I never knew existed. I am not ashamed of who I am, what I am doing, and how I am doing it because I am happy. And when I’m worrying or stressing, I constantly remind myself to breathe. I also turn to aerial which turns my world upside-down – seeing the world from a different perspective, just like what I was taught in architecture school. I also just stop what I’m doing and relax.
“Sometimes doing nothing leads to something.”
– Winnie the Pooh.
So I challenge you to stop comparing yourself to everyone around you and start being YOU. Start doing what you love and start pursuing what you want to do.
Hiraeth 