I came across a blogging event today called Self-Confidence Sunday. The goal is to start the week off on a positive note and to share something that inspires you to feel confident! I thought this was such a wonderful idea, and I am excited to participate and share my inspiration with you.

In preparing to write this post, I came across a Barrie Davenport quote that really struck me. It says:

“Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered—just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.” –Barrie Davenport 

I absolutely LOVE this. Sometimes a battle with low self-esteem really can feel like a life sentence. It’s hard to see how you could possibly view yourself any other way—after all, you just are who you are, and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to change that.

But the truth is that self-confidence CAN be learned, just like any other skill. It takes time, effort, and repetition. It requires commitment. It means that you have to push through in the moments when you feel like giving up. And if you do, if you are willing to persevere through the hard times, “your life will change for the better”.

My friend Correne proved this to me today. She had been asked to share her story in front of several hundred people at a church function. She was terrified of public speaking. She couldn’t bear the thought of having everyone’s attention directed at her and she was afraid of being judged. The whole concept made her extremely anxious. But she knew that she had an important story to tell, and so she decided to face her fears.

This picture is my inspiration for Self-Confidence Sunday. With the support of her family and friends, Correne conquered her fears today. She took a step to practice self-confidence, even when she didn’t feel confident inside. What an inspiring display of courage! Just like I talked about in The Ultimate Fake-out, Correne based her actions on her true God-given value, rather than on her feelings. In reality, her story was worthy to be heard and she was worthy to share it. And because she didn’t shrink away, hundreds of people had the opportunity to be inspired by her bravery!

Like Correne, I am on a journey to master self-confidence. I don’t have it all figured out yet, and there are plenty of days when I forget where my value truly lies. I also really struggle with fearing the opinions of others. I think this is a major contributor to my social anxiety, because I am always afraid of how I will be perceived in social settings.

But today, thanks to Correne, I have been reminded that low self-confidence is NOT a life sentence. “Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered.” I don’t really want to put any work into becoming better at social interactions, but then, I guess Correne didn’t really want to put any work into overcoming her fear of public speaking either! But life change doesn’t just happen on its own. So… I guess I better start practicing!

Do you see low self-confidence as a life sentence, or do you agree that it can be learned? In what ways do you need to practice self-confidence this week?