Inspiring Lives Magazine Winter 2017: Issue 3 | Page 12

THE

CONFIDENCE

FACTOR

Essential Exercises for Building Your Confidence

By Melanie Fitzpatrick

Recently , I read an article in Fast Company that interviewed eight female leaders on what was holding them back in their careers .

The top career blockers they identified were gender bias , societal pressures , and insecurity . According to authors Katty Kay and Claire Shipman in their book The Confidence Code , women tend to struggle with a lack of confidence more so than men and are more likely to be perfectionists and hold themselves back from asking for a raise and advancement .
As an ambitious professional woman myself , I have experienced the feeling of playing small and not always speaking my mind . When we play small , we feel small . I saw how it held me back from showing up fully in my power in situations where I was the expert .
So , while we may not be able to control a gender bias and all societal pressures , we can address the Confidence Factor ! I look at confidence like it is a muscle that must be exercised daily for it to grow and remain strong .
Here are four muscle-building exercises to gain the Confidence Factor .
Photo : Anita Buzzy
Own Your Value . Identify what you are really good at , and own it ! Be proud of it , promote it , and
Melanie Fitzpatrick
remind yourself frequently what your assets are ! As women , we receive a lot of negative messages from society and from our own inner critic . You can shut down those messages by routinely acknowledging the evidence which comes in the purest form : your accomplishments . Owning your gifts and talents and expressing them often builds your confidence muscle .
Stop over-doing . When you spread yourself so thin by taking on too many tasks or projects , you end up feeling less than satisfied with the quality of your work . And that tends to undermine your confidence because it ’ s sending the “ I ’ m not good enough ” message . Instead , try this confidence-boosting approach : focus on 2 – 3 projects that excite you and fall into your area of expertise . This way , you can position yourself to have the highest level of impact on the outcome , while showcasing your value !
Take a Leap . Once you ’ ve gained more confidence — take a risk by taking a leap toward something that is more challenging than you ’ ve ever done before ! As women , we need to leave our comfort zones . You don ’ t have to be perfect or have every attribute for a new role . Part of the purpose of taking a leap is to learn and rise to the challenge . And if
12 INSPIRING LIVES WINTER 2017