What Is Self-Confidence?

My forty ------face felt far more comfortable than anything I lived with previously. Self-confidence was a powerful beauty-potion; I looked better because I felt better. Failure and ariif as well as suc­cess and love had served me well. Finally, 1 was tapping into that most hard-won if youth dews: wisdom.
-NANCY COLLINS

Many people confuse self-esteem with self-confidence.

For me, self­-esteem is how we really feel about ourselves in the secret sanctuary of our soul.  Do we love, accept, and approve of ourselves unconditionally?

Do we believe that we are worthy of  the love of others and the best that life has to offer?

The quality of our self-esteem is very deeply connected to the rela­tionship with our first and most important critics: our parents.  If they unconditionally  loved, accepted, and approved of us, then we probably do, too.

But self-confidence is a special elixir that Spirit has prepared to help each of us face and surmount the challenges of life.  It's an aromatic blend­ing of invigorating essences: attitude, experience, knowledge, wisdom, optimism, and faith.

If we were fortunate enough to grow up in loving, supportive homes and our self-esteem is strong,  we learned our own homeo­pathic formula early.  If we did not, then we need to learn how to mix our own custom blend.  What's important to realize is that self-confidence is available to all of us.

An optimistic attitude is essential to self-confidence.  So, is learning from our mistakes and recognizing that everything in life can be used as a lesson once we are willing to be taught.

"If you think you can, you can," the American cosmetics entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash tells us. "And if you think you can't, you're right."

Today, tell yourself that you can do anything you want to do.  Because you can.

Like an expensive perfume, only a smidgen of self-confidence is needed to enhance a person's authentic aura.