So recently while pondering on how I feel my first year at uni went, I remembered that a very good friend came to me and said that I come across as being confident which did give me a bit of a shock (not in a bad way), he then went on to ask how to gain this confidence. Truth be told I’m not actually that confident at all, we all have our insecurities. Anyway I did go on to answer his question and I will try and recall as much of it as I can.
It has always been my belief that confidence isn’t necessarily a thing that you have, rather a thing you put on like a mask as you will. It is interesting to see that those who you assume to be really confident and the “cool kids” , could possibly be in a similar position to you. I understand that this assumption may not make a lot of sense to some people because how can a person who has more friends and really enjoying his life be in the same position as you. I accept that it is indeed a very valid point, although there is a different view you can take of this. From personal experience I have found that because I’m not “naturally” confident (nature vs. nurture? Who Knows?) I feel that if i really want to get myself out there I have to fake the confidence.
Faking confidence is an interesting concept as how does one actually go about faking confidence? Well I have quite a simplistic answer to, being that instead of thinking about the said situation that you are nervous or anxious about, just jump straight in so to speak. Let me give you an example, say it’s your first day at your new job and lunchtime is soon approaching. As you get up to go get some lunch from the canteen (assuming there is one) instead of sitting down on your own you get your food and walk straight to the table where your colleagues are and take a seat (do make sure no one is sitting in the seat you are about to sit in). I know this may sound basic and that’s what people normally do, but it is surprising how many people avoid doing it because they get anxious and they fear being rejected. What I propose here is that rather going though the same old question in your head of “what if they think I’m weird?”, “What if they say no?, it will be very embarrassing “ etc. Just go and sit with them, I understand that its easier said than done and it will take real courage and even a bit of a push in which case think of what could happen if you don’t do it. A lot of the time the more you avoid a situation the less likely you are to get it done, although even if you do fail at the first hurdle keep going because giving up could cause more problems than it solves.
Returning back to the analogy of confidence being like a mask, I still hold that idea. Due to the fact that as soon as you stop acting confident you seem to see yourself falling into a spiral of decline and getting out of it proves much more difficult than remaining to act confident in the first place.
While I give my 2 cents and advice on the matter, at the same time I’m attempting to implent the very advice that I’m giving. I do understand the situation that many are in and how it causes you to be in a predicament, I too am in the same position which I hope to correct quickly.