Am I confident? A strange question but it's a really important one to ask. Lack of confidence is something I see all the time in the world of health and fitness, particularly when it comes to body confidence (this is a whole different topic – one which I will tackle in a later blog).
In this blog I want to talk about confidence in general – the air that you exude in your everyday life, in front of other people. In the fitness industry EVERYBODY seems confident. Quite a pressure on someone like myself who has joined this industry quite late on in life. And lately, I have been experiencing more moments of self-doubt than usual, so am I confident…?
Professionally - in my 'day' job as a Communications Manager – then yes I am. I have learnt my trade and developed my skills in this profession for the past 20 years, for several global organisations and have worked with lots of different people from all walks of life. I’m confident by the successes I have achieved and the feedback I have received.
But am I confident as a fitness professional? Errrr...good question! I am more confident than I was, and my confidence is growing as I gain more experience and qualifications. BUT I do still get those ‘OMG’ moments when I feel woefully inadequate, particularly when I compare myself to others in the fitness industry. And these happen probably more than I would like at the moment. So what do I do to ensure I don’t get consumed by those fears?
Firstly, I always take time out to reflect on what I have achieved since I made the decision to pursue a career in fitness and wellbeing. I have found self-reflection quite a revelation and find it really useful to help me gather my thoughts, re-enforce positive thinking and help put things into perspective (particularly if I'm having a bit of a freak out!). Instead of comparing myself to others, I look at what I can learn from those around me. This has taken a while to get the hang of - particularity in the world of social media where we are bombarded with 'perfection'!
I also speak with those closest to me, whenever those doubts start to creep in. Not in a 'but-you're-great El-at-what-you-do' pat on the back kind of way, but just to unload my thoughts and feelings of what may be on my mind and to vocalize any doubts that may have started to creep in. EVERYONE needs someone to talk to - and not just when life dramas happen!
There's always going to be times when your confidence is knocked and self doubt creeps in. That's life I'm afraid. But if we find the positives in what we do, stop comparing ourself with others and learn to love ourselves a little bit more then I think our self confidence can only grow.
Love El
xx
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