"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it."—J. M. Barrie
Question: If someone were to walk up to you right at this very moment and ask you what the word "confident" meant, what would you say? Would you say something along the lines of it means to love yourself? Would you associate it with being a positive person? Or maybe a fearless one? Personally, I think those are some of the results of confidence, but the best way to describe it is you are sure of yourself.
It sounds simple enough, right? Maybe simple but definitely not easy. If you're sure of yourself, it means that you don't doubt yourself. If you're sure of yourself, it also means that you're confident, reliable and stable ("stable" is a big one). If you're sure of yourself, more times than not, you move with accuracy and precision, without hesitation or uncertainty. You're also intentional about making decisions that will not bring harm or danger to you or others.
Like I said, confident isn't the easiest thing on the planet to be but man, once you're able to master it, you are literally able to rock this world, in the most profound and powerful ways possible.
Are you ready to learn how to be (more) confident? Here are 10 examples of how confident people live their lives each and every day.
They Make Bold Moves
I dig words. "Bold" is one of my favorite ones. Bold people speak their mind. Bold people take risks. Bold people step up to challenges. Bold people don't hesitate to do what is best for them. Bold people define success on their own terms. Bold people don't let their past, their flaws or even their issues stop them. Bold people make history.
To tell you the truth, not everyone likes a bold person. They can come off abrasive and even pushy, at times. But that's the cool thing about them. Most of the time, they're too busy walking in their boldness as they're on their way to greatness to notice or care what other people think.
They Can Take Criticism
On the heels of the first point, this doesn't mean that confident people are arrogant or narcissistic. Trust me, over these past few months, I've done more research on narcissism than I ever thought I would (The Royal We is a great YouTube channel on the topic). What I've come to the conclusion of is arrogance and narcissism are false (and toxic) imitations of confidence. The reason why I say that is because if you can't ever be told about yourself, if you can't receive things that you need to hear in order to mature and grow, you are being the mere opposite of confidence.
People who are truly secure in themselves are constantly wanting to evolve, including when it comes to their character. If that requires hearing some hard things about their faults and flaws, so be it. They can take it because they know it will only make them better individuals in the long run.
They're Able to Control Their Emotions
Pop offs. People with tunnel vision. Individuals who constantly react to their triggers. Negative folks. People who stew in their feelings. Something that all of these folks have in common is they usually don't know how to control their emotions. Contrary to what a lot of people think, while sometimes we can't control how we feel, what we can do is control how we respond and react as the direct result of those feelings.
Confident people have the ability to think past the moment they are in. Not only that but they like the sense of stability; this includes emotional stability. So, rather than always letting their feelings dictate what they should or shouldn't do, they prefer to think matters through, apply common sense and woosah themselves off of the ledge of a potential poor decision instead.
At the end of the day, for a confident person, their peace of mind is more important than emotionally reacting (or overreacting) to everyone and everything all of the time.
They Like Affirmations. Dislike Gossip.
I'm not sure social media would exist (at least at the level that it does) and I definitely know celebrity blogs wouldn't if we all didn't have even a little bit of interest in gossip. However, confident people can only take so much of it, whether it's true or not (because gossip isn't always salacious; sometimes it's just info that is absolutely none of our business). One reason is because they don't like to hear a lot of negativity. Another reason is because, whenever they do catch wind of some, they are typically thinking, "I could be doing a lot of other things rather than listening to this information that's not gonna change my life one way or another."
Affirmations, on the other hand, they're all about those. That's because it's all about making people feel better, lifting them higher and putting good energy into the universe. Yep, you will hear confident people do more affirming than gossiping, more times than not. You can bet on that.
They Don't Need Everyone to Like (or Get) What They're Doing
My friends know that I don't give the "don't judge me" stance much energy. Any time I hear someone say that, I think about back when I used to be a judge for the Titans cheerleader competitions back in the day. The only women who had a problem with the judges' "judgment" were the ones who lost.
And you know what? The main people who don't like judgment, in the general sense, are those who get mad when someone doesn't like what they are doing. Like if they wear an outfit and someone tells them how dope they look, they don't mind that judgment. But let someone tell them that they look a hot mess and suddenly, they don't want to be judged.
Confident folks? You can like or not like what they wear, say or do. They aren't doing it for the applause or approval of others, so it doesn't shake them one way or another. When you can function without a pep rally or parade, pat yourself on the back. You've got quite a bit of confidence, whether you realize it or not.
They're Unapologetic About Their Boundaries
Not too long ago, I was telling someone that if you set a boundary and someone asks you to explain—which is really more like justify—it, that's a clear sign that they already don't respect it.
Boundaries don't require an explanation. If you want to give one, that's a courtesy—no more, no less.
That said, sometimes confident individuals can come off as cocky because they'll say "no" to something without elaborating or compromising. But the truth of the matter is, they are simply honoring their own limits. If you just read that and totally got it, you're probably a confident person. But if you read that and felt some type of way, confidence, at least in this particular area, is probably something you could stand to work on.
They Are Genuinely Happy for People's Progress
A wise man once said, "Envy is about counting someone else's blessings instead of your own." Confident people don't know anything about this because they understand that someone else's wins do not prevent them from having some as well, even if they are a different kind and come in a different season.
One of my closest friends models this to me very well. Once upon a time, Rissi was a really well-known Black country musician; now she's a soul artist and activist in her own right (check out her "Seeds" video sometime; it's dope!). Whenever she hears of other Black country artists rising (like Jimmie Allen; he's cool people, so I had to shout him out!) or anyone in general doing their thing, she is the first to clap and get excited for them. No backhanded compliments. No comparing. None of that. Just sheer joy.
Only truly confident people can put out the kind of energy that has a non-compete clause. For real, for real.
They Can (and Do) Admit When They Are Wrong
It takes a very insecure person to know they are wrong and still try and find ways to sidestep or deflect from that very fact. Folks who think that they are always right or somehow think that making mistakes and acknowledging them is a sign of weakness? They are people who have a very low level of confidence.
Confidence isn't about being perfect or having all of the answers. Confidence is about having such a strong sense of self that, even when you mess up, you're strong enough to admit that, right your wrongs and try again. You see errors also as a sign of growth; especially when you are able to learn from them. And since confident people are all about growth…there you go.
They Hate Stagnation
Remember how I said that confidence is about being sure of yourself? When you're in that kind of head and heart space, failure doesn't scare you. And because it doesn't, you are totally open to taking risks, trying new things and being a trailblazer rather than a follower. In fact, you'd rather fail miserably and know that you tried than stick to a formula or routine just so you won't have to step outside of your comfort zone.
Stagnation can be a really ugly word because it's hard to thrive, personally or professionally, when you're not developing or evolving. Confident people know this. That's why they are always taking steps forward. Small or big doesn't matter to them. Just so long as they do it.
They Celebrate Themselves
Something else that's super cool about confident people is that they don't wait for other people to acknowledge them. If they know that they went above and beyond with a project at work, they take their own selves out for a drink. If no one else remembers their birthday, that's fine because they had a spa day planned weeks ahead of schedule. If they set a goal and reach it, you may or may not see them talk about it on social media. They are too focused on what's next to do a ton of bragging.
If you're someone who is in the habit of celebrating yourself, I commend you! It means that you're so in the habit of praising yourself that if it comes from any other source, that's merely a bonus. And having that kind of confidence? You have no idea just how far it will take you in life. Bravo!
Want more stories like this? Check out the xoNecole reads below:
How To Tap Into Your Inner Confidence As An Introvert - Read More
Say These Self-Affirmations To Start Your Day On The Right Note - Read More
15 Affirmations To Inspire A Happier, More Fulfilled Life - Read More
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