Have a Little Faith… In Yourself
By: John Cunningham
Tags: Personal Growth, Psychology, Positive Thinking, Self-awareness, Mindset

Photo by Raj Shah on Unsplash

Robert had a dream. He wanted to write for the Washington Post. His friends and family thought he was crazy, because he always got Cs in English. Despite his best efforts one of his high school teachers told him he would never be a good writer.

Still, Robert was determined. He started writing a blog and over time his writing improved. Robert wrote content for people who were building their own websites. He even started writing posts on Medium, a site for aspiring and accomplished writers.

Robert found some success writing for himself and submitting articles about his other hobbies to niche websites and publications. He saw a new opportunity and decided to take a big chance and sent in an opinion piece to the Washington Post. To his surprise, they published it. He continued to write and improve his craft by studying on his own and writing for others through contacts he had made and winning contracts on freelance sites like fiverr.

Then one day it happened. He saw a commission asking for an article on a classic car show in his hometown for the Post. He submitted an inquiry with three articles he had written about classic cars and the nostalgic vehicle lifestyle. Not only did he win that commission, but it was so well received that he continued to get offers to write not just for the Washington Post but for other newspapers and publications around the world. None of this would have been possible if Robert hadn’t believed in himself.

If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride — and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards. Bear Bryant

Life is Not Stacked Against You

When life feels like everything is against you, it’s not uncommon to seek support and comfort in the words of others. However comforting like a warm blanket that may be, that won’t help you get where you want to be. Those words won’t help you achieve the things you are capable of. You need to have faith that you can achieve the success that is in your mind’s eye. No one else can do it for you. No one else will be there when you fail, and your need to consider the lessons learned. That is all on you.

Win Life One Day at a Time

You can look back in dismay at all the past “couldas, wouldas and shouldas”. That won’t get you very far. You could accept the words of others over belief in yourself or you could find one small thing to do today that would move you closer to the vision you have of your tomorrow. Live with that belief that no matter what difficulties you face. You were built to get through them. That is something you should do right now.

You have to believe in yourself when no one else does — that makes you a winner right there. Venus Williams

Self-Respect NOT Self-Reject

It is easy to find the many things you have done wrong in your life, to relive the times you have fallen short or others have criticised you for one reason or another. Stop doing that! Stop dwelling on the negative and focus on the positive. Stop giving the past so much air. Take a deep breath of new and more fulfilling experiences, life is about progress. When you find yourself dwelling on the past, breathe in, breathe out, and accept that it is behind you. Then, find something from that experience to learn from and be grateful for.

I can’t remember all my failures, there have been far too many to count. Yet, I would not take one do-over. Those experiences have brought me to where I am now. I believe that if anything would have gone differently, I would also be different. Maybe I would have never written this article. I could not have given you the inspiration to cultivate your personal relationship and belief in yourself. So I am grateful for those blunders. You should be too.

Take what you have learned in life, your experiences and your accomplishments and move forward, making today better than yesterday. That will also make tomorrow better than today. If you have failed, learn from it. If you have succeeded, consider how you could do more or get even better results next time. Never settle, you deserve more.

You have your own mission in life.

Be Kind to Yourself

Here is a secret for you: Life is hard. You may long for the days when there are no difficulties and life seems like a walk on the beach or all the time is margarita time. That is not reality. Life is a battle and you need to win it.

However, you will not win your life by constantly belittling yourself or finding fault with everything you do. Give yourself compassion and a pat on the back for challenging the conflicts, challenges and decisions that are part of your existence, even if you don’t win them all. Take comfort in your efforts, knowing that, in the long run, you are making things better.. Though things may seem worse today than they were yesterday, it will not always be that way. Be diligent in creating a better tomorrow.

Don’t Take S*** From Anyone

Billy Joel ends his concerts by telling his fans, “Don’t take shit from anyone!” You shouldn’t either. Other people do not know your innermost desires, what you can achieve and the road you have traveled. In fact, most people see your life from their own point of view, thinking you are just like them. You are not. You are your own unique person. Your motivations are not the same as your brother’s, your mother’s, your friend’s or your boss’. You have your own mission in life.

You have your own gifts to give and while you are growing your talents and abilities, close your ears to destructive criticism. Nurture the lessons provided by those who can see the possibility in you. Personally learn your hard lessons and grow. Grow like an oak tree, strong from weathering the storms. You can achieve what your mind perceives. You just need to balance the grind with some acceptance of you as the wonderful person that you are.

The loudest boos come from the cheapest seats. Babe Ruth

You’ve Got To Believe

No one else can live your life. That job is already taken. No one else can achieve your purpose, that gift was given to you alone. You are a miracle of life and you should live a life you can be proud of, believe in yourself. Don’t worry about the past, that’s done. Take on the challenge of becoming the best version of yourself from today. There will be backsliding, no question about it. When you look back on where you have been and how you have grown, you will be proud of the commitment you have made to yourself. Accept the struggles as learning experiences, knowing in your heart of hearts that you were born to win.

Seeing is Believing

One way to build belief in yourself is to keep “I can” and “I did” lists. Write a list of all the things you can do reasonably well. If you are developing your skills in an area you could add it to the “I can” list with an achievement date (e.g., By January of 2022 I can play guitar for my friends and family). Put your accomplishments front and center. Then look at this list when you feel you are not progressing. Your “I did” list is used to mark your accomplishments daily. Use this as a review at the end of the day, week or month. During weeks I feel that I did not make much progress, my I did list blows me away. It is hard to believe all the little battles I won. Likewise, for you the trudging days or weeks will be times you make the greatest progress in your journey. By getting these accomplishments out of your head and in front of your eyes, it will allow you to have a clearer understanding of the movement you are making towards your goals and aspirations.

Faith that it’s not always in your hands or things don’t always go the way you planned, but you have to have faith that there is a plan for you, and you must follow your heart and believe in yourself no matter what. Martina McBride

Summary

No one knows you the way you do, so be careful of what thoughts and words you let in. Many of those are cutting and painful. You have a divine purpose. As you live that, some characters will come into your life that are generally supportive. There will also be others that only want to drag you down. Have faith in yourself and rise above to be the person you were meant to be. It will not be easy, and you may feel like you are failing at times. However, by taking life a day at a time and picking up victories big and small along the way, you will find your path to a wonderful life that will be more than you could ever imagine. When times are tough, believe in yourself.