Ever feel as though you are lesser? Like you would rather be alone then get dinner in a large group? Like you want to tell a story or joke but can’t due to the risk of embarrassment? To most people, it probably seems like a lame roast to call these symptoms. However, to many anxious teens and young adults, this is the revelation of low self esteem or even social anxiety, which can take over a person’s mind and fill it with depressing thoughts and notions of self-degradation. As a prominent carrier of low self esteem, the benefits of past reflective writing at Canisius High School encouraged me to pick up a pen and attempt each day to articulate what was going on in my head. This theoretical analysis details my strategy for overcoming this and as well includes the same wording that pulled me out of my imaginary social prison cell.
By beginning to engage in daily self assessment and reflection, I broadened the depth of my thoughts and have pieced together many different concepts and courses of action conducive to life improvement. My most recent theory breaks down the one skill that evades at least the 74% of the population who fear public speaking, Confidence (see statistic). Ah yes, the immeasurable and elusive character trait that makes everything work out in life. Still widely presumed to be God given or natural talent, confidence is coveted by those aware enough to realize they lack in that department. Now see, what I bring to the table is a logical approach to conquering the, “confidence barrier,” as I just now have named it. Confidence is probably not genetic, my view upholds the claim that it is learned, just not like any other skill. My definition of confidence as a skill draws on the opportunity to gain total control over one’s confidence level. When put under a microscope, this particular skill is incredibly different then all others. It manifests itself as a sort of summary of ones current state of being. Confidence cannot be directly manipulated or faked and must reflect one’s reality. Still, I think with practice, it can be mastered like any simple game or sport by improving on everything except confidence itself. Continue reading “The Skill of Confidence (theory from personal reflection)”