Self-confidence is an attitude about us.
Our skills, abilities, and points of view.
About saying things we want to say without fear.
Saying 'no' to people.
It is about trusting ourselves, accepting us as we are, and handling life in general.
Self-confidence levels can be high, low, or maybe even medium.
You know that with it, you can doubt your skills and be overly confident or realistic about what you know or don't know.
Self-confidence is built, like anything in life.
Sometimes, it can take years to build it.
Other times, it can take seconds to destroy it.
How to build it?
I guess this is a frequently asked question with no right or wrong answers.
There are only rough ideas or directions on how to boost it.
Or how to ask for help.
I will not go into the details or psychological view here because it is not my intention.
I want to share my perspective and how it helped me because I want to help you.
One of the things I discovered that helps is idea exploration.
From my perspective, those 2 words are exactly what they say.
Idea - having something on your mind no matter how stupid.
Exploration - going somewhere new or going somewhere where you went before but with a new perspective.
Idea exploration - exploring the ideas you have.
(Disclaimer: There is an actual thing called 'idea exploration'. You can google it to find out more.
This is my personal perspective and meaning for 'idea exploration'.)
Ideas you have might be stupid - like mud cakes when you were younger.
You tried something new, so was it stupid?
When getting older, we forget that idea exploration helps us evolve as a human being.
It doesn't have to be anything spectacular.
It can be enough to nudge you in one direction.
In a direction where you can gain an outlook of world-known features.
In your own unique way.
With that approach, in my opinion, you can boost your self-confidence.
Or better yet, unlock a new level of it.
New depth or new perspective - however you want to call it.
How I unlock a new level of self-confidence?
Some time ago, I wrote about planning and how it helps me with things I want to do.
At that time, I was annoyed with the planners I found online.
I needed some visual minimalism.
(I am not sure if visual minimalism is a thing or not. I like how it sounds.)
I decided to make my own planner and go with it.
Since I have a system of things I do in a day, I used it as a starting point.
Drafted how it should look like.
Designed it, and voila.
It was my digital edition, and I was pretty proud of it.
It was meant for my personal use only...
until it ended as a real, touchy, you-can-see-it-and-feel-it planner.
How did it end up being a physical copy?
It happened by accident.
At the time, I had a client who needed help with printing studios.
I offered to help.
The idea of making a physical copy was somewhere in the back of my head.
But, just like an idea.
Nothing more.
Not until I asked myself - so why don't I print it?
Now, I don't want to make this story into a novel - because it looks like where it is headed... 🤣
What I did is this:
I went to a print studio with my first design.
They printed it.
I got advice, and that boosted my self-confidence.
How?
They said that the design is pretty cool, but it needs improvement.
I had 2 options:
Take criticism and improve it
or
take criticism and think that I suck and do nothing at all.
I opted for the first one.
I redesigned the planners & gratitude journal
(this one came to life along the way - for those who don't need to plan much but like planning & journaling).
I went there for them to print them again, and guess what...
they turned out to be amazing.
(I will attach a picture below so you can see them).
For me, they are a visual acknowledgment of how I explored the idea & made it happen.
It is something that I did that helped me unlock a new level of self-confidence.
I am not saying you should do something like that, but why not?
Explore ideas and at least try some of them in real life.
So you know what you want out of it.
It is good to try.
It is good to try & fail.
I am not saying you should do something that is bad or doesn't feel good for you.
This is just a story to show you how we all struggle with the same things but in a different way.
This is to show you how you can always get a new perspective on the things you know if you are willing to explore them.
Go out there and explore.
It does not have to be anything fancy.
It does not have to be world travel, being a six-figure solopreneur or whatever is popular.
Sometimes baking a dog-shaped bread is enough.
Sometimes getting that idea to life is what matters.
That is why we all write.
Why do we all connect with each other?
Why we like to do good things.
To summarize this article - before it turns into a novel.
Get ideas.
Write them down.
Explore them.
Make them happen.
Build & boost self-confidence with them - even if you fail.
You will get to know some sides of yourself that you didn't know existed.
I am not saying it won't be hard.
Especially if it involves talking with other people or people in general.
In the longer run - it will be worth it.
Because of what I did with planners - I feel happy.
Sense of achievement.
Joy to share the digital edition of that planner with the hope it helps someone.
Not all people will like it - and that is fine.
I like it - and that is what matters.
If you like planning, get it here - it is totally free.
If you want to start planning, go and get that digital planner.
It contains:
weekly schedule without dates,
timetable to roughly track your time,
monthly and bi-yearly analysis,
daily affirmation & daily summary place.
To see what it looks like & download it, go here.
Let me know how you like it.
Did it help?
Did this article inspire you?
Did it move you?
Even if it didn't, and you think it sucks - also let me know.
I might not like critics as anyone out there - but we must grow.
If you like this thing I do, follow me.
Join the community I am building and be a part of my journey.
Visit my website amalis.net.
Follow me on socials.
Or don't!
But for what it's worth - I hope it helped you.
At least a tiny, little bit.
Until next time!
Amalija