Confidence. You know the stuff right?! It’s the elusive gold dust that the Helen Mirren’s of the world are made of. That ‘just within our reach, s*** it’s gone’ kind of thing that we strive to have more of.
Defined as “…a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities”, confidence is the gift that just keeps on giving, that is, if you accept the gift.
For me, confidence is all about a ‘knowing’, a real knowing who you are and what you bring to the table of life. Knowing who you are in this awesome universe is a profound gift that allows you to turn up and shine brightly in the dance of life.
Confidence is incredibly powerful, not to mention, sexy also. The most attractive, inspiring and beautiful people I know are not the most skinny, beautiful, richest or successful. No, they are the ones oozing with confidence.
Confidence and Women Over 50
Oftentimes, women in midlife can lose their sparkle and va va voom and with it their confidence. Physical changes, cognitive energy shifts, job and lifestyle demands often leave our confidence levels depleted.
However, confidence over 50 can take on a whole new meaning – if you let it. True, firm skin and flat stomachs are a distant memory; however, gone are the days of worrying about external expectations of what others think about us. We finally understand just how important and precious life is and how crazy it is to not live it full of confident joy, love and a two-fingered approach to the rest of the world.
Breathing into the very essence of who you are takes awareness and effort but I promise you it is worth it. No one is you, and that is your power. Do not relinquish that power to anyone who may define you any differently to the amazing human you already are. Yup, just as you are!
Truth is, plugging yourself into the power of life and charging up your confidence battery isn’t as difficult as you may think.
How?
Read on!
Want More Confidence? Here’s How!
Let’s start with a reminder that you (and only you!!) are fully responsible for your life and how it unfolds. No one is your insurance policy for happiness and you are in full control about who and what you allow in.
If you fully let this fact sink in, this knowledge in itself is beyond confidently empowering.
Confidence really is knowing who you are and knowing what you want.
If you take a look at those around you who are rocking in confidence you will notice that confident women possess several habits that help them stand out from the crowd. Read on to discover what they are and maybe try a few, who knows what direction your life may take!
She Questions Almost Everything
I am not talking about the awkward woman who argues every point in order to be right, or the ones that simply surrender without question to what is, but the ones who question ‘why’. Knowing ‘why’ you are doing something is key to self-growth and awareness and of course, boosting confidence. The motivation behind an action provides a plethora of knowledge about what makes you tick and what you are passionate about in life so you can do more of what makes you feel good.
Challenging the ‘norm’ helps ground you into exactly who you are and flourish into all that you can be.
She Says What She Means
She is not a people pleaser that is for sure. So you know that when she says yes, she means it.
A confident woman knows that saying ‘no’ to others often allows her to say ‘yes’ to herself. And when you get a yes from a confident woman, you know you are onto a good thing cos it means so much!
Tune in fully to the present moment and ask yourself if it truly resonates with you and whether or not you truly want to say yes. If not, stand tall and proud and give a negative. Life is too short to waste on negating what makes you tick.
She Will Take Quality Over Quantity Anytime!
Never throw crumbs at a confident woman, she will not pick them up – EVER! A confident woman knows her worth and unless what you are bringing to the table at least matches what she has, don’t bother showing up. She is beyond comfortable to eat at her table alone so you’d better be prepared to kick it up a notch and do a little bit better than your best. This applies in all aspects of her life.
Once is a mistake, twice is a choice. Know your value and know your worth. Walk away from anything that isn’t all (and more) that you deserve.
She Speaks Only Positively
She uses words that build rather than tear down. Dialogue with a confident woman will leave you feeling energised and inspired. She will not put others down in order to feel better herself. She will use words to empower and promote good for herself and others. Her ego is incheck and her drive is one of positivity and love. When she sees something good, she will say it.
Empowering others is the best gift that you can give yourself as it floods your body with happiness hormones. Give grace and empathy when needed and use your voice in a positive way.
She Dresses Powerfully
Although a confident woman knows that confidence is far more than appearance, dressing in a power outfit can boost confidence tenfold. We all have that one outfit or pair of shoes that makes us feel ten foot tall and bulletproof. Why not enhance your already beautiful confidence and strut yourself on the catwalk of life by making sure you power dress for the occasion.
Don’t save that power outfit for the right occasion. Make everyday the right occasion. Never underestimate the power of a good outfit!
She Is The Queen of Non Verbal Communication
Shoulders back, standing tall, looking directly into people’s eyes and smiling (alot!)….that is your confident woman. Forget the slouching back, or rounded shoulders, a confident woman understanding the power pose goes a long way in showing the world the confidence that is oozing out of her.
Even on those days when you aren’t as confident as usual, faking it until you make it can be just the tonic you need to get through your day.
She Embraces All She Is (Even The Parts She Doesn’t Like)
Self-understanding is essential for life success. Knowing your strong points and your weak areas brings awareness to who you really are. Full acceptance is key in nurturing both the good and bad parts of you and is essential for growth and confidence boosting.
Full acceptance is where growth starts. Beyond empowering, accepting who you are is the moment that you become beautifully confident. After all, perfection is so overrated!
She Takes Full Responsibility For Her Life
She will never tear down anyone else. She owns her success and failures. She is not in the comparison business and she never bad-mouths others. A confident woman will be the one celebrating others’ success even if she still didn’t quite make it. She is not threatened by others. She is not in any competition except with herself – she is fully responsible for her life not waiting for anyone to show up and provide what she needs.
Own your life story and write your every day exactly as you want it.
She Is The Self-Care Guru
Self-care is very high up on her priority list. Healthy sleep hygiene, drinking a morning coffee, yoga classes, and gym sessions and regular self-care activities are pivotal parts of a confident woman’s life. It runs through everything she does. Taking time out and being herself is key to her success and is the backbone of who she is and what she stands for.
Self-care should be something you practice daily to energise your soul and boost your self worth and confidence. Small gestures daily add up so take time for that coffee, or make sure you read some of that book or take the much needed walk. Give the world the best of you!
Confidence: The Take Home
If confidence could be bottled and sold, it would be the best selling item on the shelves in the history of the universe. No doubt.
But the crazy thing is that you can have it in abundance – for free! I say free, it takes a little mind reengineering but your life can take on a whole new direction with a few small tweaks and you will be rocking with uber confidence with the best of them!
Nothing is more beautiful than a confident woman who doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not. BE THAT WOMAN!
