What does it feel like to lack confidence?
Go ahead. Close your eyes (as long as you’re not driving!) and remember a time when you felt unsure about yourself. Maybe you didn’t feel confident you could do well in a job interview. Or give that presentation or speech. Or maybe you just couldn’t pluck up the courage to speak your truth to someone important in your life. Whatever the situation, pay attention to the feelings in your body. Maybe there’s a sinking feeling in your chest. Or your stomach feels “tied up in knots”. The feeling of lack of confidence can express itself in all kinds of physical ways. Notice them now.
Now take short break. Open your eyes and take a look around whatever place you’re in.
Then close your eyes again and think about a time when you did have confidence. Make it a good one. Think about a time when you really knocked it out of the park. You aced that exam, got that job, or finally took that chance you’d been dreaming about. Notice how your body feels now. Feel that flutter in the belly. The warmth. The excitement. Whatever good feeling is arising, let it come. And now make that feeling even stronger. If you want you can imagine a volume knob or a light fader, and with each tiny turn or push, experience those positive feelings growing and growing. Let yourself enjoy these feelings for as long as you want, as they flood your whole body and mind with confidence.
This is part of a technique in hypnosis and NLP that we use to “anchor” positive emotional states so they can be generated at any time, becoming powerful resources for all future situations.
What’s most exciting about this kind of exercise is that it shows just how much power you have over your state of mind. Just by bringing up a positive memory, you can not only re-experience the original state, you can actually intensify the physical sensations and mental attitudes at will. This in and of itself becomes an empowering tool you can use any time, under any circumstance.
Give it a try and share your experience in the comments!
