Arts & culture

Work your Confidence – by Gina Mckie

I have worked in radio for over twenty years. It takes confidence to speak on the airwaves every single day, and I believe that at some point, everyone should host their own radio show. You learn to listen to your own voice – you might even get to like it! You are showcasing yourself on a daily basis and you realise that people will judge you on everything you say and the music you play.

I have always been interested in self-development and the power of communication. I’ve studied psychology, hypnosis and counselling. This has given me a greater understanding of myself and others. I love learning and I am currently studying cognitive behavioural therapy.

Confidence is the best gift you can give yourself. I work with many clients, helping them find and grow their confidence, and these are my top ten tips for success:

Confidence

Most of the time we are unaware of our confidence until we really need it. If you nurture your confidence on a daily basis, like you would protect yourself in the sun using an SPF, you will invest in your overall happiness and wellbeing. You are responsible for your own confidence. Too many people play the blame game, blaming someone for ‘knocking’ their confidence. Take control of your internal dialogue and start building your confidence by believing in yourself.

Oral

Talk to yourself in a kind manner. Communication is our ultimate tool in life and the most important person you should communicate with is yourself. Our lives are so busy nowadays that we rarely take time out to ask ourselves what we really want, on a daily or monthly basis. We are so easily influenced by the outside world, we don’t spend enough time on our own. Quiet time. Reflective time. Time to talk to yourself and guide yourself to your goals in life.

No

Don’t be a yes person. No means ‘no’. If you don’t want to do something then don’t make excuses – just say no and don’t feel guilty. Powerful people say no when they need to and don’t dwell on those two tiny letters.

Feelings

Get in touch with your feelings. If you are feeling uncomfortable, ask yourself why. You always have the answers inside you. When you are feeing happy, acknowledge these moments and remind yourself of these moments and feelings. This is a very effective way of maintaining your happiness too.

Instinct

Thousands of books have been written on the power of your gut instinct. Do you really use it? Your gut instinct is your very own sat-nav. The more you use it, the more it becomes a better guide for you. It’s an amazing feeling when something feels right or wrong and you know how to react.

Delegate

Ask people to do things for you. Some people love serving others and embrace the subservient role. Give praise where praise is due and in return you will feel satisfied. If you have confidence in others, they will have confidence in you.

Enrol

Try new things. Push your physical and mental ability. Brian Tracy wrote a wonderful little book called Eat That Frog. Do the difficult things first in life, and everything else will seem a lot easier.

Nap

When you need to have some shut-eye time, take it. Sometimes we need to rest that racing brain and take some time out to relax. Even just taking five minutes out to listen to your favourite song and closing your eyes can give you an incredible boost.

Care

Do you spend too much time worrying about what people think of you? Start caring for yourself and stop worrying about others. It’s a waste of your valuable energy. By following these simple steps, you are caring for yourself.

Energy

Energy goes where the focus flows. Good people have good energy. When your intentions are good, you are giving out good energy, but make sure you have some for yourself too. Confidence is an energy. You have probably ‘felt’ someone’s confidence. It’s impressive and influential. You have this energy too. Believe it, feel it and others will see it.