How do you define confidence?

[arcticsp2003]

How do you define self confidence?

[Ohbehave007]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Wow what a question, it made me think.

I think my confidence comes from my personality of not taking things to seriously. I tend to brush things off easily and I am very sarcastic. All of this makes it harder to break me down and when I do fall it helps me climb back up pretty fast.

Confidence is a very personal thing and no two people pull their strengths from the same place.

Edit: I define it as the strength to laugh at myself...

[mizski]

Re: How do you define confidence?

How do you define self confidence?

Self confidence is knowing who you are and not being afraid to be that person.

[Whatsername]

Re: How do you define confidence?

For me, I would say it is being me, not being afraid to be me and not worrying about what other people think.

[FwL]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Self-confidence = lack of self-conscious.

[JohnSantos]

Re: How do you define confidence?

• Acting only through your own intentions
• Uncontrollable and above manipulation
• Dictating the reality around you, rather than being affected by it
• Being in the moment, and walking through the world at ease
• Having no intimidation of other people or the world
• Tapping into the energy inside you, not around you, as the source for your mood
• Feeling no lulls or spikes of mood from the people's response to you

[imagood1]

Re: How do you define confidence?

believing in myself 100% - not expecting people to bring me up because I don't need their approval.

[neutronnorman]

Re: How do you define confidence?

n.1. Trust or faith in a person or thing.
2. A trusting relationship: I took them into my confidence.
3. a. That which is confided; a secret: A friend does not betray confidences.
b. A feeling of assurance that a confidant will keep a secret: I am telling you this in strict confidence.

4. A feeling of assurance, especially of self-assurance.
5. The state or quality of being certain: I have every confidence in your ability to succeed.

adj. Of, relating to, or involving a swindle or fraud: a confidence scheme; a confidence trickster.

Synonyms: confidence, assurance, aplomb, self-confidence, self-possession
These nouns denote a feeling of emotional security resulting from faith in oneself. Confidence is a firm belief in one's powers, abilities, or capacities: "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face" (Eleanor Roosevelt).
Assurance even more strongly stresses certainty and can suggest arrogance: How can you explain an abstruse theory with such assurance?
Aplomb implies calm poise: "It is native personality, and that alone, that endows a man to stand before presidents or generals . . . with aplomb" (Walt Whitman).
Self-confidence stresses trust in one's own self-sufficiency: "The most vital quality a soldier can possess is self-confidence" (George S. Patton).
Self-possession implies composure arising from control over one's own reactions: "In life courtesy and self-possession . . . are the sensible impressions of the free mind, for both arise . . . from never being swept away, whatever the emotion, into confusion or dullness" (William Butler Yeats).

[stacy3477]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Self confidence is knowing who you are and not being afraid to be that person.

I like this one!

[msanjelpie]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Walking on the beach in a swimsuit no matter how much you weigh and not worrying about what other people think...

[SunnySmile501]

Re: How do you define confidence?

I run a check on my motivation to make sure my actions do not harm anyone else, then I comport myself with dignity, and give little care to other's opinion of me. Slings and arrows bounce right off me.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: How do you define confidence?

I also think self-confidence is a combination of strength and courage--this composition always "spoke" to me.

Strength and Courage

It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubts.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to share a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide your own pain,
It takes courage to show it and deal with it.

It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to endure abuses,
It takes courage to stop them.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on a friend.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.

May you find strength and courage
in everything you do,
And may your life be filled with
Friendship and Love!

Author Unknown

[SugarFreeSheila]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Assertiveness combined with assuredness in one's judgments and abilities; someone equally comfortable in and out of the spotlight; someone able to give genuine praise, knowing that it takes nothing away from them. Someone who has a very steadfast self-concept, unshaken by neither insults nor flattery.

[arcticsp2003]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Wow, I was not expecting this much of a response. The reason I asked was last night I was feeling a bit down about myself. So I went out for a bike ride, and while riding I began thinking about why I was putting myself down.

One of my reasons for starting atkins was to help improve my self confidence and felt that I hadn't made much progress on this goal. Hence, why I posed the question. I decided to sleep on it.

After thinking for a bit on the drive home from work today, I realized I have been comparing myself to others. Then I starting thinking about what I've accomplished in my life and about who I am.

As long as I'm happy, that is all that really matters. I've been enjoying life, and have been happy in general lately. I'm losing weight, I'm in the best shape I've been in several years, I'm living in a beautiful place and am one year from graduation. Things are going good. Not sure really what got into me. Honestly, I have no reason not to be happy with who I am.

[Whatsername]

Re: How do you define confidence?

Artic, I am glad you are feeling better about things. I am glad you asked what you did. It has been interesting reading everyone's responses.

Sunny, thanks for sharing the Strength and Courage writing/poem. I am going to print that out.

take care, J