“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
I was talking to a friend yesterday and they said “I wish I had the confidence you have Jane”. Well let me share a little secret, I still have fear and doubt in my world! Yes, seriously…
However, a few years ago, I started to realise that I needed to be responsible for my life and create the life I wanted. As I didn’t really know what I wanted out of life or who I truly was, I started taking action to discover what I really wanted. On my search, I was fortunate to come across the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing (written by Bronnie Ware).
What Are the Five Regrets of the Dying?
The top five regrets from the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware were –
- I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me;
- I wish I didn’t work so hard;
- I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings;
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends; and
- I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Is there any one regret that stood out for you? For me when I first saw this, it was 1 and 2.
I Wish I Had the Confidence to…
- Give my self permission to love what I do. Yes YOU! “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Howard Thurman
- Keep my promises. Follow-through on what you say you are going to do and only promise on things that align with your values and who you are.
- Be 100% responsible for my life. Truly! Be responsible for everything that is happening in your life – if you do not like what is happening – remember you have a choice.
- Ask for help. Remember, none of us can do life independently, so if you require some help and extra support, why not ask for it?
- Not take things personally. As Wayne Dyer says ~ “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”
- Be grateful. Truly acknowledge and appreciate the different situations in your life. I have found many diamonds in my rough times over the years. What have you found?
- Be the change. “Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others! If you want love, give love, if you want honesty, give honesty, if you want respect, give respect. You get in return, what you give!” ~ Unknown
- Be honest with myself. If you cannot be honest with yourself, then who can you be honest with?
- Aim for progress, not perfection. Let go of perfectionism and have the courage to be imperfect.
- Focus on what I can control. We cannot control other people, so focus on what you can control – which is how you are feeling in this moment!
- Practice self-care. Yes you have needs and need looking after, so focus on them today.
Reflection…
After reading the above, what do you wish you had the confidence to do, so you can live a whole-hearted life?
Feel free to share your responses below in the comments section.
Remember –
“Have a bias toward action – let’s see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.” ~ Indira Ghandi
If you are ready to take yourself on the adventure of getting to know yourself (your true self), why not join the Toolkit? A place where I share tools, inspiration and ideas to live a courageous and openhearted life.
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