Discovering self-confidence,
One of the things that makes life very difficult is when we come into self-doubt.
We are not sure about ourselves,
We're not sure about others.
And when there's too much doubt,
Then initiative is paralyzed.
We become very fearful of making mistakes.
And so,
One of the things that most people need these days is to develop a stable self-confidence that will enable them not only to face life,
But to change it and to fit into it without conflict and without fear.
When we develop self-confidence,
We must also develop self-esteem and self-respect.
These three things,
Esteem,
Respect,
And confidence,
Create a well-being for the individual because it creates a consciousness that is able to create new things,
A consciousness that is able to make the impossible possible.
So let us now meditate on these three aspects of confidence.
First of all,
Self-respect.
When I am stable in self-respect,
It means I have understood my true identity.
I have a right to be here simply because I exist.
My spiritual identity means I have acknowledged my eternity.
I have acknowledged not only my right to be here,
But the right of others to be here.
I cannot grow in self-respect unless I give respect to others.
I cannot grow unless I have a sense of identity.
Because if I don't have a sense of identity,
I depend on the opinion of others to create my worth.
When I am in self-respect,
I am free from opinion.
Self-esteem.
Self-esteem is when I truly begin to value my life.
When I value my life,
Then I am able to feel that I can live within life and that I am able to share what I have with others.
I value myself and then others will begin to value me as well.
Self-esteem means I have recognized my uniqueness.
Each person has a particular uniqueness which makes them special.
It's not that one is more important than another.
All have their part,
All have their position,
All have their role.
Like a face.
A face has two eyes,
A nose and mouth,
Two ears.
All are in a particular position and all make up the whole.
Would you say that only the mouth is important and I would prefer to have two mouths and no ears?
There's no sense in this.
All are needed and all give something to others.
And so let me keep myself in my own value and understand it and use it.
Self-confidence.
Self-confidence is when I know that I contribute something to life.
My talents,
My capacity,
Simply the fact that I am alive is a positive contribution.
If we cannot contribute then our life does not have meaning,
There's no aim.
And it's only when we contribute,
When we offer that our own happiness grows,
Our own confidence grows.
The appreciation of others enables me to believe in myself.
So as I understand my value,
As I respect my existence and as I realize that I am here also to offer things to others,
Then it becomes easier and easier to make confidence natural.
