Entrepreneurial Parents and How this Affected my Self Confidence
Triumph! My turning point from worry to self confidence has been a long, slow process, but I have finally achieved my goal.
Growing up both my parents owned their own company and worked from home. Yes, they were out and about, but their office was at home.
For a long time, I did not realize what this meant for me…to have self-employed parents.
There are a couple of things that come to mind here…I already have a bit of an “I can” attitude because both my parents would have had to have had that or they wouldn’t be able to make a company run.
And, I doubt my parents ever stopped to even think about it really. They both probably had decided they had to make money. This is what they wanted to do, and so they did it. Or, maybe it’s not quite that simple.
So, that means I am very blessed. Or cursed. I choose to see it as blessed.
It Starts with a Change In Attitude
How we see ourselves is a big part of it. Our attitude about ourselves has to be altered, and this concept is not easy to change.
Others were smarter and they all have it figured out….
Others were smarter and they all have it figured out, for I seriously believed this erroneously.
It messed with my self-confidence in a big way because I thought that they knew something I didn’t know, and they (whoever they are) knew way more of it.
But here is what is strange, I was the child of two entrepreneurial parents. Why did I have the “I can’t” attitude? Did this contribute to my self-esteem being so low? Also, why didn’t I believe in myself?
How My Attitude Was Affecting my Self Confidence
This is how I looked at myself and others for many, many years.
My attitude about myself affected all my relationships. It affected my life in such a way that it brought on much sadness and feelings of unworthiness to the point that I would awaken in the middle of the night thinking about things I had said and how I had said them wrong to the wrong person. If I am honest with myself, this is still something that occurs once in a while.
Looking at this, I now see it as a positive emotion because it made me who I am. It is good that I feel bad if I say something that makes others feel bad. But, its not the end of the world.
Did you know that 94% of people will not remember from one week to another what you said to them. So, why did I worry so much about what others thought of me?
My Turning Point — Pivot!
What happened to bring my self-confidence to the fore-front of my life? Also, why did I start believing in myself and start thinking “I can!”
It did not happen over night. Believe me. I began to work on myself, moreover I wasn’t even doing it conscientiously. One day I finally decided that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time.
Are you Ready Now?
Is it time For Your Pivot? Click Here
Here’s to Step 1
The first thing that I did was I bought a self-help book called “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie.
I look back over my life and honestly believe that this was the turning point. Buying a book and reading it was the one thing that was deliberate and intentional that I did to change.
What I don’t quite remember is the exact thing that triggered it. All I know is I was very, very sad, and that I was having massive headaches. I had lost my husband, and was raising my small son all by myself. I was working full time, and not sleeping, and I was completely and utterly exhausted.
Worse, I felt that I was completely alone and had to be strong at work and for my son, so there was no time to not be. It was like I was perpetually “having a bad day.”
If I were to define it, I might think that I was in the beginning stages of a deep depression, in addition, if this were true, then this would not be good for my son.
As I write this story, tears come to my eyes. I was so broken. My lack of self-confidence was not serving me, and it DEFINITELY was not serving my son. I never wanted him to grow up like that. I didn’t think he saw it, but I’m sure he sensed it, and that’s a story for another time.
What was my next step? And why?
It was time to suck it up, put on my big-girl pants and try to figure out a way to bring myself out of this depression that was taking over my life in so many ways. Why? For myself and for my wonderful son who was only 7 years old at the time. He deserved a better role model, and he deserved a healthy mother.
That book helped a lot. I would read parts of it before I fell asleep at night so that I was in a positive mood and would hopefully sleep through the night. It didn’t always work, but it helped begin a new life of self confidence and self-worth.
You see, you have to start somewhere. The very fact that you are reading this tells me you have started. It’s time. Congratulations! I am very, very proud of you, and I am honestly very happy for you.
Praying for you…..
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Check out another great article: What is the Difference-Kind versus Nice Conundrum
Are you Ready Now?
Is it time For Your Pivot? Click Here
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