If ...

If you lose your confidence when all about you look confident, and you blame your incompetence on them …  If you constantly worry that the things you make and the things you do aren’t good enough, and you compare yourself to others … If people seem to have it better, or bigger, or more complete than you, and you feel you don’t measure up to them … then you need to STOP and consider:

People exist.

People have the right to breathe, think, speak, work, take action, make choices, embrace imperfections, form judgments, question, provide answers, experience both success and failure, learn (or not learn) from mistakes, hold beliefs, harbour fears, face challenges, and truly LIVE a life that is based on their unique upbringing and experiences. Each person has the right to decide whether to pursue personal growth or remain as they are.

There will always be someone who attracts or repels your attention! You don't have to like everyone and not everyone is obliged to like you in return! Each person has the right to express their individuality. When you realise that you are you, and other people are not you, a light switches on in your mind. You will always understand that there isn't a fine line of difference between you and someone else, but a profound chasm! The distinction between people is vast and profound. The fact that people are unique should be admired and embraced, rather than disregarded or rejected.

The way forward is shaped by your perspective of the world, the people within it, and most importantly, your perception of yourself.

Work exists.

There will always be something to do! If you consciously choose to pursue your passions, your days will not feel like eternal hell! Through the meaningful work you do, you'll meet new people and experience new things. There will always be something to learn! You will learn valuable lessons from every person you meet and every experience you have, regardless of their nature, and these lessons will catalyze personal growth.

The way forward lies in your perception of work, people, and the learning process.

Through the eyes of negativity, everything is shrouded in gray. You tend to focus on the shadows instead of the light. You'll see your daily struggles and forget that these struggles are an integral part of life – only the dead have no problems.

Confidence is key!

Confidence will let you move more easily through each day. Confidence will let you believe in yourself; you will stop fearing the judgment and opinions of people. Confidence will alleviate needless worry and guide you towards better paths, and empower you to influence those around you to follow more constructive paths.

Confidence helps you to make better decisions. This is important because your current choices are influenced by ingrained habits. If you don't have a confident perspective of the world (your community) and all the people in it, you will always sink into the muck and mire of life. If you don't glean lessons from life with confidence so that you can grow and change, your habits will stay the same and you will continue to make the same choices and experience the same outcomes. 

The way forward is a winding path, that leads over hills and mountains, and through ditches and valleys. It's not an easy path, but it's a way forward. Never settle for a path that makes you walk in circles, devoid of progress.

If you can see yourself and your life through kaleidoscopic lenses, you have already achieved profound success.