Grow your confidence by doing and acknowledging your achievements
There’s a always feeling of surprise, a certain self-questioning which arises when I read over my CV or even my professional profile,
“Oh yeah? I actually did all that?”
As an artist and as a freelancer, I always have to introduce myself to new people, which means I must continually demonstrate my self-worth. Sometimes, I manage to forget that all those experiences listed in my CV and in my profile, the recommendations and the trainings, all come together, giving me a sense of legitimacy while demonstrating my abilities.
I am one of the older members of the current Millenial generation, a “Xennial”, if you will. And I like how the young Millenials that I’ve met think about the professional world, now a place where tasks are rather fleeting, contracts are hard to come by, and one is always searching for a new job or a new project to undertake. These Millenials inspire me by their reflections and the choices they make, leading to the stances they take.
As for me, being an actress, I’m quite familiar with the irregularities which this Generation Y must face: after each project, as is the case with most actors, I must go to about 10 auditions before I’m able to land my next contract.
Therefore, it’s possible that my journey as an actress has not only allowed me to effectively display my acting abilities while also letting me put into practice the artistic training I have received, but it has also brought me a certain awareness of the uncertainty that we are faced with in the workforce.
As it turns out, this job insecurity which connects the majority of actors to the Generation Y could actually be the starting point for the reinvention of self, where one gets closer to their true aspirations: where one takes the leading role in their own life.
I am now a professional life coach, and I specialize in dealing with issues of self-confidence and assertiveness. I also went into therapy for several years, to explore my own psyche and its depths. This helps me to distance myself when I become aware of this surprise : “Oh yeah? I actually did all that?” Then I am able to connect the notion of self-confidence to a knowledge of myself and to my actions.
The better you know yourself, the better you can appreciate yourself. The more you act, the more confidence you have. This surprise, “Oh yeah? I actually did all that?”, is something I often encounter when working with the women and men whom I coach. Little by little, through coaching, the recognition of your own inner-strength helps you take on life’s daily challenges, with the benefit of a renewed confidence. You are ready to risk taking action. You never thought that you’d be able to overcome your fears in this way. When starting your coaching experience, you often don’t even dare to think:
“Oh yeah? I could do all that?”
By Clémentine Pons
July 10, 2018
