Lee Tobin McClain here, talking about something that’s been on my heart: confidence. Anyone else struggle with it? Between body image issues, relationship challenges, workplace woes . . . almost every woman has confidence challenges in one area or another.
Stop by my website for a free story about a woman’s decision whether to go with her fears or make the confident choice.
Confidence is something almost all of my heroines struggle with. Wendy has a physical disability and weight issues, Fern’s a shy introvert, Lissa is a sexual abuse survivor, and the list goes on. Like most of us, my heroines have had some problems in their lives that have undermined their faith in themselves and their sense of their own worth.
Falling in love helps my heroines find self-esteem, but it’s not the complete answer by any means. Confidence is a spiritual issue even more than an emotional one. To let go of our fears and step out boldly, we need faith in something bigger than ourselves. We need to know that we have a loving God behind us, supporting us and leading us toward a life of fullness and purpose.
Some concrete things I’ve been doing to improve my confidence:
1) Reading scripture and highlighting passages about God’s promises and love
2) Reaching out to friends and openly talking about moments that embarrassed me or made me feel insecure, rather than hiding them
3) Reading Joyce Meyer’s The Confident Woman and The Confident Woman Devotional. Both are powerful and uplifting books that help women understand their own worth.
How do you build up your own confidence or help a friend who’s feeling under confident? I’ll choose a random commenter to win an e-copy of Joyce Meyer’s The Confident Woman.
Lee Tobin McClain read Gone With The Wind in the third grade and has been an incurable romantic ever since. Lee is the author of the Sacred Bond series of contemporary inspirational romances and also writes the Rescue River books (angsty, but full of fun kids and dogs) for Harlequin Love Inspired. When she not writing emotional Christian romances, she's probably driving around a carload of snarky teen girls, playing with her rescue dog and cat, or teaching aspiring writers in Seton Hill University's MFA program. She is probably not cleaning her house.
Hanging out and talking with best friend, my sister in law helps build my self confidence.
I have a sister who always knows when I am needing that extra nudge.
Back in high school I used to write notes and letters to a friends that felt under confident to show her how much she meant to me :D
I develop confidence through reaching exercise goals. When I go beyond my perceived physical limitations, it carries into all aspects of life.
Yay for all your great ideas! Thanks for commenting, Linda, Ann, Samantha, and Greta.
I would love to win. I love all of your books
This may sound backwards, but I like to build confidence in other’s by encouraging them and that helps me with my confidence! I think it’s a much fuller feeling when I see someone smile or laugh and know it’s because of something I’ve said. God usually places people in my path that need a little boost from time to time or something someone says may trigger God giving me an encouraging word for them or just a smile or an arm around a friend in need. And when I don’t have the confidence, I ask the Lord to give me the strength that I need for that situation and that I may feel His presence in it. He does, always! :-)