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Own who YOU are and never apologize for it. If I have learned anything, it is that people are going to like you for you, and if they don’t they are not worth your time anyway. Which leads us to…
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Surround yourself with people who love you for you, but aren’t afraid to tell you when you are messing up. People that build you up, but are right there to catch you when you fall. These are the people that will be there for you for the long run.
3. Do the same for others! Be that person that builds people up and supports them.
4. Go for it! Whatever it is that you want but are scared of, it is so worth the try. You never know what might happen. I would not even be at Notre Dame had I given in to self-doubt. I was so afraid that I wouldn’t be accepted that I did not allow myself to dream of attending. Luckily, I had my dad behind me, encouraging me and supporting me throughout the entire process. He was the one who said, “I think this school would be perfect for you.” And he was right. Allow yourself those moments where you dream and go for it. You cannot receive what you do not try for.
5. Know yourself. Take time for yourself to really reflect on who you are, who you want to be, and how to get there. Whether this time is walking quietly, working out, writing, meditating, or whatever you need to do to think and reflect, give yourself that me time and savor every second of it.
6. Recognize your talents. This is part of knowing yourself, but I think it is important to really see these and acknowledge them. Each of us has something unique to give to the world and recognizing our role to play is an important step in that direction.
7. At the same time, however, it is important to be aware of our faults and own up to them. This does NOT mean blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. Rather, it is recognizing what you have to work on and taking concrete, achievable steps towards those goals.
8. Be aware of your physical presence. This is different for everyone, but a physical self-awareness helps to ground you and keep you present in the moment.
9.Learn the difference between what is truly important, and what can be let go. Worrying about everything is not going to help anyone, least of all you and your confidence. Take a moment to really breathe and focus on what is really important to you. Finding what is truly important to me has given me the confidence to pursue those goals wholeheartedly.
10. Perhaps most importantly, don’t care what other people think. They are not the ones living your life, you are. I leave you with a quote from Doctor Seuss: “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.”
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