It is a fantastic feeling when the sun is shining, we are radiating confidence and ready to conquer any height! It would be fabulous if we felt this way all the time.
What is happening when we experience a massive flop, go through doubts, and feel stuck? What is going on, when we prefer to hide rather than thinking about any proverbial mountains, never mind conquering them? Can we press the button and start radiating confidence when we need it?
Factors affecting confidence.
Several factors affect the well-being and confidence of everyone, without exception. The level of confidence fluctuates depending on those factors. Let us research in detail what is happening with us and our confidence. For this exercise, it would be useful to apply the famous Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid. We are sophisticated human beings with levels of needs going from basic to more complex ones, as shown.
Our self-esteem is connected to confidence. At the pyramid, there is the fourth level from the bottom. And before we get there, the previous three levels are supposed to be in reasonably comfortable order.
Physiological needs.
We all experience so much uncertainty with current events and disasters in the world. The first level of physiological needs is quite possibly already affected. How many of us are suffering from a lack of sleep?
Safety needs.
Moving to the next level of safety needs. We are more disturbed at this level than ever. Safety and security are in the spotlight – financial security, physical safety, controversial news, and uncertainty at every corner. Even in better times when people think their safety is under threat, their behavior is changed. Those factors affect our confidence in perceiving reality and consequently influence on actions.
Love/belonging.
Moving to the third level of the pyramid – love, and belonging. How much we missed those hugs during lockdowns, no zoom calls could ever replace that personal touch.
All we need is love
Going through the levels of needs in Maslow’s pyramid sheds light on the foundation of confidence. Put simply: if your physical safety is under threat, your confidence gets impact. You cannot feel self-reliant when you are not secure financially. Hence, the reason anyone is prone to confidence fluctuations when there are certain factors beyond our control.
Buiding a steady foundation for confidence.
We are recharging our telephones without thinking twice. It is the same with confidence – we have to recharge it as we go. Going through the same steps of the pyramid, we can build a steady foundation for improving confidence.
Since a life situation is constantly changing, it is paramount to bring some certainty to all three levels of needs in the pyramid. This simple exercise will empower you, on one hand, and on the other hand, it leaves room for reflection. Putting certainty and adding clarity at each level of needs will show that something is stable in your life.
At the first level of physiological needs at the pyramid, you can identify certainty about the fact that you have food, water, a roof over your head, sleep. Here you might realize that your sleep is not good, and take some actions to improve it – walking before going to bed or changing your evening routine. You can upon it in the knowledge that it is not just about wellbeing, but your confidence depends on it.
At each level of needs, it is paramount to identify precisely what is under the locus of your control and what is working.
Surprisingly, assessing the safety level and knowing what must be done is already giving confidence boost, because you are measuring risk level and instead of panicking, you can think over actions strategy.
I use systematic programs for confidence-building which work every time, though the purpose of this essay is to show the reasons for confidence fluctuations. When you put as much certainty as you can to the three levels of needs – physiological, safety, love/belonging, that would be a steady foundation on which confidence-building systems will work successfully.
To enhance your self-esteem remind yourself how far you have gone and how much you have done. Occasionally we need to be observers of our life to appreciate our own achievements.
Steps to work on the levels on needs with Maslow’s pyramid: https://youtu.be/ly2nYU8t6HI
