Great Self Confidence

...to live the life you want

How to Solve a Problem

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Most of us worry, or have worried, at some point. Some people do it constantly. A worry is yet another example of a negative thought getting in the way.
problem solving Unfortunately, as worries circulate in our mind they gain momentum, increasing in size and magnitude. What worrying doesn’t do is solve the problem.

Here are seven steps to solve any problem…

1) Identify and define clearly what the problem is.

Firstly – do it on paper (or a computer screen). Especially if you have a significant concern, its easier to get facts clear if you write things out. When you try to define your problem(s) you may find there isn’t actually a problem at all. If there is more than one, go through this process separately for each one. Be as specific as you can.

2) Generate possible solutions

This used to be called brainstorming – I think we’re now supposed to say “blue sky thinking”. Basically write down any ideas that occur to you without editing. Be as creative and as imaginative as possible. Get as many ideas down as you can. [Read more…]

Overcoming obstacles

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Although its Sunday lunchtime, when many families gather together, I’m sitting alone in our house as my wife and two younger daughters are all working and our eldest is 275 miles away! I will return to this on Wednesday with a look at habits and routines.

I don’t usually like intrusive noise in my environment, but prefer undistracting music rather than silence. However, at the moment I can hear the television in the room next door which is broadcasting the Great North Run. This is a half marathon road race, where thousands of people rise to the challenge of running 13 miles and usually trying to raise money for worthy causes.

I have touched on challenges like this before, such as my Big Swim, and the Confidence Marathon posts. Important as setting ourselves challenges can be, it nice to be reminded that throughout the world people are having to overcome challenges imposed on them by circumstances of birth and nature. [Read more…]

Confidence in your environment

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improve confidenceI recently joined a new forum – Personal Development Partners – which, although in its infancy, does seem to have the makings of a very useful place to share ideas. Do check it out (its free, although you can pay for more enhanced features). This post was inspired by a thread I contributed to this week, as I realised I hadn’t mentioned an important element in improving self confidence.

One of my previous jobs involved working in a prison that had been built in 1856. Working with the prisoners was generally fine, but the building was incredibly noisy and dirty, overcrowded and cramped. I also commuted by train – and my journeys were also in an environment that was noisy (occasionally dirty), overcrowded and cramped! This gradually wore me down and took away other satisfactions from the job. [Read more…]

Who do you trust?

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Over the past week in the UK there has been a major financial new story. A leading bank, Northern Rock, asked the Bank of England for a loan, to help resolve a “cash flow problem”. Since then, there have been constant queues outside the banks branches as anxious savers have been withdrawing their money.

As bank officials, government ministers and the Bank of England have given assurances that “there is nothing to worry about”, “that everyones money is safe” – the queues got longer. Would you trust a politician who says there is nothing to worry about! [Read more…]

Challenging beliefs

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improve self esteemI’ve come across an interesting twist on thinking and how what we believe affects the way we feel. And to reiterate – how we feel and how we view ourselves is at the heart of our self confidence.

In the UK there is a popular TV show called “Who do you think you are?”, in which various celebrities unravel their ancestral history and draw up a family tree. Its quite addictive TV, as often (with much background help from the production team!) they can trace back several generations.

This week they featured actor John Hurt. He had grown up being told by his family that he was descended from an Irish aristocrat. This had always affected him, this belief he had Irish blood in him. When visiting Ireland he felt that “it was his home”.

Unfortunately for John, the programme did not have a happy ending. [Read more…]