How to Become Confident?
You know, turning the big 4-2 brought some heavy-duty changes. Like, a real spiritual awakening and things shifting with my wife. But smack-dab in the middle of all that, this major thing clicked for me, totally split my life into "before" and "after."
I suddenly got that to really feel good about myself and stand on my own two feet, to gain self-confidence and self-sufficiency, I just had to accept myself for who I actually am, the real deal.
It just hit me – being confident and self-reliant was all about just owning who I was, warts and all. Like, really embracing my good points, my screw-ups, what freaked me out, my history – all the stuff that used to mess with my head. Letting it all in, no holding back, totally flipped my whole way of thinking.
Once that sunk in, the fear of getting judged or people talking trash just kind of vanished. What other people think? That became their problem, not mine. This new confidence had me thinking, "Is getting rid of fear and feeling sure of yourself the same thing, like two sides of the same coin?" Either way, this change was a huge relief, like a massive weight lifted, and I felt like a new person, you know?
The Masks We Wear
Man, it's like every day we're putting on all these different acts, right? Like playing the perfect buddy, the dream boyfriend, the guy you can always count on – just to fit into what everyone else expects. That pressure to always look cool, calm, and collected can be a real drag.
But you know what I've learned, just from my own life? Keeping up that fake front all the time just feels wrong and makes you scared you're gonna screw up. Trying to be someone you're not just makes you stressed out and you end up lying to yourself. That never-ending performance just suffocates you, and all you want is to be real and have people accept you for who you are. It's time to ditch the masks and just be ourselves, you know? Because when you're actually vulnerable, that's when you really connect with people and find true happiness.
I Took Off This Mask
There just came this point where I was totally over the whole pretending thing, and I just told myself, "That's it. I'm done." I started owning my screw-ups and stopped trying to be the perfect husband, friend, or dad.
And you know what was wild? The moment I started being real, I noticed people actually digging it. Guys and girls both just want honest, no-BS communication.
Ever since I made that switch, I feel way more chill, and people seem more relaxed around me too. Just being yourself is so freeing, but we spend so much time acting like we're chasing some made-up prize. Trying to get everyone to like us just steals our freedom, and we end up stuck caring way too much about what other people think.
But here's the thing – you can still be yourself and play by the rules of society. Instead of letting those rules box you in, you can use them smart to do well and connect with people in a real way. It's time to just be who you are, no apologies, and break free from all that fake stuff.
Finale Thought
Why do we even bother holding onto this fake, online version of ourselves? It's not even the real us, and it just makes us feel uneasy and all twisted up inside, causing inner conflicts.
That's just not my thing, you know? I'd much rather just be real and have people see and like the actual me right off the bat. No more hiding behind some act that's just gonna fall apart anyway, and then people realize the person they thought they knew wasn't even real. Let's just be ourselves and connect with people for real, based on the truth.