During this wonderful season of Thanksgiving, as I pondered all the amazing things for which I’m grateful, I wondered “Is the gratitude we feel influenced by the confidence we possess?”
The short answer is “Yes.” Let’s examine the various levels of confidence to see what impact confidence has on gratitude.
Not confident
People who don’t view themselves as confident often feel that:
- No matter what they do, or how hard they try, they don’t get the results they desire
- Their lives are out of control
- They are victims
It doesn’t take much of an imagination to see how difficult it would be to feel gratitude while suffering these perspectives.
Occasionally confident
These folks feel confident in certain situations and flabbergasted in many others. They tend to be grateful for the times they are confident. But the frequency of their feelings of inadequacy, if not downright fear, during periods when they aren’t feeling confident prevent them from feeling gratitude on a consistent basis.
Consistently confident
People who are confident in their abilities, even when they have no background or experience, regularly express feelings of gratitude and good fortune. They realize that challenges they face are really opportunities to learn and grow, so they appreciate them as well.
Influence and Opportunity
Those who have discovered how to convert their confidence into influence and opportunity enjoy an even easier life. They no longer have to pursue opportunities, they attract them at a rate they never imagined possible. Who wouldn’t feel gratitude at being in such high demand?
Confident in the subconscious mind
People who have reached the pinnacle of confidence, who have learned to tap into the power of their subconscious mind consciously and at will, realize that they have the ability to:
- Solve any problem they or anyone else faces quickly and effortlessly
- Convert negative emotions into productive behaviors in milliseconds
- Evaluate seemingly bizarre ideas and act upon the ones that intrigue them
You can recognize these people at a glance. They are always:
- Sporting a big smile
- Find humor even in the challenges they face
- Willingly share what they know so that others can experience richer, fuller lives
- Feel fortunate to have learned what they’ve learned
- Want others to share in the good fortune they enjoy
For you
Hopefully, this brief recap will help you identify your level of confidence and, consequently, the gratitude you feel. Regardless of where you are on this spectrum, you’ll get a sense for the attitudes you need to develop to advance to the next level.
If it’s important to you to be more confident and enjoy life more fully, you’ll act upon what you discover. If not, make a conscious decision to be happy where you are and be grateful for the peace and joy your conscious decision affords.
For our kids
You can use the same recap to help your kids evaluate where they are on the spectrum. Please do not tell them where they are or what they need to do. They’re more likely to act upon what they discover themselves than any directive you give them. In fact they’re three times more likely to act on their discovery than your directive.
Help the kids in your life enjoy greater confidence and, as a byproduct, experience gratitude multiple times a day every day of their lives. I can tell you from personal experience, it’s a wonderful way to live.
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