This year has been full of new beginnings — and plenty of wobbles along the way. I launched a new business, created a website (despite being one of the least techy people I know!), been a podcast guest, started new things with Jessie, my horse, and stepped into a completely new job – all of which pushed me outside my comfort zone and tested my confidence at some point.

There have been moments when I questioned whether I’d be any good, wondered if I’d taken on too much, and whether things would ever feel easier. 

I had a choice to make with all these things – tell myself I couldn’t do any of it, struggle and probably give up at some point, letting my inner critic convince me I’d be rubbish….or ask for help, learn how to do new things, and grow. I chose the latter – partly because I’m stubborn and refuse to give up, and partly because I know that the more I lean into new and challenging things, the more my confidence grows. 

Confidence isn’t something you magically feel; it’s something you build through action. 

Dr Carol Dweck describes this brilliantly in her book, Mindset:

A fixed mindset says we’re born with a set amount of ability which can often lead to avoiding challenges, fearing failure & feeling threatened by others’ success.

A growth mindset is the understanding that we can develop our skills through learning, effort and practice. With a growth mindset, challenges are opportunities, feedback becomes useful and setbacks are part of the learning process — ultimately enabling greater resilience, performance and fulfilment.

With love,

Nicky