By 
Elaine Sihera, also known as Ms. CYPRAH (for Cyber-Oprah), is a world-renowned authority on emotional health. Recently, she shared some of her own expertise on the subject of what she identified as the seven key attributes of a truly confident person. The evidence that positive thinking individuals achieve much more than others is fairly well documented. Consequently, I think it’s worth looking back at these essential characteristics and making a mental note to include them in our own personal development plans.
Attribute #1, Self-image. This first attribute is very important, because without self-love we cannot be confident at all. Loving and accepting oneself is at the center of confidence and from which our self-esteem is decided. It is simply not possible to be happy and confident without loving ourselves, our mind or our body. When we lack self-esteem we are prone to misery and dissatisfaction with the circumstances of our lives. Happiness starts from within and when we love ourselves and don’t feel compelled to seek approval from others, we build real satisfaction and the next key factor, self-confidence.
Attribute #2, Belief in oneself. Along with self love comes an incredible belief in ourselves and what we can achieve. The possibilities are limitless; Those who believe in themselves feel that they can achieve what they believe in and go after it without fear. Barriers or obstacles to achievement are not seen as such because those who believe in themselves feel they have the tools to remove those blocks. There is no crisis that cannot be overcome. That is the main difference between a self-confident person and a fearful one: the former believes that they have the power to affect her life, while the latter seeks others to do it for her.
Attribute #3, Comfort in Yourself. Essentially, self-confident people are completely satisfied with who they are. In fact, they love who they are, they don’t want to be someone else, and they don’t feel like they need anyone’s approval or acceptance of who they perceive themselves to be. They feel a strong sense of belonging and personal security. Even when they face a setback, they view it as a temporary inconvenience that, due to their inherent self-esteem and talents, will soon be overcome. They tend to act more independently and in a leadership role, inspiring others and setting the pace, with little concern for following current fashions.
Attribute #4, Self-awareness. Confident people know what they can and cannot do. They fully accentuate its positive aspects and acknowledge, but do not dwell on, its negative aspects. They see both as fundamental parts of the unique beings that they are. They know what makes them happy and what makes them sad. Being leaders and optimists, they are sure of their direction and goals because they know who they are and what they want. This is really the first important step in increasing achievement and personal development.
Attribute #5, Dauntless. Self-confident people are often pioneers, fearless in their approach and actions. They do not lack the typical fears of survival; they are simply free of limiting and crippling fears like plagues of less secure and troubled people. In fact, people with high self-esteem are eager to get on with their lives, prone to act first and consider their fears later. They are willing to take risks and make sacrifices in the course of living their lives to the fullest.
Attribute #6, Experiment. Totally confident people love to experiment, look for new situations, innovate and create. They are always pushing the limits of their abilities due to their high self-esteem. They are not afraid of making mistakes because they know that they learn and grow from them. Making mistakes is not a concern, finding a solution or a better result is the focus. Persistence, tenacity, self-confidence, and determination are common qualities of truly confident people.
Lastly, attribute #7, Happiness. Confident people are really happy with their life. That doesn’t mean they’re never sad. It just means that when they are sad, it doesn’t last long and they soon get better. They know that they can always do something else and produce a different result. They do not blame themselves or harbor doubts about their abilities. Rather, they maintain an inner peace and go with the flow, knowing that setbacks are temporary and all they need to do is pick themselves up, shake it off, and give it another go, staying focused on their goals. Above all, since they are happy with themselves and their bodies, confident people tend to be genuinely happy, approachable, generally cheerful, and with a quick smile.
So can we agree that it is preferable to be a truly self-confident person? Someone whose self-image and self-confidence is high, and who feels comfortable and fully self-aware? A person who is unfettered by fear, who feels free to experiment and who is naturally an optimistic and happy person? That seems reasonable to me!
But maybe you’re not there yet. Hopefully, you want to be. Maybe there are anxieties that are holding you back. Could there be fears that keep you down? Possibly you are being limited by phobias of one kind or another. Even obsessive compulsive behaviors can be a factor.
If any of these conditions are negatively affecting you or someone you know and care about, I urge you to investigate the solutions available to you through reputable sources like the Linden Method. Check out the resource box below for helpful links. Seeking professional help to help yourself is a wise decision indeed.