Believing in Yourself
When I was in school, I never thought I was an exceptional mind. I thought I was just an average student. Yet, my mother always pushed me to do better than I was doing. She believed in me, but I did not believe in myself.
That experience is sadly common for those of us with ADHD. We are told by others we have so much potential, but we fail to live up to the expectations of others. As a result, we stop believing in ourselves. This is a tragedy because many of us with ADHD are extraordinarily gifted.
It is imperative to believe in one’s self. Without that self-belief, we will not be able to accomplish our goals. As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right.” So, how do we recapture our self-belief?
Uncover Memories of Success
One of the most powerful ways to recover belief in one’s self is to think back on memories of successes. We all have moments where we did something that made us feel great. They may be buried under unsatisfying memories, but they are there. If you do some digging in your memory, you will find them. Once you find them, you can use them to identify your strengths.
Identify Strengths
We all have strengths. They might be hard to recognize because of negative messages we receive from others and from within. However, they are there. Using the memories of success you have uncovered, find what skills you have that helped those successes come about. No, it was not luck that made them happen; it was you. You did it. By examining these memories, you can learn more about yourself and what you do well. This will help you be more positive towards yourself.
Be Kind to Yourself
If you continually berate yourself for your mistakes, you will lower your self-confidence and self-esteem. Use your self-talk to uplift yourelf, and use it as a springboard to effective action. So, start by being kind to yourself right now. What do you love about yourself? Remind yourself of that constantly. Be kind to yourself, and growth in self-belief will follow.
Find Cheerleaders
Lastly, find individuals who believe in you. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in you will help you grow your belief in yourself. These people should be supportive and uplift you. Find these people, hold on to them, and listen to what they are saying about you. Sometimes, others see us better than we see ourselves. The outside perspective is good. It helps us look at things objectively. We can see things as they are; we can see the truth. And, the truth is you are awesome.