How to stay confident during transitions

Your confidence can erode during a transition.  As you move from the known to the unknown you feel unsettled and off balance.  It is easy to begin to doubt your own abilities.  This can happen during any type of transition.  Whether you are looking for a new job, have accepted some new responsibilities added to your old job, or are starting a new job, transitions can be rough on your confidence level.  Here are some exercises that will help you build and maintain your confidence.

1. Think about what success would look like for you.  Write it down and review it regularly.  It will help you to determine your path and help you to see the progress you are making.
2. Create a victory list. Include the things you have accomplished in your life on your list.  Write your list on a small piece of paper or file card.  Carry it around with you.  Review it often in order to feel energized and confident.
3. Examine the negative beliefs you hold about yourself. Develop some positive truths to replace them.  (A coach can be helpful in working with you on this.)
4. Talk to someone you trust about your fears.  Get the support that you need by talking about your fears with the person and then brainstorm ideas about ways to address your fears.
5. Join a support or strategy group.  Use the group for positive reinforcement and to generate new ideas to raise your confidence.  This type of group can be very useful in a transition.
6. Examine worst case scenarios for strategy and planning purposes only. Focus on best case scenario with plans to overcome problems.  Once worst case scenario has served its purpose, let it go. It is there only so you know what to do if something happens.
7. Use imagery to build confidence.  Think of the good things sticking to you like Velcro and the bad sliding off you like Teflon. Continually visualize this image so that it gives you energy.
8. Recall past successful experiences. Think about times you took a risk and won.  Remember times when through trial and error you solved a problem.  Confidence comes from recalling past experiences in which you overcame an issue, problems or risks.  This gives you mental energy and the exercise builds your confidence.
9. Take direct action to complete a task or make a decision.  Schedule the task or the decision at a certain time in the future.  Complete the task or decision on time to gain mental energy and feel success.  Divide big projects into small pieces and schedule them to complete in the future.  Celebrate the success!
10. Mindfulness builds mental energy.  Stay in the moment.  Pay attention to what you are doing.  Don’t multitask.  Do one thing well and feel good about it.

Clients often come to me because a manager has told them something negative about themselves that has sapped their energy and confidence.  You can do one of two things about negative feedback.  First if you see that the feedback is right then think about ways to change that behavior or find a place that the trait works in your favor.  If however you believe the feedback is wrong it will take some effort to ignore the feedback and replace it with something you know is true about yourself.  Need help doing this?  Email me at asparker@asparker.com to set up a time to talk.