There are many reasons why a working mum’s confidence may need an extra boost. Whether the lack of self-belief stems from an extended absence from the work place or the fact that work can no longer be the sole focus at every given moment, working mums can find some sure fire ways to kick start that self-belief here. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, here are my top coping tips and seven habits of successful working mums to consider to help you boost your belief even higher.
1. Remember that your role as a mother provides you with valuable transferable skills. It is all too easy to consider your standing in the work place to have deteriorated since the advent of the children. Forget the common preconceptions and prejudice about mums in the work place and think about all the skills required to be a mother. Multitasking, placation, distraction, sheer oodles of stamina, organisation; the ability to transfer these into any job should make you very proud of your ability as a working mum.
2. Frame your achievements. Think of the moments in your life and career that you are most proud of. Create a very clear picture in your mind as you remember them, how it looked, what the sounds were and how it felt. Before meetings or situations that you need a pep talk, go back to this image and remind yourself of how good you are.
3. Stop the false modesty. Our polite culture, added to a belief that self-confidence can be an unattractive trait, can often lead people to self-deprecate. Not only will this lower your value in others’ eyes, over time it will have the same effect on your view of yourself. Practise simply saying ‘thank you’ when someone pays you a compliment.
4. Visualise future histories. Time, as a working mum. is a commodity is short supply but taking the time to run through future scenarios in your head and visualising positive outcomes is time well spent. You’ll aid your preparation and bolster your confidence in the process.
5. Act is if it is so. Even if you aren’t feeling confident, act as if you are. In the same way that focusing on smiling can have the positive of making you feel happier, adopting self-assured body language can make you confident. Head high, shoulders back – choose some role models that you’d like to emulate and copy their strong visual cues of internal strength. Initially it will be those around you that become convinced in your projection, but soon enough, their reactions to you will be the impetus to change the way you interact in reply.
One final great piece of advice to generate self-belief is to never doubt that there will be things in your life to be celebrated. One very visual way to actualise this is to always have a bottle of champagne chilling in your fridge. It may take up precious space from the children’s yoghurts and cheese selections but it demonstrates a positive outlook and an undeterred belief in your own ability to make good things happen.
What are your tips to fuel your self-belief? What holds you back? Do share your tips or struggles below and don’t forget to visit Coaching Mums to view our latest FREE resources for helping you achieve more balance in your life. If you’d like a little inspiration and support delivered free to your inbox, click here to sign up for my free ezine; Inspire.
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