This past summer, I had the unique opportunity to people hunt through Coolidge Park and ask strangers this question:

“What is the one thing you love the most about yourself?”

The responses were enlightening because I began to sense a theme.

“Hi, I’m Isabelle, and (insert nonthreatening, rehearsed introduction). Do you have time for a few questions?”

The victim looks around uncomfortably searching for any way out.

“Uhhhh, sure?”

Notice their uncertainty. All they had to say was “yes” or “no,” but the majority went with the ever-so wishy-washy “sure.”

At this point, I ask my question. They pause. Instantly, their faces shrivel, reminiscent of a lost pug. Keep in mind I didn’t just ask them to reveal their worst failure or anything relative to that. I simply asked these people to compliment themselves.

Their self-doubt didn’t dawn on me until I listened over our conversations in my recordings.

Why do we shy away from confidently praising ourselves even when it’s necessary?

The obvious answer is because we don’t want to come off as arrogant.

This rings true. When I recognize arrogance, I immediately gain a sour taste on my tongue. However, arrogance isn’t synonymous to confidence, which most everyone I interviewed seemed to lack.

Confidence is trusting and embracing ourselves as individuals set apart from the 7 billion other residents on planet earth.

Personally, confidence still battles with my inner timidity, but I have learned (the hard way) that confidence will help me more than hurt me.

More specifically, confidence has the ability push limits that in turn can lead to success.

I wish I had a 5-step plan to a more confident you, but unfortunately, I’m still figuring out this whole idea of confidence.

I encourage you to explore yourself and to realize that it’s perfectly alright to give yourself a pat on your back sometimes. It is a soul-moving exercise.