I remember clearly my 10 year reunion. The preparation began weeks in advance. What would I wear? I was self-conscious about my body as I had just given birth to my son only months before. I hadn't seen these people in 10 years. Who doesn't want to look good for a reunion?
The big reunion night arrived with a mixture of nerves and excitement. Just like in high school, the old group gathered at the house of our very social friend, Janet, before heading to the event. In the moments before we were going to leave, Janet announces, "I guess I should decide what to wear." I thought, "Are you kidding me? You are just deciding now?" It didn't surprise me though. Janet never really concerned herself about these things. Obviously, nothing had changed since high school. In the minutes before heading out the door, we raced upstairs like two high school girls sorting through clothes. In about two minutes, she decided on a wrinkled mini skirt she found lying on her bed. She held it up giving it a quick snap hoping to take out a few wrinkles. She paired it with the shirt she was already wearing and slipped on her worn Birkenstocks. When we arrived at our old high school, she walked confidently into the reunion.
That evening, it wasn't what Janet was wearing on the outside, it was what she was wearing on the inside. She was brimming with self-acceptance proving that confidence is an inside job. You didn't see a wrinkled skirt. You saw a confident, self-loving woman.
Being confident pays big dividends.
It is very powerful.
It is admirable.
It is attractive.
It draws others to you.
In the workplace, it opens doors and opportunities. Confidence just might be your single biggest asset. Make yourself stronger on the inside and it will show on the outside.
Confidence is like an outfit. Own it and rock it.