Tiny Wisdom: Who Do You Think You Are?

“It’s not who you are that holds you back; it’s who you think you’re not.” -Unknown

I know this may seem obvious, but I recently realized I have the most confidence in the things that I do most frequently.

For example, I write every day—and I have a lot of confidence in my ability to help people through my words. I identify myself as a writer, which goes a long way in motivating me to do this consistently and passionately.

I feel less confident when it comes to the business side of things—negotiating the contract for my next book, for example. I frequently reinforce to myself that I’m not a businesswoman; and as a result, I rarely think or act like one.

While a part of me enjoys not focusing on money, I also realize we all need money to live, and there’s a lot of good we can do with our earnings, for ourselves and other people.

Just recently, my friend Emmanuel wrote a blog post about receiving a generous financial gift from a client, and then passing it on to a friend in need.

When I read something like, I’m reminded that my restrictive thinking not only limits my own financial stability; it also impacts my ability to give to others, whether I do that directly, or through my capacity to continually invest in this site.

Right then I realized:

Confidence doesn’t only come from knowing who we think we are, and what we can do well; it also comes from believing in who we can become and what we can do better.

We’re best able to do this if we consciously choose to see ourselves differently, and then act on that vision a little every day.

For me, this means recognizing when I’m limiting possibilities by thinking, “I’m a writer—this isn’t for me,” and instead proactively choosing to create new opportunities, guided by the belief, “I’m a visionary, and there’s no limit to what I can create.”

It’s a tiny shift in thinking that can make a profound difference. It’s amazing how simply adjusting our self-perception can dramatically impact our confidence and potential.

We get to decide what we do, create, and become in this life. But that means we need to be willing to ask ourselves: What’s the impact I’d like to make, how do I need to evolve to do that, and what steps can I take to enable that, today and every day?

Photo by Andrew Girdwood

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others do the same. She recently created the Breaking Barriers to Self-Care eCourse to help people overcome internal blocks to meeting their needs—so they can feel their best, be their best, and live their best possible life. If you’re ready to start thriving instead of merely surviving, you can learn more and get instant access here.

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