Exceptional Individuals with ADHD by Tamara Richardson

Exceptional Individuals with ADHD

Need an ADDitional boost of motivation and inspiration?

One of my favourite things to do in my leisure time is watching TEDTalks! I am a life-long learner and am always fascinated by how many new things there are to know about the world we live in! There are so many talks out there on an incredible variety of topics, from microbiology to sleep science to black holes in space! 

There are even TEDTalks on ADHD! This is amazing, not only because it brings awareness to the new insights on the condition but also the TED stage and the internet, of course gives those with ADHD the opportunity to educate and inspire those with and without the diagnosis. 

When I took the time to work on and increase my self-awareness in terms of my ADHD specifically, it gave me the knowledge and the tools I was missing to have more productive and positive experiences in my everyday life. 

When I listened to others' stories and experiences, it brought relief that I wasn’t alone in my struggles. After some, I even became emotional because it was so comforting to hear other individuals describing their experiences, their hardships and daily battles the same way I would have if I were the one up there. 

These individuals instilled hope within that I could find solutions, use strategies and achieve anything I wanted too. These people and their stories, their knowledge, and epic accomplishments inspired me to believe in myself; and gave me the motivation I so desperately needed to use my ADHD qualities as an advantage and to focus on my strengths. 

I still re-watch them to this day and am continually finding more amazing videos of exceptional individuals with ADHD, challenging their community’s expectations and breaking down the stigma and boundaries that society has tried to build around them. 

I hope that these exceptional individuals and their stories inspire you just as much as they did for me.

 10 TEDTalks of Exceptional Individuals with ADHD

1. Not Just LIVING but THRIVING with ADHD | Angela Aguirre | TEDxCalStateLA

            Angela begins her talk with spoken word poetry, eloquently defining her hardships and feelings towards her self and circumstances. She discusses school and work as the two places where she experienced the most difficulty, but comes out the other side of adversity with an incredible story of entrepreneurship, success, lifting young women in her community to new heights and helping the art of poetry flourish within her community. She inspires self-love and self-awareness and that no matter what barriers you face, dreams are not silly, not to be taken lightly and create beautiful works of art for all to embrace. 

2. Failing at Normal | Jessica McCabe | 

            At the age of 32, Jessica found herself completely lost with where she was going in her life, experiencing depression and feelings of failure, with one last try at creating something she could feel proud of in the career realm. She created a YouTube channel called “How To ADHD.” It has now become one of the most-watched and used educational resources on YouTube, fostering a thriving interactive community of ADHD “Brains” as she calls herself and those with ADHD supporting one another. Her “last attempt” at success became as massive achievement for not only herself but those who live with ADHD. Her story might make you shed a tear, but only because it is so relatable for so many of us with ADHD. Her perseverance and tenacity show all of us that we are all worthy of finding acceptance and that because our brains work differently, it brings incredible things into the world, that would not have been there otherwise. 

3. What They Say | Rick Green | TEDxMohawkCollege |

            An incredible Canadian with a long history in film and acting. Rick Green, who many may know from the “Red-Green” show. He talks about his childhood experiences, adversities he’s had to overcome, and the quirks that make him who he is. After being diagnosed with ADHD, quite late into his 40’s, he decided to educate himself on the condition and use that knowledge for the power of positive change. He created a documentary that helped a lot of adults reach out and find answers for themselves after it premiered on PBS. This documentary led to the creation of the website “Totally ADD” which has become incredibly popular and continues to aid those on a variety of topics. The site also includes a forum where ADHD issues and achievements can be discussed and so much more! This talk is genuinely unforgettable and is a must-watch! 

4. ADHD Sucks, but Not Really | Salif Mahamane |

            This young individual speaks about his school experiences and identifies some common mistakes and myths surrounding the ADHD stigma. He discusses his own experiences with mental health and ADHD and how he still works to overcome those today. He saw all of the positives and strengths of ADHD after doing more research and wanted to encourage and inspire others to see those same things; he previously was unable to see. He speaks powerfully and notes despite the symptoms of ADHD, it is how we use what we have that makes all the difference. “ADHD sucks… but Not Really!”  

5. Making ADHD Your Superpower | George Cicci |

            George Cicci, a successful entrepreneur and family man, describes some of the common ADHD symptoms, and experiences he had in elementary school. He brings up some of the unfortunate things said to him by adults about his abilities throughout his school career. George reflected on those moments in his life and realized he had the power to create the life he always saw for himself. All he had to do was work with his brain and not against it. ADHD is a superpower, and like Xavier in the X-Men, suggests that all we need to do is hone in on the tools, technologies and strategies that allow us to control and use our powers for good. 

6. ADHD as A Difference in Cognition; Not A Disorder | Stephen Tonti | TEDxCMU 

            Stephen Tonti is an incredible speaker and public speaking veteran with all the enthusiasm and drama you could ask for in a TEDTalk. A jack of all trades, listing over 20 different pathways of learning he attempted, pulls you into the TEDTalk with eagerness to find out what he might say next. Courageous and passionate, Stephen points out how the view of ADHD in public and private, has been inherently wrong and damaging. He discusses how ADHD is a difference in cognition, and not a disorder to feel ashamed of or let others frown upon. He fills his speech with notes of English and Drama history and references to famous films that keeps you hooked to the very end, changing your perspective on ADHD and even on the boringness of Shakespeare – don’t believe me? Watch his talk and see for yourself, I guarantee, he will surprise you. 

7. The Golden Benefits of ADHD | Thomas Idem | TEDxArendal

            Thomas brings humour and lightheartedness to his discussion on what ADHD is at its core and how to understand it better. Discussing some of the more foundational areas of ADHD traits and mirroring the actual meanings behind the common symptom terminology. He highlights the ups and downs of his life path and how every wrong turn he took, with a positive attitude became the right path all along. He gained so many skills along his journey to embracing who he was and aims to help others understand the abundance of silver linings hanging among the clouds of ADHD. 

8. ADHD In Our Community | John Park | TEDxShanghaiAmericanSchoolPuxi

            John Park, a younger individual, braves the stage with loud encouragement from his peers. He shares some of his negative experiences from school and employs others to open their minds to understanding the differences in those with ADHD. He talks about how education and compassion can foster acceptance. John points out how vital advocacy and awareness is within the school system and that his accommodations are for equity and nothing more. His speech reinforces that no matter how young you are, you can advocate for yourself and be a leader in producing positivity and acceptance among your peers. 

9. Not Wrong, Just Different: ADHD as Innovators| Rebecca Hession | TEDxFortWayne

            Rebecca talks about her son’s experiences as a young child in the school system and how there are significant changes to be made towards supporting and fostering a diverse and thriving space where everyone can focus on their strengths. Every individual learns differently, and there are so many bright young minds that require a different learning environment than that of their peers. Just a few small changes can make a huge impact. The unique traits of her little boy, are seen in many of us with ADHD as children and her story is so inspiring for those in the education system and parents of children with the diagnosis. 

10. ADHD from the inside | Toby Shaw | TEDxYouth@ISPrague 

Toby is a fantastic speaker who breaks down some of the more traditional definitions and symptom descriptions of ADHD. He outlines the specifics of the disorder and explains how it feels for the person with the condition. Toby describes it in a way for those without ADHD to help them understand the diagnosis better. He also speaks about how watching videos of other stories inspired him, as well. Toby finds success in school after receiving his diagnosis; and connected with learning support specialists and used a few different types of accommodation. He highlights the advantages of ADHD and relates them to real-life experiences. Toby closes with acknowledging that yes, having ADHD makes some days harder than others, but with the right supports in place, ADHD is a genuine bonus. 

The Upsides of ADHD - by Tamara Richardson

Sometimes it might be challenging to see all the upsides of ADHD when you are facing a lot of obstacles or struggling with the typical symptoms’ day after day; So, I thought it would be a good idea to write down just a few of the upsides of having ADHD! These are the upsides that I personally experience, but there are so many upsides, and they are different for everyone.

#1.) Imagination and Innovation! I am very imaginative and an “outside the box” thinker. My mind is almost always racing, especially when I'm researching something, I am passionate about. Since my thoughts sort of just quickly pour out all at once, I write them down as quickly as they come so I won't forget, and then set a reminder on my calendar to re-write and act on them later. When I set aside the time and space to refine those imaginative and (usually) long-winded ideas into clear and concise plans, I end up being more productive. 

#2.) & #3.) Resilient and Optimistic Problem Solver! Although I am more prone to experience more personal failures or mistakes than those without ADHD, those failures are just more opportunities for me to learn and grow. I tend to be quite positive and optimistic when facing challenges, because I myself, have had to constantly find solutions for my own daily mishaps throughout my entire life. Being able to get back up after falling down, again and again, builds inner strength, even though getting back up can be really difficult some days, I find, in the end, it is always worth it. 

#4.) Enthusiasm! When I stumble upon something that piques my interest, I tend to get really motivated and excited, visibly more than others. Sometimes I'm so hyped I accidentally interrupt or talk over others, but I always try to be thoughtful of those around me when I feel myself getting a little overzealous. The upside to the enthusiasm is that it usually rubs off on others and is a great tool when you are working with a team of people to help motivate or encourage them to work together and find solutions. A second upside is that no one ever asks you to "speak up a little." 

#5.) Humour! I wouldn't necessarily say I'm 'comedic,' but when you're continually saying "Whoops," "Uh-Oh," "My Bad," "I'm sorry, I'm gonna be late again," sometimes you just have to laugh it up and joke about it. I often walk into a room (out of breath, quite literally always running late) and just start with "Hey guys, sorry I'm late to our meeting again, at least I'm consistent!" 

#6.) Hyper-Focus! Hyper focusing is a bit of a double-edged sword - although it doesn't quite help us in situations where we have to follow other people’s schedules and routines or self-care routines, like getting to bed on time- it DOES, however, boost my ability to be super resourceful! Sometimes I can research an exciting topic for 10 hours straight without getting tired or feeling the need to stop or skim-read an entire encyclopedia on New Guinea's "Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise" in one night and be able to tell you everything there is to know about it in the morning! This can really come in handy if your working on a project and a significant component changes last minute; then its Hyperfocusing to the rescue! Reflecting on some of the positive traits of your ADHD can help foster self-compassion and understanding. Those with ADHD tend to be more self-critical and struggle with their identity more than those without ADHD, so it is crucial we take the time to reflect and acknowledge that these upsides contribute to what makes us unique.

#7. Energetic! I love high energy places! Whether it’s a concert, or music, street and community festivals, group art classes, trail walks and hiking; I am at my happiest during my leisure time when I get to participate in activities where everyone else is just as excited to be there as me! You also never have to worry about shifting focus or getting distracted, because that is the whole point! To take in and absorb everything around you! Am I stopping on a trail hike to look a group of ants all carrying a giant leaf? Sure! Why not! Am I stopping at every single festival booth that catches my eye, weaving in and out of local shops, trying fifty different types of foods! Yes! 100%! It is all about the journey of the activity, not about getting to the end.

#8 Entrepreneurship! Do you love walking, sorry, running to the beat of your own drum? Me to! Those with ADHD tend to make fantastic entrepreneurs, as their drive for following what they love and making something great out of it, with the right support can really pay off! 

#9 Curiosity! Those of us with ADHD typically love to learn! We just all love to learn in different ways. We can be captivated by so many things around us that we are always learning and taking in what’s happening around us, that others may not notice. I love the fact that I am constantly curious, even though I may not always be the best at focusing on one thing at a time, but through that struggle I am always stumbling upon new and exciting things. 

#10 Authenticity! ADHD brains are amazing at just being themselves! Depending on how someone’s ADHD presents, their quirks may or may not be evident to those around them. With that said, they quite literally can’t help but be who they are! I do my best to learn as many strategies and skills to help myself in situations where my ADHD may hinder me, but in one way or another, the fact that my brain just works differently than others never fails to shine right on through! 

These are just 10 Upsides to MY ADHD – but they’re different for everyone! On the “My ADHD Forum,” I would love to hear what your favourite things about your ADHD are and why they’re so great! 

Thank for Reading!

Ability Friendly Access Business Program by Krystian Shaw - Ability Online member and disability advocate

I run and own a newsletter in Kamloops BC Canada called The Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter. that focuses on disability awareness, success stories and inclusion for all as well as a new program/service is starting up for September for Kamloops and surrounding area businesses called Ability friendly Access business program that will certify businesses as disability friendly and welcoming to all and some doctors who have a knack for serving and dealing with patients who have disabilities like developmental disabilities, mental health issues or autism and other kinds of disabilities. We would like medical offices to become scent free and disability friendly places to go to and to visit your doctor or chiropractic doctors etc. The program costs 15 dollars every 3 months or 50 dollars for the year. With this program you also get a certificate with a frame to hang up on your business wall for customers or patients to see. As well as a listing in our monthly newsletter. This is a very exciting and unusual project to happen in Kamloops and surrounding  area. We will be making places disability friendly and accessible and friendly. people like to know if you support diversity, inclusion and access in your business or medical office. People like to deal with businesses who has the same values as their customers or  patients. We will certify them as being good places to eat or shop at or go to. 

Thanks to Jan's (my marketing assistant) idea I ran with it and we all came up with good ideas. I also been in touch with Media and other businesses in Kamloops like Fun Factor to give a certificate to. All the certificates come with a frame and a listing in the monthly newsletter.  This is a dream come true for my city and surrounding areas. 

I live with developmental disabilities and an anxiety disorder and ADHD and I wanted to create a new service to mark my 6th anniversary year of doing this for society and people with all disabilities including but not limited to mental health issues.  I also would like to thank Jan for her idea.

We also want to congratulate businesses for serving us. as customers from all abilities as well as from diverse backgrounds. We also would like to say good job to businesses for hiring us as employees and much more. 

I also would like to say you can do anything you set your mind too with the right supports in place. Please feel free to share this inspiring story.

I am the president at the Kamloops Self Advocate.

One Foot in Front of the Other: Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone By Remy Martino, Ability Online Member and Mentor

One day at work, one of my coworkers asked me, out of the blue, if I had any summer goals. There were no customers in desperate need of assistance, so I had no way out of this question. I can’t remember what I told her, but I can imagine it was something along the lines of: “I don’t know, man; read more, write more, do more…try some new stuff.” Nice and vague, and it seemed to satisfy them. 

This exchange, though, has made me wonder; what ARE my goals, and WHY are these goals the goals I set? I always want to do MORE, but is there something more concrete I could focus on? While reading and writing more sounds noble, I’m already on my fourteenth book of the year, so I think I’ve got that covered.

At this point, you may be wondering what my inability to set legitimate goals has to do with Ability Online and the users it supports…  Well, hey, don’t interrupt, I’m getting there.

See, Ability Online has many forums open for discussion; asking questions like, “What’s your favourite super hero? (Captain America) and “What are you afraid of?” (Spiders; they have so many legs, and are so very fast.) But the forum I want to talk about now is called “Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone.”

On this forum, people have discussed things like social anxiety and fears, and personal goals and triumphs.  As we’re all different, there is a wide array of posts; all of these goals are valuable, regardless of magnitude.

“Remy, no. That’s silly. A goal to “read more” or make a new pal, or learn a new bus route isn’t as valuable as going back to school, or learning how to cook.” 

Isn’t it, though? 

Those who use Ability Online experience life differently; they may or may not have certain limitations which they must cope with in order to prosper. From the second these limitations are discovered, they are labelled and defined. “You can’t run; you’ll suck at math; you’ll never see anyone like you in movies or on TV” 

The act of stepping outside our predetermined and often very comfortable comfort zones as we age becomes even more important than ever because of these labels and definitions thrown our way. While those who label and define us may have some knowledge and even, maybe, some experience, the only way we’ll ever find out what we can do, is to do it….or try to, anyway. 

So, yeah, I’ll say it again; every goal on this forum has immense value; I don’t care how big or how small. While comfort Zones can be, well, comfortable, they can get a bit boring, repetitive, and predictable.  

As a final word, I implore you to set your summer goals; and know that Ability Online will be around to share in your triumphs all season long.

The Importance of Time Management by Kiersten Robertson

Time management is one of the most important things that a person must learn in their life.  It is one that I have personal struggles with and am now even facing issues because I have poor time management skills.  

What is Time Management?

Time management is usually seen to be as simple as the word are to say. It is where you manage your time.  Unfortunately, it is not that easy.  By definition Time management is managing your time in an effective manner that when put towards a specific activity will help you reach a specific goal. It is important to use this tool as it will help you in all ways of life. Time management includes five main activities in general:

1.    Effective Planning

2.    Setting goals and objectives

3.    Setting deadlines

4.    Prioritizing activities as per their importance

5.    Spending the right time on the right activity

Each step is extremely important to how to manage your time.  I personally have missed a few steps and it is difficult to make up for what you miss out on because of poor time management skills.

Effective Planning

This is essential to have effective planning when trying to get things done in a timely manner.  If you are able to plan ahead about what needs to be done it is best to get this done early.  This step is one that gets me into trouble a lot.  I have trouble coming up with plans and when I do. I tend to forget to actually put things in to effect.  A good way to combat this would be to set reminders to do this early and not wait until time is almost out.

Setting goals and objectives

Setting goals and objectives can be both a simple and difficult task at the same time.  A goal can be something as easy or as simple as deciding what must be done. For example, “I will go to the gym today”.  That can be your goal for the day. A more complex goal might be something like “I must finish this assignment that is worth the majority of my grade”. This goal is a bit more complex as it can have many smaller goals within it such as what part of the assignment should be finished when.

Setting deadlines

Deadlines are the one thing that tends to make time management hardest for me.  Sometimes the deadlines are personal, other times they are set by others and if they are not met it can get you in a world of trouble.  I find that this step is one of the ones that I forget the most.  Not meeting a personal deadline is what gets me into the most trouble.  I may remember the hard deadlines but the ones I set for myself usually end up blowing away with the wind.  A trick I am learning to use is to set reminders on my phone for a week before my personal deadline is meant to be hit and again for a few days before.  

Prioritizing activities based on their importance & Spending the right time on the right activity

This step really has inclusions in all the other steps as well. To be able to set goals and deadlines you must be able to see what is more important than other things. Something that can be difficult is realizing one’s own faults and being able to correct the mistakes that have been made.  It is important to realize when too much or too little time has been given to a specific task so that you can try and use what time you have left to what is truly important.  I personally know I have not devoted the time and effort that I should here on Ability Online and unfortunately it is not something that can be fixed with a sorry.

Time Management is important for every person.  If I could turn back time, go back to January when I was introduced to this website would I do things differently? YES.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to turn back time.  It is my hope that I can just do better in the future.  I took the fact that I am doing this as a placement online that I would be able to focus and do things right. Now I see that without proper time management I still can make mistakes and make things difficult for those around me.  

I hope that by writing this I can help anyone that has time management problems like I do and maybe even one less person will have the problems that I deal with now.

My advice: Be organized, be focused and don’t take something for granted just because you think it will be easy. Do not make excuses and do what you must to complete your tasks and your life may have a lot less challenges. 

Financial Literacy by Ana Kirmani

Finance is a huge part of our everyday lives as children, teenagers, students and adults.  We all need to understand how to save, invest and plan our financial future. 

Here on Ability online, Elizabeth Naumovski discusses ‘Financial literacy’, without jargon, in plain language, within our Financial Literacy Forum. 

Now a little bit about the astounding women that is Elizabeth Naumovski. Elizabeth is well versed in the financial arena, having worked on Bay Street for over 20 years. She has her Chartered Marketer designation and  also has her Investment Advisor licence.

She hosts a 30 minute show called Finance is Personalwhich airs on CHCH TV Hamilton on Saturday & Sunday mornings. When the show is not on television, you and audiences worldwilde, can watch it 24/7 on YouTube. The show tackles issues women and everyone face throughout their lives financially. Topics can be the basics such as what is a stock or an RRSP, the laws of living together and marriage, teaching your children about investing, the finance of divorce, the death of a loved one, debt and budgeting and FOMO (the fear of missing out). She helps prepare you for situations that you might not know exist by discussing financial literacy and gives you the education to prepare for events when life throws you life altering curve balls financially.  

   Through her online Financial Literacy forum, she discusses important questions such as; How should we plan for our future? and When should we plan our future? With her professional guests they explain and tackle these pressing questions that we all face within out day to day lives. The financial industry has so many different buzz words and use jargon that simple things can get quite confusing, complicated and difficult. 

With the help of Elizabeth Naumovski, Ability Online has created a forum for members called ‘Finance is Personal,’ where member’s questions can be discussed and responded to. 

 Elizabeth and guest speaker Cindy Crean touch upon this in the first episode of the online series. What is the importance of a Financial Advisor? Someone who is looking out for your best interests and can help you when it comes to investing, saving, mutual funds, and stocks. Ironically, many of you had asked these same questions in the forum; regarding mutual funds, investing, saving and much more. Elizabeth responded to your questions with a great amount of detail and even gave examples as to what you can do financially and how you can achieve it. 

Now here are the tips to Financial Literacy!

Savings:

Savings can be quite difficult as life can be unpredictable, and the amount of money  you have on a monthly basis might have to go towards the unexpected without any extra left over for savings. One of the best ways to save is to start now! Put aside $20 (or whatever amount you can afford) per week or per month and begin to live your life without that cash. Create a budget and see where your money is spent on a monthly basis, it will be easier for you to create a savings plan and actually stick with it if you know exactly what your monthly expenses are.  The key is to live your life without debt. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. Now, there are times in your life when this is impossible and you need to go into debt. That’s why an emergency fund is important to have. Always put money aside in an emergency fund as well, so that when you have an “emergency” situation, you will have some funds to back you up.

Mutual Funds:

Mutual funds are different investment vehicles that most people mistaken as an RRSP (“Registered Retirement Savings Fund”) or TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account”). A mutual fund is the investment vehicle that you put in your RRSP or TFSA. A mutual fund is a collection of different company stocks and bonds that are part of a portfolio. Investors purchase a unit of the mutual fund so that they have invested in a portion of the mutual fund. As Elizabeth explained it's like putting items into a shopping cart, the mutual fund is your shopping cart and every item in the shopping cart is added or deleted by the Portfolio Manager. Please note, mutual funds are not guaranteed. Their value will go up and down with the stock market. If you have invested in a very risky mutual fund, then the value of that fund will fluxuate a lot. You should always invest depending on your personal risk tolerance and what makes youc comfortable and will let you sleep at night.  

Stocks:

When you purchase a stock, you are actually purchasing ownership in a company. For example, let’s say that your favourite make-up is a Red Lipstick (also known as the Red Lipstick Company “RLC”). The RLC is a private company, owned by one or many individuals or even employee owned.  After functioning as a small company, the RLC has decided to become a publicly traded company and sell shares into their company.

This means that the RLC is going to sell portions (shares) of the company to the public.  The RLC has a certain number of shares that are available on a stock exchange (open market) and the public can purchase or sell the shares. What you are essentially doing is purchasing ownership of the company.  Therefore, if you own stock in the company, you have become a small owner/investor in the RLC company. You are now a shareholder and can vote at Annual Meetings.

Sources:

Finance is Personal Series

Elizabeth Naumovski

The Accessibility of Storytelling by Remy Martino

Seven months ago I decided to join the community of Ability Online; since joining, I’ve had countless conversations on message boards, and raced to keep up with the unbelievable pace of Monday Night Chats.  

For those who aren’t aware, Ability Online is a community, meant to encourage those with special needs to connect and build friendships.  We talk about things like the weather (It’s cold and snowing; spring, where are you?), our favourite things (the colour blue, Italian food, and SHORT walks on the beach.) There’s something for everyone and anyone, you just have to search the forums, and you’ll find yourself a friend.  

While I tend to hop around and answer any post, I’ve recently noticed a forum titled “Write Now.” This is a place for writers to talk about or share their writing with people who also like to write or read. After scrolling, I started thinking, and I have a thought. Here we go…

Storytelling is the world’s most accessible form of human entertainment and connection.  

Literally anyone can write, read, or share a story with minimal accommodation, and when you’re world is made up of modified or accommodated activities every day, all day…to be able to do something the way it was meant to be done, or in a way that is accepted by other members of your society, it means a lot more than you would guess. 

Some of us may require the use of text-to-speech technology, communication boards, or computers…but at least we can all tell stories that can be understood and appreciated by the people around us. I’m not saying we’re all going to be the next Robert Munsch or L.M Montgomery; but, thanks to Audiobooks, E-books, movies, television, and developmentally appropriate reading material, we can all enjoy a good story without feeling different or singled-out by our abilities. 

Listen, I know the world isn’t a perfectly accessible fairytale, and that there are many dragons that need slaying in the days to come. But, for the moment, I am happy to see that we can all curl up and appreciate a story; in whichever method we choose. 

Confidence and coming out of your Comfort Zone by Farah Panchbhaya

Confidence may be a hard concept to actually obtain for many people. Gaining confidence may be a challenge but it is not impossible. Have you ever heard of the phrase “Fake it till you make it”? well, sometimes following that may actually work. 

Let me use myself as an example. Growing up, I didn’t mind public speaking. I would even volunteer to work as assembly hosts and morning speakers in elementary school. However, by the time I reached high school, I hated it. I hated any attention that was given to me and this made doing presentations in class quite difficult. 

Now fast forward to University, I am back to enjoying public speaking and doing presentations. Why a sudden change? Confidence. Now don’t get me wrong. I didn’t just come to university and suddenly love presenting again. I knew it was impossible to hide from it and so of course, I faked my confidence. Eventually, I started getting comfortable. This just goes to show that confidence is gained and achieved, and it’s not easy. I know I’m not perfect and I do get nervous quite a bit but there is nothing wrong with trying and pushing yourself to be the best you can be. 

Here are some tips to help you build confidence! 

1.    Be Fearless! 

2.    Don’t Care What Others Think

3.    Challenge Yourself

4.    Do What Makes You Happy!