BELIEVING IN YOURSELF

The human mind is a powerful tool, if only we used it more often, and for positive things. We spend our time complaining about what we do not have and fail to take any action to achieve what we can have. We need to believe in ourselves more.

I have mentored young adults who feel that it is people who stop them from achieving their goals or I hear the excuses like ‘it’s too hard’, ‘can’t do this’, ‘I am not clever enough’ sometimes it is because of their lack of confidence, or they just can’t be bothered.

When I was living in Newport, South Wales I was told by a teacher that ‘black people are not academic so I should concentrate on athletics,’ another one had stated that ‘black people have always been known as stupid from the beginning of time.’

This could have discouraged me, but it did not because by then I was fed up with being stereotyped. I am an individual and I should be treated as one.

Today I would have told the uneducated teachers ‘During the era of slavery it was illegal for enslaved African Americans to be educated, the only thing they were allowed was religious instruction there were dire consequences if you were found out to be literate.’

The only subject I missed out on was learning about ‘Black History’. I mean all I knew, when I was in my late teens, was slavery and the negativity, sadness and feelings of a race that was portrayed as inferior.

In my opinion slavery is what made people think that we were inferior, and we accepted that. Today we know better.

This blog is not about racism, no matter who you are or where you’re from, your talents lie within yourself.

There are many successful people who started without money or connections, and they are self-made, successful through working very hard and saving.

Money gives you a whole range of possibilities, but you cannot buy love, kindness, respect and true faithful friends.

I left school with a good education and was told that on my last report that I was rather “reserved”. I was never one to draw attention to myself I liked to hide in the shadows. I had a lot of trouble understanding my purpose in this world and until I knew I would rather stay out of the limelight.

I guess my confidence grew much later in life, (better late than never) as I wasted too much time dwelling on negative past events, if I knew what I know now I would have saved myself from a lot of headache.

The truth is I never really knew who I was from one day to the next, I had so many different personalities in my head. I wanted to be somebody else.

I am happy that I was not easily led by anyone, I was still my own person and could adapt to any situation I found myself in.

The greatest influence in my life was my Father, he was always constantly there, and he never passed judgement or criticism of me. I could share anything with him, he knew how much I struggled with being at peace with myself.

It took a very long time for me to have any love for myself. I know there is a saying ‘you cannot love someone if you do not love yourself’ I beg to differ. I loved my Father more than anything in the universe. I sometimes feel that’s why God took him. That’s another painful story that I would rather not talk about.

The main thing is believing in yourself, believing you are an exceptional unique human being. No one can ever be you, without that love for yourself you are left wide open to hurtful words.

No matter what you have been through in life, you can find the power within to start believing in yourself again.

Great techniques that I have used are mantras or visualisation to heal myself.

Uri Geller, an illusionist, had encouraged people, during one of his mind power exercises to use visualisation techniques.

I remember one of his mantras ….

“I know I can make it. Great success is coming my way. I want more and I will get more and keep it. I have the power”

There is also a technique where you can look in the mirror and say positive affirmations to yourself.

Do not lean on social media to make you feel better about yourself as you will never be satisfied it all starts with you.

Loving and believing in yourself protects you from the haters. No one knows you like you do.

In everything there is a balance and once you are at peace with yourself you become more powerful.

Natalie Bleau

THE SCRIPTURE OF BALANCE