Confidence is. 19/51.#LifeThisWeek. 50/2019.
I have TOO many “C” words on my mind. I have: cancer, confidence, contentment, courage….and YES, I write a post based on confidence rather than contentment…so, given it’s optional prompts here, I shall leave as is! Who gets her own prompt incorrect? Me! More on my mind that I thought.
There is a part of me that is ‘fake it till you make it’ in terms of my outgoingness (is that word?) because I seem to be able to join in or initiate conversations with people I do not know or those I am getting to know.
Yet, behind this, can be a very self-critical voice telling me all kinds of nonsense and back in February 2019 I wrote here about the Big C(onfidence) and Me.
By the time I finished that post, I came up with this. I have re-written it here, with comments/photos, to indicate I now think I know for me, what:
Confidence IS.
From February 2019:
I know that putting these words here has helped me see that it’s my faulty thinking that has been affecting my self-confidence.
OK! How to change that?
- Already I have in some ways as I now recognise this inner critic voice and her role.
- My actions, my words and my inner life help me remember MUCH more about the confidence I like to have and know I can bring more to the fore.

Having fun smiling at my husband after his daily photo-taking of me for social media
- Each time I dress and go out for coffee, I am embedding self-confidence.
- My daily journal keeping can continue to be a ‘write it all down’ place and then review for evidence of this confidence tracking upwards not the downwards the inner critic can believe.

Out for a coffee, reviewing my new Ambassador role and journalling….
- My on-line interactions with people from my various communities in education, blogging and head and neck cancer are ways in which I grow my self-confidence and also give back to others where I can and it is asked for.

Stopping to take Autumn tree photos and including me now!
- Seeing myself as others do and may. It helps to believe that I am both good and doing good. This is something I have struggled with all of my life and want it to change. I can do this. I will remind myself more.
- Maintaining practices of:
- Making and creating
- Look UP…clouds are so amazing.
- My mini-art journal kit is with me for my daily coffee
- Meeting friends for Coffee
- being in nature,
- time-outs with my art journal,
- chats with my husband, meditation each night,
- helping my physical body to relax,
- exercising within my limitations,
- planning to eat well and doing the same without any deprivation,
- cancer checks and better understanding of the fact that cancer actually never leaves but might take a back seat in my life,
- taking time to make contact with family and friends,
- exploring the local area’s beauty,
- browsing at the shops,
- reading,
- keeping to a timetable of sorts each day for balance in my life.
Already I feel better!
Now “that” for me is Confidence!

I have days when I am ‘not as confident as I like’ but they are far fewer now.
Something to note for this week and next: as you read this on Monday morning 13 May I will be sitting in the prosthodontist’s chair at Westmead after a few months without seeing him and H O P I N G all will be well inside my mouth. Then on Friday 17 May I will remember it was 2 years ago I heard from the oral surgeon that cancer was found in my gums…onto Tuesday 21 May and I am attending a meeting at Beyond Five as part of my new Ambassador role and then, drum roll…..seeing my head and neck surgeon for my 3 month (2 years done!) cancer check. Whilst I look forward to all of these events I do not know the outcomes so a little bit of unease can form yet I am confident in myself to deal with whatever comes up and to know I am in the best care possible.
What about you?
Denyse.
Linking here on Mondays with Kell for Mummy Mondays.
You can link up something old or new, just come on in. * Please add just ONE post each week! * Feel free to go with the prompt for the week to add your ‘take’ on the prompt. Or not. * Please do stay to comment on my post as I always reply and it’s a bloggy thing to do! * Check out what others are up to by leaving a comment because we all love our comments, right! * Add a link back to this blog in your post somewhere. I don’t have a ‘button’ so a link in text is fine! *Posts deemed by me, the owner of the blog and the link-up, to be unsuitable for my audience will be deleted without notice. * THANK you for linking up today!
Next week’s optional prompt: 20/51. Share Your Snaps.
Copyright © 2019 denysewhelan.com.au – All rights reserved.
Your Comments Are Appreciated & Read by Denyse Who Always Replies.