Confidence and self-esteem
Fast facts
- Feeling confident can help you manage your life in general and your epilepsy
- If you’re confident about what you’re doing and saying, other people will often feel reassured and so possibly they’ll be less worried about your epilepsy
- Thoughts aren’t facts. Many people have negative thoughts, but it doesn’t mean that they are true
- You may not be feeling confident or as confident as you would like at the moment, but there are things that can help. Read on for some tips
"It is remarkable how liberating it feels to be able to see that your thoughts are just thoughts and that they are not ‘you’ or ‘reality.’"
Jon Kabat-Zinn, medical professor
Top tips
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1Find someone to talk to, like a good friend or counsellor, if you’re struggling with your confidence
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2Ask other people how they cope. Many people appear confident on the outside when that’s not how they feel on the inside
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3Try to act like you’re feeling confident, even if you’re not. You might start to believe you are
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4Notice any negative self-talk, but remember the thoughts are not true. Try to change your thoughts to more positive ones. Think about what a friend would say
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5If you find social media affects your confidence, take a break from it
Watch
Do something
Ask your friends what they like about you and what they think your strengths are. Write down what they say. You can look at this whenever you need a confidence boost.
More info
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