Invicta Vlogs
One of our Core Values is 'Confidence' and this week, we celebrate it as one of our themes.
One of our Core Values is ‘Confidence’ and this week, we celebrate it as one of our themes. I do not think that anyone would disagree with our opinion that confidence is an essential quality and one that for individuals, is not always a natural characteristic!
We certainly become more confident as we grow and become more experienced. I can reflect back and think about how, when I was at school, I would leave it to others to ask and answer questions. I am sure that we can all relate to something similar, and yet, with the onset of years, we have gained the confidence to do lots of different, more challenging things, that we would have never dreamt of. One thing, I do know, is that this confidence does not just happen. We have all been blessed to have others believe, challenge and support us in our journey to confidence. So, it is with great relish that we promote confidence at Invicta.
Just this week, I have been fortunate enough to wave ‘good bye’ to our students who went to the United Nations Conference in Geneva. Then, on a daily basis, I have received such glowing reports to highlight the way in which our Year 12 and 13 students have not only shown but also developed confidence in their roles. It was lovely to see.
I often think about what helps you to be confident. I personally like to promote the following 3 steps:
1. Smile: The one-second tip for when you are feeling nervous and unconfident is simply to smile! You do not just smile because you are happy and confident – you can smile to make yourself feel better. The act of smiling is so strongly associated with positive feelings that it is almost impossible to feel bad while smiling. That is why I like to see smiling faces at Invicta all the time! However, we also know the power of a smile to reassure too.
2. Find the next step: Keep your self-confidence up by taking gradual steps forwards, rather than freezing when faced with what seems like a giant leap. If you are not sure what to do, look for one simple step that you can take to make progress. These small steps enable us to break things down into manageable chunks and as such, this is what effective learning is all about.
3. Contribute something: Have you ever sat through an entire class at school or meeting at work without saying a word? Have you had an evening out where friends chatted happily while you sat and stared silently? The chances are, you were not feeling very self-confident and you probably felt even worse afterwards. Whatever the situation you are in, make an effort to contribute. Even if you do not think you have much to say, your thoughts and perspective are valuable to those around you. So, it is exactly this that we promote at Invicta – we also value the contribution; no matter how small.
I know that this week, we have seen students not only smile, but take that next step and contribute something too. Many of our activities provide students with the opportunity to do exactly this. Our girls may not have initially envisaged themselves debating, questioning a visitor in our Broadening Horizons Lecture, or even dancing at our Burns Night Supper this week. But one thing for sure, is that I know by giving them a reassuring smile, breaking things down to small steps and appreciating their input – no matter how small – is going to help develop that all important confidence. I am certain that we will see it in varying degrees this week and it will undoubtedly continue to grow. I cannot wait to see those smiles!
