The Truth About Confidence & Anxiety

Let’s face it, struggling with anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia can really take a hit on your self-confidence and have you questioning your capabilities at every turn. And a lack of confidence often prevents you from moving forward on your healing journey.

I used to be convinced that I needed to feel confident before doing the hard things (well, really anything quite honestly). And it didn’t help that I had such a lack of it! I used to focus so much of my time and efforts on my lack of self-confidence and how I could increase my self-confidence before stepping out and doing the things that I knew I needed to do in order to heal. In looking back, I can't believe how much time and energy I wasted!

Undoubtedly, it feels much better, safer, and a whole lot more exciting doing things when you feel confident, but you don't need confidence in order to do the hard things.

Let me give you an example! I began to learn to ski when I was in my late-twenties. My husband is my teacher and has been skiing ever since he was a kid. He can ski just about any mountain and has skied all over the US! It’s fair to say that he’s a confident skier.

Me, on the other hand, I started out being terrified of the bunny slope. Not only was I terrified, I had moments where I downright hated skiing because I felt so scared doing it. It was hard, uncomfortable, frustrating, and full of moments where I doubted myself and whether or not I’d ever be able to ski and feel joy rather than absolute fear.