From Now On - A New You

You can't buy confidence

Just imagine you won the Lottery. And if we must fantasize- and why shouldn't we - let's assume that money can buy us anything we want. Of course our first purchase would be our health, we would all agree on that one. But what, I wonder, would come next on our shopping list? A holiday in some exotic place- a new car, forget the make it's irrelevant, you can afford whatever you want. Why not a new house? Let's face it, you never did like your neighbours. You don't even have to go to work if you don't want to. Just turn up one day and tell your boss what you have wanted to say all these years.

Isn't money wonderful? The world is your oyster. So have you yet decided on your second purchase? I have, and don't forget we now know money can buy us whatever we wish. Chequebook in hand I'm off to buy something that will change my life forever. Forget the holiday and the car, the new house; I can buy those anytime. I've got my health fully paid for; there is only one other thing I want. But what is it? I'm reluctant to tell you, I want to keep you in suspense. What on earth can it be? Ask yourself, what is it that you would want after your health? Ask your family, go out into the street and ask all in your neighbourhood. Take it from me there is no one who will come up with the answer.

So what's the magical ingredient? And it can be summed up in one word and, incredibly, it's free. It doesn't cost a penny; it's just called Confidence. Now you realise you have everything you need; you have your health, how fortunate you are. All you have to do now is to get to work on your confidence and you will be able to achieve everything you ever wanted. Confidence is a state of mind; it's yours if you want it, you can reject it if you wish. So how do you acquire confidence if you haven't got it? Quite simply by facing up to reality. If you are 40 you will never be 20 again. If you are short, stop wishing you were tall; it's not going to happen, so forget it. Isn't it wonderful to have say, lovely natural hair, for example. And yet some of the most popular and sexiest men are bald! Concentrate on your assets and forget your liabilities; after all it's only you who think you have any. Every one else couldn't care less. Why not think you are marvelous, because there is someone out there who happens to think you are. We are brought up in a world in which it is acceptable to praise other people but never ourselves; we would be accused of vanity if we did. The next time you meet your family or friends tell them how nice they look, or congratulate them on anything they have done. But above all do it with sincerity. Paying people compliments does their confidence no harm at all, and most importantly, it will do yours the world of good.

Les Lawrence