Welcome to this bonus episode of Women In Confidence where I explore the topic of taking action despite feeling fear and uncertainty. The phrase 'feel the fear and do it anyway' is often used as a motivational tool to encourage people to overcome their fears and pursue their goals.

Hello, I'm Vanessa, the host of Women In Confidence. Welcome and thanks for listening. I designed this podcast to appeal to working women who want to understand what confidence is, what you can do to build (or rebuild) your confidence and then maintain it. I interview amazing women who have genuine stories to tell about their journey through life and how they manage the ups and downs of life. My vision is for my listeners to try something that has worked for my guests and if it changes their lives then I feel that the podcast has been a positive contribution to the world.

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Vanessa xx

Bonus edition of Women in Confidence

But it's a phrase that is often used as an encouragement to take action. Despite a fear, despite an uncertainty or doubt. This advice can be particularly relevant for women who face systemic barriers and discrimination that can make it more difficult for them to pursue their goals and aspirations.

But despite these challenges, it is really important for women to push past those fears. And pursue their goals. By taking action and facing their fears, women can build confidence and resilience. And they may inspire others to do the same. And in addition, by speaking up and pursuing that goals, women can challenge stereotypes.

And create positive change for themselves and others. And ultimately every person has their own journey and experiences. And what works for one person. Might not work for another, however, by acknowledging and confronting their fears. Women can take steps towards achieving their goals and creating a better future for themselves and others.

Psychologists agreed that a little bit of overconfidence is better than a little bit of under confidence, which is what most women suffer from. And Katie goes on to explain the research behind confidence and why it's important for women to work on boosting the confidence that they've got. And here are some key takeaways from her insights.

So firstly confidence is a belief that you have the ability to succeed at something. And it's not the same as self-esteem. Secondly women consistently underestimate their abilities. Whereas men consistently overestimate them. This means that women are more likely to hold themselves back from taking risks and pursuing new opportunities.

Fifth. Confidence breeds confidence. As should take actions, risks, and step outside your comfort zone. You can build mastery, which is a major, major driver of confidence. And this success in turn, then reinforces your belief in your abilities and strengths in your confidence. And so it goes. For example, let's just say you're really nervous about giving a presentation at work. You might be tempted to avoid the presentation at all, or to downplay your role in it. However, if you instead take action and [00:04:00] prepare thoroughly.

Deliver the presentation with confidence and receive positive feedback from your colleagues. You'll feel a really strong sense of accomplishment and confidence in your abilities. This in turn can lead you to take on more challenging projects or to offer, to speak up in more meetings and therefore further building your confidence.

So confidence breeds confidence because it is a positive cycle that reinforces itself. The sixth point being a confident woman does not mean trying to imitate men. But it does mean showing up, raising your hand and applying for those promotions in a way that is absolutely authentic to you. And finally, according to Katie, Kate, to stop boosting your confidence right now, commit to countering every negative automatic thought that you have. And.

So now that we've explored some of the research thinking behind confidence. So let's dive into some practical tips for taking action, despite feeling scared and unsure. And if you're a regular listener of women in confidence, you know, that me giving tips or my guests giving tips to my listeners is hugely, hugely important to me.

So here is some of the tips, according to the university of California, San Francisco. About taking action. Despite fear can reduce anxiety and improve confidence. This means that the more we face our fears, the easier it becomes to tackle them and build our confidence. So if you're afraid of public speaking, for example, because so many people are me included.

And one example. Is traveling alone. Which can be really scary thought for some of us and even dining alone can be really scary thought for some of us. However, by taking the plunge and traveling solo or dining solo, we can gain valuable life experiences and becoming much more independent. Another great example is pursuing a new career or starting a business. And look I've just started a new business and oh, my word, did I feel the fear, but I've done it anyway.

Now starting a business or a new career or a new job. This can be daunting endeavors. But by taking action and putting ourselves out there, we can gain valuable skills and experiences that will help us build our confidence. We'll also gain valuable feedback about our experiences and how we come across to people. And that again, can help build our confidence.