Confidence -

[Zerokewl]

Confidence is fragile and must be drawn from multiple sources that are true to you. Confidence is a practice. Confidence is in knowing your strengths and weakness and enjoying what you are good at while taking action to improve. 

If you think 'a result' or 'a number' will all of a sudden MAKE you confident - you've got a huge disappointment coming.

Find a process and take actions towards a goal that you want, but EMPOWER yourself during that process. If you believe in what you are doing and feel good about the decisions you are making and the actions you are taking - you can't lose.

If you take actions that don't feel right or that you don't believe in with the hopes that the end result will make up for it - where do you end up if the result is not what you hoped for? How can one be confident with both a disappointing result and an inauthentic process? 

Enjoy your process, strive to be better, be determined, persistent, and aim high. If the results don't come right away - keep going. Take the hits, fail better, be better, and eventually NOT giving up and finding ways to improve WILL get you where you want to be.

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart

 

 

   This quote made me think about what confidence is and how to get some.

[quit-once]

That last paragraph made my current project (and process) much easier to get through.  thanks for posting a great quote, zerokewl.

[JustinW]

Truely a great woman and role model

[Jon]

_{"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart}

 

 

I agree with Quit-once. The last paragraph carries the heart of the message. The decision to act is what I am struggling with today.

 

I am two months Adderall free, as of Saturday, and I struggle with choosing to act on anything except the essentials of living. I feel my strength growing slowly over time. Making the decision to act is turning out to be what recovery is all about—instead of the pill making the decision for us.

[Zerokewl]

I've been thinking about this quote a lot lately. Jon your comments mirror my own experience. Even before I used addy's I was a very productive member of society. The last three months i've struggled to accomplish even the most basic tasks. I've done almost nothing but watch Netlix, doodle, bike,smoke and make vague attempts at cleaning my apartment. I've never been so unproductive in my entire life. I want to do things I make plans to do things and fail. I really try to have a productive day.  

 

Everyday gets a bit better. This process is like starting a locomotive. I'm learning to enjoy the process. Reading this website helps, talking to people, HAN (Hydration, Activity, Nutrition) . Confidence and  motivation are improving daily. Minute by minute.  am getting better.  This is the hardest thing I've ever done, I'm not getting back to my old self. I'm creating a new self.  A new confidence. I wish this process was quicker. But I believe I am laying a strong foundation.   

[Jon]

Zerokewl,

 

I wish there was more science available to us on how the process works. If it is anything like learning to use my cochlear implant, we will be close to 100% after one year. That is how long it took my brain to learn how to turn tiny electronic signals into speech. I experienced improvements in performance at quartly intervals. I did formal practice during the first 6 months. I had a partner read to me and I would repeat back what I heard and would be told when I made an error. I also worked directly with the audiologist doing aural (sound/ear) rehabilitation.

 

I wonder what kind of formal practice there might be for motivation, other than just push yourself into action at every opportunity. I've read at least one post about someone joining Luminosity for learning. Has onyone out there tried Luminosity?

[LILTEX41]

Sounds like you are doing great! I wouldn't be too tough on yourself just yet. How about setting small goals for now? Like just pick one goal for the next day before you go to bed at night? Pick something really easy and enjoyable. Like, "I will go see a movie tomorrow." Then over time you can build on that. Each time you do what you set out to do, you'll feel accomplished and grow strength - NATURAL strength and it will help you feel more confident in your ability to carry out a task.

I also love "chunking" tasks that feel overwhelming. Do a task for 10 minutes and then do something else. Reward yourself for doing it for 10 minutes. I'm always amazed how much I actually did when I take this approach. I usually end up doing more than I even set out to do because I make the goal small but doable and then feel inspired after I did what I was supposed to do. Anyhow, you're doing great! Keep up the good work!

[Zerokewl]

Jon, 

 

    I agree more study of this needs to be done.  I watched Newsroom last night a fast pace HBO drama, that I absolutely loved last season. Following the fast paced plot almost gave me a headache. I really felt exhausted after watching it like I stretched my brain. I still love the show but I feel like i missed a lot and had re-watch the episode again.  Like  your cochlear implant experience. I think we need to do regular "brain stretches". Like an athlete recovering from an injury .   Over my recovery I've been playing a few video games on my iPad , I'm going to source some cognitive games over the next few days to play. Do you have an ipad? Maybe we can compete.  I used to really enjoy chess we could meet online and play. 

 

Liltex, Thanks for your encouragement. It's sorta in my nature to rage against things.  My recovery is going well.  I'm certainly better than I was three months ago.  I told my mother last night what was going on with me.  So I am staying with her for a few weeks. I've got the time to recoup so I'm taking recoup'n seriously I guess. As is my nature I suppose.