Believe in Yourself!

Belief in oneself is the inner strength and confidence that comes from knowing you hold the resiliency to face challenges. It involves understanding and valuing your own skills, talents and potential. Believing in yourself increases your bandwidth to exercise your agency as you take initiative.  Believing in yourself is your superpower.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day bureaucracy resulting in losing not only motivation but self-worth. This may leave you feeling undervalued. In times like these, it’s important to remember that you keep essential services running and implement policies that directly affect millions of lives. You are a champion!  Self-confidence is your armor against negativity.  Self-confidence focuses you on what you can influence rather than external factors outside your control.

Believing in yourself is a continuous process.  By developing just a few new habits you will find a new resiliency both at work and in your personal life:

1. Practice Positive Self-Talk. Notice if you’re engaging in critical inner dialogue (“I’ll never be good enough”) and reframe these thoughts with kinder, more encouraging perspectives (“I’m learning and improving every day”).
2. Celebrate Small Wins. Reward yourself with a favorite snack, a short walk in nature, or a relaxed hour with a good book or a TV show.
3.  Journal. Each day reflect about what went well, what you learned, and what you plan to improve.

To address self-confidence head-on in the workplace, when you are ready, here are some more advanced steps to consider. Caution: Based on experience, taking these steps may be terrifying — remember to wear your armor!

1. Seek Constructive Feedback. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your performance, career goals, and areas for professional growth. Feedback from peers can offer a different perspective. They might highlight strengths you didn’t realize you had or reaffirm the value you bring to the team.
2. Communicate Your Needs. If you feel your work is going unnoticed, politely let your supervisor or team know about your accomplishments or progress. Frame it as an update rather than self-promotion.
3. Look for Growth Opportunities. Enroll in available training. This not only helps you grow professionally but also signals initiative to managers. Also, volunteer to lead or contribute to high-visibility tasks.

There are some words of wisdom for your journey to belief in yourself.  Rather than seeing mistakes as failures, recognize them as steps that help you gain new skills or insights. Make it a point to set boundaries such as knowing when to step away from work, social media, or other stressors. Overextending yourself can erode confidence if you become burned out.

As your self-confidence working for government increases, you will demonstrate unwavering belief in the importance of public service which can encourage young professionals to pursue careers in government. Their fresh ideas, combined with seasoned expertise, can revitalize the public sector.  For now, believing in yourself will result in a healthier and happier you!

Sandra Sharp works for the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as the State as a Model Employer (SAME) Development Specialist. She has worked in state government for over ten years, including working for the Colorado Department of Corrections as a teacher. She has recently served as Board Member for the Denver Metro Cultural Committee and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Denver. Sandra has the heart of a Public Servant.

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