Applying Spiritual Principles | Developing Self Confidence Part 2

The trouble with worrying about developing self confidence is that the worry is inherently circular. If I'm concerned about myself and concerned about the way I interact with other people, I bring that level of concern into my dealings with others. As I addressed in the previous article, we have to approach the issue of self confidence and building positive self esteem from a new angle.

Developing self confidence starts with learning how to apply spiritual principles, however these are defined by you, into one's life.

The tip I'll focus on in today's article builds on the tip from Part 1 .

You'll recall that the tip in Part 1 focused on taking action. A huge part of developing self confidence always begins with the premise that is behind this spiritual principle: you're already all right --- so take action based on that premise.

In short, acting as if you know you are a child of God makes it possible for you know that you are a child of God. (And isn't that just as circular - now in a good way - as the corollary, me worrying about myself?)

There have been many teachers throughout history who have taught this principle. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with a prayer based on this principle.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

As you can see in St. Francis' prayer, by giving what you want you can get what you want. This idea may be counterintuitive but I assure you it works.

After all, by developing self confidence, don't you expect to experience more of the good things in life?

I expect your answer to that question was "yes"; and to my way of thinking that's the right answer.

Most people don't expect to live lives committed to the level of poverty and selflessness that St. Francis lived, and I'm not suggesting that anyone should unless that's the direction they are inspired to go.

If you're like most of the people who are reading this article (typically the Western cultures), you may feel that this prayer goes to an extreme of giving. And as you may have noticed from other articles around my site I don't believe that getting or receiving is more valuable. Both giving and receiving are valuable. After all if everyone only gave, who would receive?

So you can see balance is extremely important.

So back to developing self confidence. Do you think it's possible for a person to give at this level described in this prayer to have poor self-esteem?

I think it would be difficult. But which comes first? The giving or the self-esteem? This article is about developing self confidence, and my suggestion to you is that in living this principle, you will be developing self confidence (aka self esteem).

Granted, I've seen people use giving as a sort of club that they use over other people. I hope that in applying the principle describes in St. Francis' prayer you will find for yourself level of moderation that encourages balance in your life.

Do you have to be Christian to apply this principle of giving? No I don't believe so. I know many people who are not Christian, many of whom are not members of any religion and who subscribe to the ideas that in this prayer. I've seen atheists and agnostics use the principles in this prayer. They use the ideas as a simple social or scientific principle; they've grown from their experiences, and these are some of the most competent and down to earth people I've ever met. In case you suspect that this entire self confidence series is based on principles of taking action to help other people you're in for some fun in the next article (Part 3) .

We'll discuss the interior spiritual journey and how that path relates to developing self esteem.

You won't want to miss it!