Posts Tagged ‘working from home’

Posted on February 2, 2010 - by Mary

How Lack of Confidence Affects Work

God has really been laying on my heart this subject of lacking confidence lately. Recently, I’ve been working very hard at creating some “how-to” videos for a client with my voice. I’ll be honest with you, before I started doing these videos, and prior to taking Kelly McCausey’s Verbal Confidence webinar, I thought I was an okay speaker. I know I’m nervous, and I also know I can’t speak in public without a script or being fully prepared, but I still thought I sounded okay. Hahaha. After working on these videos for the last 3 days and listening to my own voice over and over, I realize I’ve picked up some pretty bad speaking habits. For instance, I say: fer instead of for, ta instead of to, and I sure do say Uh a lot! So, making these videos has been good for me and my speaking ability.

They have also helped me in the area of confidence. When I’m making the videos (you can’t see me in them by the way, you can only hear my voice) I find that I sound more confident when I sit up straight. I also find it very effective to take a deep breath before I begin, as well as to think about what I’m going to say. I do have a script to follow, but I find I sound ‘choppy’ when I use the script and like I’m reading from it. I find I’m much smoother if I think about what I’m going to say first, write out an outline just to keep me on track and then record the video.

While I was waiting for one of the videos to render, I started thinking about how lacking confidence in ourselves can really affect our work. I was reflecting back to when I was a receptionist for this manufacturing company and how much I lacked confidence, and it really showed. I was afraid of people, especially some of the bosses, so it stopped me from really doing a good job there. There have been other times in my life when fear and lack of confidence have stopped me from growing or being all that I could be, too. Because I was afraid of making a mistake or failing, I simply wouldn’t go after or do some of the things I desired, such as continuing voice lessons, learning an instrument, going out for cheerleading, and pursuing a career in nursing. Let me just say that though I would still love to be a nurse, I’m very happy that I’m able to work from home now and couldn’t imagine working for or under someone else. Working from home has given me the freedom I need to take care of my family and live my calling as a youth leader.

Another way lack of confidence affects your work is because you feel like you’re not smart enough, or capable enough or afraid to step out and really go for your goals and dreams, so therefore you sit there in a job you don’t like, wishing for so much more, but not having the confidence to go after what you desire.

Perhaps you’re not even aware that the reason you don’t achieve your dreams and goals is a confidence issue. Maybe you’ve never had the opportunity to try to understand the reason or reasons you don’t pursue your dreams and desires, though you certainly have them. If this sounds like you, I’d like to pray for you. And I’d like to leave you with this scripture: Psalm 139. Read it every day for a month and see if you don’t begin to feel more confident about yourself. And remember, God loves you. You are his creation, and He doesn’t make junk.

Posted on August 28, 2009 - by Mary

What’s on My Heart

Warning: this is a totally random post. Just feel like laying some stuff out that’s on my mind and heart. Nothing big, nothing serious, just stuff, just life.

Right now I’m listening to Hillsong, Hillsong and more Hillsong! I got their new CD, Faith+Hope+Love, and loaded into my iTunes along with all my other Hillsong music. I clicked on their playlist and have been listening to them all morning as I try to get some work done. Notice I said “try”. I’ve got a client’s project to work on, but it’s a little challenging because it’s in .pdf form and I need to copy the text into a Word doc. Well, I converted it using an online .pdf converter, but it’s still formatted as a “picture” instead of text. I then tried to save a copy of the .pdf file as text, but the text file came up blank. Grrrr. I WILL figure this out, I just needed to stop for a moment and not get frustrated.

Jeff just started a week of evenings today. He left about 10 minutes ago. It will be weird not having him here all the time. He’s had so much vacation this summer, it’s been nice having him around all the time.

My youngest is going to the church to help out with vacation bible school. She’s been helping all week, including with set up, which I think she really enjoys doing. My oldest daughter and I are making plans to go to the fair tonight perhaps, if she can convince her hubby to go or maybe he will find something else to do. We shall see. Either way I have to get a ride with my youngest to G-town because I don’t want to drive the gas-hog truck with a low tire.

I really need to get back on track with my diet. I’ve not been tracking and have gained 2 more lbs!!! Ugh! I can feel it too. Plus I’ve not been drinking all the water. Be right back, going to get a glass now…ok I’m back. I actually filled up my water bottle I got when I first started Weight Watchers. Oh, be back again…going to fill out my points…there. I added my weight, which I did not want to, and tracked my points for today. I have 10 left.

Other areas I have to get disciplined in are exercising and budgeting. Being self disciplined has never been easy for me. I wish I were one of those people who was naturally self disciplined. I find the same people who are great at budgeting are also great at staying in shape and vice-versa. Or else they were born with a great body and don’t really have to work at it or they are financially blessed and don’t really struggle paying bills, etc. Whatever, I just wish I was more naturally disciplined in all areas of my life. I tend to do really good at something for a while, then I get bored and don’t want to work at it any more. Something I’m definitely going to have to work on…LOL.

I’m really enjoying working from home and am looking to add 2 new regular clients. I have 2 right now but need a couple more to meet our income requirements. I have been praying about it, and God has been providing all our needs. We certainly aren’t going hungry, and some past due medical bills still need to be paid, but we have a roof over our heads, vehicles that run and have gas in them, and clothes on our backs. So, I can’t really complain though I know living pay check to pay check is not what we’re supposed to do, so I’m praying for increase in our income and wisdom and help with being a wise steward of what God has given us.

I’m really enjoying my bottle of water! I forgot how much I love water!!! I will probably be peeing a lot over the next couple of days as my body adjusts to taking in that much water again. But it will be good. Perhaps I will lose the few pounds I’ve gained pretty quickly because I know most of it is water weight. I can see it in my fingers and ankles.

Oh, I went to the doctor last week. They actually called me in. I guess I was supposed to be having my blood checked every 6 months with the meds I’m on. Niaspan for my cholesterol issues and Synthroid for my low thyroid. So, I went and had blood drawn last week and yesterday the doctor’s office called and said I needed to get back on the Niacin, but only 500mg starting out. When I went off it a couple of months ago, I was up to 1500mg a day! So, my cholesterol must be better than it was. Yay for me. Must be the little bit of weight I did lose and the walking I WAS doing. Need to get back at that too. Sheesh.

Another thing I want to start doing is meal planning again. I did it for like one week, then got off track. Surprise. I have all the info for all this stuff in my head-heck I even write about it on my other blogs-it’s just hard for me to get in the habit of it.

I guess that’s the key to all of my issues; I need to make habits of everything. Good, healthy habits. Well, I guess that’s enough for now. I feel motivated and ready to conquer the world. Ok, not quite ready for that, but almost!

photo credit: audi_insperation