Last week, Margaux Joy DeNador, a local acquaintance of mine, posted a quote on her Facebook page that grabbed me. The words soothed me through some challenges I’m facing right now. So I put them into a graphic for you. I knew these words could speak to many of you who face what I am facing…

Big changes ahead. Lots of uncertainty.

In my case, my business is in flux. And I’m being forced to move out of my house.

I’ve kind of sensed it was time for a shakeup. I recognize the feelings. I’ve been through some very rough spots in my life before. In an intense five-week period in 2001, my marriage fell apart, one of my family members was hospitalized after a serious accident, I moved from the big house we’d owned as a couple to a much smaller apartment, I had two surgeries, and I was laid off from my job. All that in five short weeks. Intense changes. But somehow, I knew that I would come out of it better. Maybe not immediately, but I had a small part of my heart that kept telling me that everything would work out. And it did.

I went back to school for a PhD in Somatic Psychology, the best, most experiential, most transformational learning of my life. I weathered the divorce and grew stronger for it. I made new friends and felt happier and more accepted. I started dancing and cycling. I got in shape, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

So now, I keep focused on what IS working, what DOES feel good, what IS possible.

Yes, sometimes my confidence fades. I do my best to stay out of self-pity, misery, dread, and anxiety. It’s not always easy to see my circumstances positively. But doing the opposite, seeing life negatively, just doesn’t feel good.

I use my body as a barometer for my thoughts.

Almost like a meditation, a form of mindfulness, I check in with my body to see how my thoughts are doing. Do I feel light or heavy? Tense or fluid? Is my breathing deep or shallow? Is my jaw tight or loose? Does my stomach feel easy or knotted? This internal, somatic awareness allows me to notice myself and get curious about my thinking. Then, I ask myself:  Am I fearful? Hopeful? Or confident?

This sweet passage, attributed to King Whitney, Jr. (I’ve not been able to find more than the name, sadly — if you do, please let me know!) is a precious reminder that the challenge I am facing exists to make things better. That’s its reason for being.

When you’re going through a rough patch, my hope is that you will see that the very reason the challenge exists is to help make things better. Not worse. Better.

What challenge are you facing, and how will it make things better? Share your answer, below. I’m here for you, Dear One…

Curiously yours,

What would YOU like to feel more confident about? I’ve decided to write a whole month of blog posts on creating Kick-Ass Confidence, from mid-September to mid-October. Each day, I’ll be sharing stories, ideas, and practices for cultivating feel-it-in-your-bones, deep-rooted, self-confidence. Get the whole series delivered to your email box, for free! Plus other fun goodies to help you boost your confidence. Subscribe now by clicking here.