“You’ll never make it on your own.”, he said.
And If I’m honest, I feared he might be right. What was I doing leaving him and thinking I could raise my two small children on my own on an Admin Assistant’s salary?
Still I knew I couldn’t stay, so I knew I’d have to find a way.
Fast forward twenty years, and my mortgage is paid off and university is all paid off, I’ve got a fabulous career that I love and enough money to live into my nineties.
Clearly, I did it. Despite his doubt, I did make it on my own!
One colleague recently mentioned how she wished she was in my position.
And that got me reflecting…how did I get here? Because his comment to me could’ve gone two ways. I could’ve believed him and let that knock me down.
Or I could resolve to figure it out so that he didn’t end up being right about me.
I’d love to say I was filled with resolve to prove him wrong. I wasn’t. I was scared. I had no idea how I was going to make it.
And this is where Providence comes in (here’s that blog about my favourite quote). A former boss called and offered me a job that paid me A LOT more money. So that’s how I started to build my career and make more money. Then @HP offered a lunch and learn with a financial planner, with whom I connected with immediately. And that’s how I built my plan for financial freedom.
But first I had to stare down that doubt and the doubter. I wasn’t necessarily confident in myself, but I had just enough belief (or fear) to take that first step.
Today I joke that I could teach money management, I got so good at it and enjoyed it so much.
Try this ONE thing
What is ONE thing you can do right now to stare down someone who is doubting you? Can you find even just a smidge of belief in yourself to take that first step?
I know that I’m neither unique nor alone in this. I know that my struggles are your struggles. And as I share my own journey to confidence, it is my intention that you’ll join me in so that you show up as the confident person you are meant to be. This world needs you and me being our fully confident selves.
If you want to join me, sign up for my blog at https://bit.ly/kltheonething and please join the conversation by sharing your comments and stories on LinkedIn or dropping me a note at karen.laidlaw.theONEthing@outlook.com.