Self-confidence: Which Voice Will You Listen To?

Recently, I attended a forum that featured a panel of female politicians, all talking about the need for women to get involved in the political process and in government. You might not necessarily think there's a tie-in between running for office and self-image, but I was struck by something one of the panelists said.

A question was asked about what women need to know to run for office and this particular speaker mentioned the importance of fundraising in a political campaign. Then she said: So many women find it easy to raise money for other people or for groups, but they have a really hard time raising money for themselves.

I think she was spot-on in her assessment. What it comes down to, ultimately, is asking people to believe in you -- and to back that belief with money.

That's hard for a lot of women.

It's easy to believe the bad things about ourselves, isn't it? That we aren't this or we aren't that. We can't do this or we can't do that. Maybe someone tells us we're beautiful and we say, "Who, me?" But if someone said we were unattractive or not capable? How many of us would be all too quick to believe that person's assessment?

Stepping forward is hard for some women because it's essentially saying, "Look at me." And if you've been hiding your whole life behind your weight or your image of yourself as not smart or not competent, stepping into that spotlight can feel scary. Maybe you're used to downplaying your smarts or your accomplishments because you're afraid people might say, "Who does she think she is?"

It takes confidence to run for office, launch a business or bring any dream to fruition. But sometimes, the biggest naysayer in our lives is the one staring back at us from the mirror. We all have a voice inside that says, "Maybe I could..." And we all have a voice that says, "But I'm not..."

Which voice will you listen to?