True Confidence: Embracing the Knowledge of Who You Are

Knowledge

K is for knowledge - we need to know who we are, and the impact we have in the world.

A couple of years ago I did a course called Spirit Life, and part of it was looking at identity and what our names mean.

Years ago, what you were called was believed to shape your destiny so names were carefully chosen to reflect virtues or divine favour.

My given names are Katherine Joy. Nothing extraordinary, I thought, just typical of my generation.

Katherine means pure. Joy, means, well, joy. And then I realised: my name means Pure Joy!

I love this, because it gives me confidence.

Usually in consultation session with clients, I ask them where their joy comes from. For me, knowing my name declares that it is who I am makes me smile.

In our life, we have so many things spoken over us, some of them good, but many negative. The maxim, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me - turns out to be wrong. Yes, sticks and stones will leave you sore, but you’ll recover.

Whilst words you store up and turn over and over in your mind, creating the neural pathways that forge how we see ourselves.

A lot of the negativity spoken over us is not by other people, but by us.

“Stupid!” “Idiot!” “What’s wrong with you?”

Some of the things we may say to ourselves, even if part in jest. But that doesn’t matter, the brain doesn’t read the misplaced humour, and the words still have a negative effect.

Let’s be mindful of the words we speak over ourselves, and those spoken over us. Let’s treat ourselves with the same care and kindness that someone who loves us deeply would show.

Having celebrated Mother’s Day recently, I want to honor my incredible mum, who named me Katherine Joy and raised me with the unwavering knowledge that I am loved.

This is the knowledge I want to reflect in my life, because it’s when we feel loved that we are able to love others.