I never gave this idea much thought until a recent experience.
I was in a student plenary with people from several different universities, all working together on a common project. The office building we were in provided us with free snacks, tea and coffee. The coffee machine stood on the very edge of the table and as I pressed the button to dispense the liquid, the whole thing fell off the table and spilled a lot of water on the floor.
Everyone looked at me.
And all I did was laugh at my own stupidity, prompting a few others to laugh as well.
And then everyone went back to whatever it is that they were doing.
Then and there I realized that if this had happened, say, 5 years earlier, I'd have died from shame. I would have probably stood there, not being able to meet anyone's eyes, completely red in the face, sweating like a pig and maybe even trembling just a bit, thinking that everyone was judging me.
But now, I just couldn't care. Like, it's not that I was forcing myself to not care - I simply just didn't. The thought didn't even occur to me anymore. Because, the way I see it, all that happened was me being careless and having a stupid accident.
Point is, if you accept certain out of your control situations for what they are - out of your control, and then react to them accordingly, either by accepting the challenge, cleaning up the mess or just laughing at it, you'll find that you no longer have anxiety over other's opinions about you, at which point confidence can become second nature.
Well at least that's how it happened for me, over time.
All in all, not caring is the key.
Most Helpful Opinions