Mentorship includes advising, inspiring and supporting those who rely on your guidance, but the buck doesn’t stop there. There may be times when your mentee feels defeated, unsure or insecure. In those moments, you can help provide the boost of confidence they need to move forward with assurance. Here are three confidence building activities to try with your mentee.
1. The Past – Gratitude
When we put all our focus on constant progress, we tend to forget how far we’ve come. Attempting to learn new skills can rattle the confidence of even the most determined go-getters, but taking a stroll down memory lane can help. To bolster confidence, encourage your mentee to think of ten accomplishments they are proud of. Remind them that just as they conquered those giants, their greatest feats are yet to come.
2. The Present – Affirmations
Another way to build confidence is to affirm the positive. Encourage your mentee to form a daily ritual that includes a set of verbal affirmations. Before deciding what should be said, talk to your mentee about their insecurities and fears. Use the conversation’s revelations to counter those stumbling blocks in the affirmations you create. For example, if your mentee is insecure about realizing their full potential, a great affirmation may be, “I am qualified and capable of achieving all my goals and dreams through hard work and planning.”
3. The Future – Speak It Into Existence
The last practice for confidence building will encourage your mentee to look toward the future and speak their success into existence. This activity is about manifesting good things in life by envisioning their presence. Sometimes we hold ourselves back or worsen our own anxieties by imagining our downfall instead of dwelling on the opposite. The poet Erin Hanson said it best,
“And you ask ‘What if I fall?’
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
It is completely normal to experience times of doubt, but you don’t have to let those periods of negativity hold your mentee back. With these three confidence building practices that address the past, present, and future, they will experience a shift in perspective from all angles. Your mentee can do anything they set their mind to, they just need the reminder.
