Recently I read on a social media if it is necessary for women to be financially stable personally (as opposed to depending on their menfolk) in order to be confident. Many of the answers to this question were that having financial freedom is the first step towards being confident.
That got me thinking that what a misunderstood quality confidence is.
Confidence is when you are comfortable in your own skin. When you know your worth and shortcomings, when you recognize your talents and weaknesses and you accept yourself as you are. When you are happy with how the Creator created you and where He planted you. When you are not comparing yourself to others and neither are you in a perpetual race against everyone else.
Unfortunately, we live in a society which weighs a human on the bases of his/her material possessions and so sometimes when a person is not happy with their true self, they try to hide behind layers of material possessions. This degree and that car, a house in that locality and a dress by so and so designer. But what they don’t realize is, that no matter how many layers we put on ourselves, the holes are bound to appear, and the facade will always fall.
So, to be confident, work on your inner strength rather than financial strength. Work on your short comings, be thankful for your abilities. Try to be a better person today than you were yesterday and don’t compare yourself to others, neither in good nor bad.
Do what you want to do, so it may bring betterment to yourself, your family and your society, and not because you have to “prove yourself”. Wear nice clothes if you like them, not for social acceptance. Learn new skills if they bring you joy, not to be the cool kid.
Take your role models from the sahabah, who walked in the courts of the kings with their head held high although their bodies were covered in rags. Who talked to the emperors looking in the eye while their swords were held together with twine. But the kings were left speechless and courtiers held in awe as their inner worth shone through their rugged appearance.