by Alka Sharma
You can tell a lot about a person when you watch them walk into a room. They are either timid or confident. Some people almost peek in with a shy fear, while others do not seem to care and command a presence… a confidence.
The confident ones are easy to spot. Demonstrating confidence is being sure of yourself and your abilities. No arrogance, but a secure, calm, quiet, inner knowledge of who you are. Confident people feel ready every day to take on challenges, tasks, and opportunities regardless of what may be around the corner.
Consequently, it is hard to feel sexy or confident and full of vitality when you are physically or mentally unhealthy.
Confidence Is A Journey
My personal journey towards feeling confident started when I had extreme weight challenges that led me to a lack of self-confidence, not to mention the lack of self-esteem that came with it.
Emotionally, I was a wreck. I became withdrawn from the outside world because physically my body was hurting me. I did not know how to respond with power.
I questioned If we are born with confidence or if we must build it? I concluded that confidence is a person’s ability to believe in themselves and their strengths to succeed. So, it is both a trait we have inside us that must be built.
The greater your confidence becomes, the more aware you become of life, and more engaged. When you gain confidence, you increase your vitality.
Vitality Examined
For a long time, my internal emotions were dormant and I had to regain, reclaim, and rejuvenate my confidence. I desperately wanted change. Vital health is our number one asset. As I plucked up the courage to walk into a gym there was this fear that came over me of, “I don’t belong here among fit-bodied people.” Simultaneously, another voice was telling me to remember the change I was looking for in my life. This was the voice I chose to listen to.
I was on the road to being healthy and I could not wait. Changing felt great. We all need to be pushed at times. Working out releases endorphins and makes you feel energized. You begin to see a new glow about you. There comes a feeling of being full of vigor and joy.
Our Health Is Our Wealth
As working out was giving me this joy, I was loving the ride for the first time. I was seeing the difference, gaining confidence from my posture, walking tall, feeling proud, my confidence was hitting the roof, and I saw energy levels increase. My vitality was booming. During the day I became more productive and had a greater mental focus to carry out tasks.
Working out and feeling good about your body is the most amazing feeling.
What is equally important?
Self-care practices. Research. Question. Ask. Carve out time for yourself. No matter whether it is going to a spa or getting pampered. Take time for yourself away from everyone including your spouse or kids (it is healthy). Read a good book. Take a class. Learn a new skill. Have tea and soak in the sun.
Moving Forward
Mentally we all need this. Carving out time for yourself is essential. It provides us new energy to tackle the days ahead, increase our vigor, our liveliness, that get up and go, that ‘joie de vivre’ feeling we experience that comes from the power of self-care.
When I began to adopt the practices of self-care, I began noticing huge shifts from an energetic perspective. Gaining clarity allowed me to become focused on tasks, and wow, it was powerful.
Being physically and mentally healthy enables us to successfully merge our personal life, family, relationships, and running and managing a successful business consecutively.
Alka Sharma is the founder and CEO of Alka’s Total Fitness. She helps women gain inner strength through empowerment, taking control of their health and fitness. By transforming women’s lives, they build relationships while getting strong and fit at the same time all while having fun. Alka is an accomplished professional ballroom dancer having competed both locally and internationally. She truly enjoyed the high of dance performance and training which led to her journey inside the fitness world.
Alka’s inspiration came from Gillian Michaels. Gilian is strong and dynamic both physically and mentally. It’s a character she admires along with her drive and tenacity. This drive and tenacity was apparent when Alka launched her fitness studio. She can be found at Alka’s Total Fitness.
