GET CONFIDENT VIA YOUR ALTER EGO
How to Improve Your Self Confidence
Definition: An alter ego (Latin, “the other I”) is a second self, which is believed to be distinct from a person’s normal or original personality.
As Halloween creeps ever closer and I find myself debating this year’s outfit, I got to thinking about alter egos, and, how we can use them to boost our confidence, help us achieve our dreams, and define our identity and real selves!
Celebrities are people who are achieving their dreams and maximising their talents. And interestingly, celebrities have long used alter egos to tap into a different side of their personality. For example, Beyonce has Sasha Fierce, and Stefani Germanotti has Lady Gaga, who then had her own alter ego and became Jo Calderone!
Beyonce has said that she created her alter ego Sasha Fierce in an effort to separate her own shy personality from her stage persona and give herself the courage to be free and sexy while performing.
Now the singer says that she’s comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias.
“I don’t need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I’ve grown and now I’m able to merge the two.”
Which is really the whole idea isn’t it?
Finding a way to merge all the different aspects of yourself and tap into certain traits when you need to.
An alter ego may be a way for you to step out of your comfort zone when you are faced with doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
By traditional definition, an alter ego is a separate entity; a distinct and separate self from one’s personality. For my purposes here, I am simply thinking of an alter ego as a tool or strategy that you can use to amplify YOU.
So for example let’s say that you are thinking of adding video to your marketing but you don’t feel comfortable being on camera or putting yourself out there; accessing your inner diva may help you tap into your confidence and find that performer inside and get to it.
Or maybe you are in reinvention mode and you’d like to develop some traits or explore those that may have been lying dormant for a while.
An alter ego can be a wonderful way to uncover or discover some of your untapped potential.
So here’s my question for you…Are you having difficulty making time for your creative self?
Perhaps you have such a strong pull to be creative, that voice in your head is calling you to make something, take pictures, sketch or even go for an inspiration walk. Yet you sit at home on the computer, or being busy tending to everyone’s need before your own and even avoid being creative when you have made the time. So how do we get around this?
Tap into your alter ego!
This is the voice that is calling you into the studio, the voice that wants you to make time for yourself.
- Start by giving her a name and ask yourself, what would she do right now?
- Would she be doing the dishes on a Sunday afternoon? No.
- Would she dare take time for something she loved? Of course!
Creativity Exercise: Tear out images from magazines that represent your alter ego. These can be images that simply catch your attention. Use quality magazines like National Geographic, Vogue, Elle Decor, etc. Stay away from the cheesy stuff like People and Heat. We want strong and talented characteristics in our alter ego, not 15 seconds of fame nobody’s. After you have collected a handful of images, paste them into your journal or small poster board. How can these images support your creative life? Write about the qualities and characteristics the images represent.
A well-crafted Alter Ego can be your starting point for bridging the gap between whom you are, and who you know you want to be. It can help you make those moves towards reclaiming your identity, help the process feel more achievable, and leave you feeling empowered in the life you live every day.
And remember, you’re in good company. So get in touch and share your stories about who is your Sasha Fierce, and what she’s helping you achieve.
Lydia x