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Saturday 18 November 2017

The Pineapple - A symbol of Confidence

"Be a pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside".

A few years back, I came across the above statement and immediately embraced it as a statement that with a few tweaks I could adopt as one of my personal mantras.

Here’s my version:

Like a pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown, have tough skin but be sweet and soft on the inside”.

This symbolism of the pineapple represents a big part of what confident living means to me and below is a breakdown of each section, which I hope inspires you as much as it does me.

Stand Tall:
For someone who measures a mere but mighty 5”2 (.5 to be precise 😀), tall is not a word you would use to describe me. But you see, it’s not about what you and I see on the outside, but how I feel about myself on the inside that will eventually project outwards.

I was so used to hiding, being in the shadows and not wanting to be seen, that it eventually affected how I carried myself and interacted with people.
However, like many other things, I have been actively changing my past fear driven behaviour by pushing boundaries, standing up for myself, saying ‘no’ when I want to say no and not ‘yes’ just to please, making eye contact, trying to start and hold a conversation past one liners and doing things outside of my comfort zone, that although may be uncomfortable; will ultimately cause me to grow.

All of these courageous acts have come about by knowing who I am in Christ and standing ‘firm’ in my faith and belief, that through Him all things are possible.

Wear a Crown:
I am royalty. No further explanation needed. I will no longer apologise for who I was created to be and the life I have been called to live, regardless of how many feathers I ruffle.
Without being pompous, I will remain confident in my own skin and my beauty.
So allow me to take a few seconds to straighten my crown and walk with my ‘Head Held High’.

Have tough skin:
Not only does this bare resemblance to the skin of a pineapple, but it also resonates so much with where I am coming from.
Tough skin has enabled me to weather the storms of life and continue to do so. It will also prevent me from taking to heart negative criticism, people’s rejection, misunderstandings or just plain hate.
There is too much at stake for me to continue to fester on the piercing arrows of peoples wounding words, as I’ve spent years trying to heal from the past.

In addition, just like the skin of a pineapple, you may look at my outward appearance and not think much of me or what I may have to offer; but I know how good, what lies within.

Sweet and soft on the inside:
Loving, kind and generous are all words I want to be described as. These attributes will continue to make me sweet on the inside, pleasing to my Heavenly Father and a delight to those around me.
I want to give so much of myself to helping and loving others that my actions alone exuberate love.

So I’m lovin’ my way to confidently living my life and knowing that although I may not be where I want to be, I am no longer where I used to be. I am a better, more confident person who is taking things one step at a time.

N.B: I am not in any way advocating that you develop a ‘self’- centred’ attitude but if like me, you have spent many years living life without much confidence, then I’m sure you will understand and appreciate my reasons for writing this post.
I think that to be able to possess these qualities, yet remain humble and still have a ‘servant’s heart’, is something I not only desire but also strive towards.
That’s why the below scripture always stays at my forefront to help keep me in check:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility value others above yourself, not looking only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” – Phil 2: 3-5

I encourage you to watch the below video of ‘How to become/gain confidence’ as a follow on from this blog post and where I share vital tips that I have learnt on this journey so far.
As usual I would love to hear your thoughts on this so please feel free to comment below.

Until next time, remember “It’s one step at a time to becoming confident”.

Love you guys,
Antoinette


PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK BELOW TO WATCH THE ACCOMPANYING VLOG


Please CLICK HERE for a FREE 'printable' on scriptures to help you gain confidence

*Pineapple Illustration by: @abo_akin

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