Regaining the confidence to participate
Would you like to get back involved, but does it feel like a big step? Perhaps you’ve been out of action for a long time, have had health issues, or have become unsure about what you’re capable of. In that case, returning to activities, work, social engagements or exercise can be daunting. Confidence often doesn’t return of its own accord. It grows through small experiences. Getting back into things doesn’t mean you have to be able to do everything straight away. It’s about discovering, step by step, what is achievable. Sometimes that might be a short visit, a short walk or a chat. Every step can help to make your world a little bigger again.
What do you notice?
A loss of confidence can manifest itself in many ways.
You may, for example, notice that:
- you are unsure whether you can cope with something;
- avoids your activities;
- you are afraid of a relapse;
- you spend a lot of time thinking about what could go wrong;
- you quickly become anxious when you have symptoms;
- you take less initiative;
- you need help getting somewhere;
- when you compare yourself to how you used to be;
- you feel disappointed when something doesn’t work out.
Sometimes you want to, but fear or uncertainty holds you back. That can be frustrating.
