By Phoebe Farag Mikhail 

My favorite song from The Sound of Music, “I Have Confidence” has inspired my word of the year for 2023. Maria, a novice out of place in her convent, accepts the challenge of becoming a governess for a family of seven children and a widowed captain. But these words could be song about anyone embarking on a new experience:

I’ve always longed for adventure

To do the things I’ve never dared

Now here I’m facing adventure

Then why am I so scared?

“Scared” doesn’t exactly describe my feelings about the adventures I’m facing. Trepidation might be a better word, or maybe even a little bit of imposter syndrome. Nonetheless, cultivating confidence will help me overcome these things.

Maria sings her song about confidence while traveling towards her new adventure. She sings boisterously, swinging her bag and guitar and walking resolutely. She gives the word confidence energy and movement. Confidence propels her forward – and I want this energy. Kate Rademacher, author of Reclaiming Rest: The Promise of Sabbath, Solitude, and Stillness in a Restless World, pointed me to this Harvard Business Review study about managing our energy, rather than our time. One aspect of managing energy includes managing emotional energy:

“When people are able to take more control of their emotions, they can improve the quality of their energy, regardless of the external pressures they’re facing. Most people realize that they tend to perform best when they’re feeling positive energy. What they find surprising is that they’re not able to perform well or to lead effectively when they’re feeling any other way.”

Last year, I used Jennifer Fulwiler’s word of the year generator and it chose “build” for my word. That resonated with me, so I went with it. This year, I tried it three times and got, in this order:

CLEANSE

ORGANIZE

POSSIBLE

While I’m pretty sure that word generator must actually be in my house and wants to send me a message, no cleaning and organizing of my house with three children will be possible without the confidence (and its correlating energy) that I can do so.

It has become easy to confuse confidence with conceit, but confident is no more conceit than humility is self-abasement. Confidence and humility go hand in hand. If I know myself, if I can learn to examine myself clearly, if I can get honest feedback from the people I trust, then I should be able to have confidence about what I know to be my abilities and humility about what I know not to be. 

According to Psychology Today, “Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life’s challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly.” Yet, confidence used to have a slightly different meaning. It wasn’t a belief in oneself, but a belief in the trustworthiness of another. In Scripture, “confidence” is often linked with confidence in God. We can be confident when we have God with us:

Do not be afraid of sudden terror,

Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

For the Lord will be your confidence,

And will keep your foot from being caught.

(Proverbs 3:25-27)

So, too, Maria sings of confidence in what is constant and sure:

I have confidence in sunshine

I have confidence in rain

I have confidence that spring will come again

Besides, which you see

I have confidence in me

The sun always comes up, the rain comes when it is due, and the spring always comes after winter. It is easier to be confident when we have faith in what is true. What’s true for me is that even what I am lacking God will fill, and if I can’t do what I am called to do, I can do all things through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).

So, 2023, let’s do this. I have confidence!

What is your word of the year?

Buy your own “I Have Confidence” Sticker here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1101300966/large-confidence-sound-of-music-vinyl

Here’s a list of recommended reads for new year: Books to Keep Up Your New Year’s Goals and Resolutions (with a giveaway!) – Being In Community

Subscribe to the Being in Community Newsletter and get a free annual reflection and planning printable here: Annual Reflection and Planning Journal: FREE Printable – Being In Community

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