Accept responsibility/View problems as challenges/Have confidence

For these, I have the United States Marine Corps to thank. When I first had to say, “No excuse, ma’am,” I thought it was a bit silly. I thought to myself, of course if I had not done what was needed, it was because I had an excuse. But I came to realize that the point was that you don’t fiddle around with excuses—it isn’t necessary. You just stand up, take responsibility, and fix the problem. And, the problem IS really just a challenge and an opportunity to learn. There are no two ways about this. Every problem is a learning opportunity. It can teach you anything from a desire not to make that mistake a second time to thinking way outside the box to extract yourself from an undesirable situation.

And, have confidence—I didn't, but I found a way to gain it--What a gift! I was a pitifully shy kid. I would often cry if someone tried to talk to me. Now, I am a confident speaker who isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind. I got this from the military, but I am in no way suggesting that this is the only way. Joining a book club would be a great low-key confidence builder for sharing ideas. Going back to school or taking a writing workshop also allows you to work on communicating your ideas to people who will listen.

Note to self: find a writing workshop around this area.