what wet pants taught me about confidence

This was a 10 second lesson, but I guess it was prepared for months (maybe years). I was cleaning my car and got water all over my shirt and leggings. I also leaned in too close on the dirty door frame with the white shirt. Next stop for chore day: supermarket (aka the busiest place I had to be today)

Now, the choice was clear, I'll go anyways, because I don't care. Then I could hear those thoughts of "They might think you peed your pants.. or just think you're a mess in general" And just as clear as moments before I responded in my head "I don't care. I know it's just water."

And that was it.

In the shop, the thought came once more, when people passed by me and looked at my pants. I responded in my head "I don't care, I know it's just water. And even if it wasn't, I'd still be a human being deserving of everything."

Again, that was it.

I didn't feel anything, I didn't try to give awkward smiles. I just carried on with my shopping like any other day. As if nothing was wrong with me.

Because I knew there wasn't. Whatever people interpreted didn't concern me. I knew my truth. Whatever stories and judgement they could come up with, was none of my business.

Social media culture has given us such insane expectations of perfection. It was probably there before, but we've taken it to a peak of complete self-erasure only to invite a carefully held together image that could fall apart any second.

As a younger girl I believed those curated perfect images were the proof of confidence. That belief has been shaky for a long time now. It's been too many times that I got to see behind the mask to find nothing but the usual struggle.

The self-love and self-care industry has been booming with all the perfect products to portray confidence with a shiny surface.

My wet pants showed me something different today. Confidence is just being there as YOU, whatever the surface suggests. And it's way less dramatic than many coaches or influencers are trying to make it look.

Just presence, instead of hiding behind shame or shimmer. Knowing, that who you are as a being doesn't change, whether you're in full glam or freshly failed at the car wash. And the peace to treat other peoples opinion as an unproven theory, not a truth.

Sometimes life doesn't need a crazy coaching or self-love program to boost your confidence. You can get the lessons for free by just living and growing with whatever comes your way. Choice is a simple thing, and confidence is mainly based on that. A choice to trust your own truth (and maybe take nothing so very serious).

And that choice probably offers itself to you everyday in different situations. So the next time it presents itself,

will you choose it?