How to Create Confidence – Susie Moore – Ep 72

Have you ever looked at another artist, envious of the confidence their Instagram so clearly exudes? The reality is they are likely just as insecure as everyone else, but it doesn’t stop us from wishing we were like them. Then comparison starts us down a dangerous path of all the things we can’t be or achieve because we hate our last painting. Or we haven’t been able to sell our work. And the question inevitably floats into our brain: Am I a failure? The answer is a resounding no, but in that moment, it’s so hard to see beyond our current circumstances to find it.

Meet life coach, writer, and podcaster Susie Moore. Her wizardry and expertise lie in helping people gain confidence, and today we are going to dive into what that looks like for the artist’s journey. Join us for a conversation about gaining confidence, getting uncomfortable, being your own life coach, and taking control of your story. We also discuss how to handle imposter syndrome, face insecurity, and acknowledge our worth to stay at our highest frequency. If you need a confidence boost, this episode is for you!

Listen if you are interested in…

• Defining confidence and the power of being uncomfortable  [1:48]
• Taking control of your story and being your own life coach [8:44]
• One degree turns and why everything can’t be a home run [16:09]
• Facing imposter syndrome [27:56]
• Unpacking Susie’s personal challenges and managing expectations for struggle [36:36]
• Working with different genders and wrestling with insecurity [40:28]
• Keeping up your energy, staying at a higher frequency, and acknowledging your worth [46:49]

Choosing confidence

Confidence is such a critical part of the art journey. It’s sneaky, in a way, because we always think it’s coming when we don’t have it. That confidence will suddenly show up when our work gets better or when we sell a piece of our art. Ironically, confidence is the thing that makes all the other things possible. So what are you waiting for? The truth is that confidence is a choice. When we realize that believing in ourselves is a decision that no one else can make for us, our life can completely change. Susie defines confidence as a willingness to be uncomfortable. Most people would rather lose a limb than face negative emotions. But here’s the thing: the average emotion only lasts 90 seconds. If we’re willing to endure only a minute and a half of discomfort, everything belongs to us. We can take the world by storm.

Be your own coach

I’ve found that my breakthrough pieces, the ones that really propel me into a new and exciting direction, are the ones that feel the most uncomfortable to make. But isn’t life like that as well? We have to be willing to sit in the mystery of the unknown for new things to come. Susie points out that one of the reasons doing this is so difficult is because our brain is hardwired against it. It’s the brain’s job to keep us alive, so it intentionally seeks out comfort and certainty. This is why we have to be our own life coach. We have to learn to question the thoughts and beliefs that lead us to unsatisfying results. 

Because at the end of the day, your problem isn’t your problem. You might hate the way your last piece turned out or are frustrated by the lack of people buying your art, but it’s not your actual problem. Your real problem is the story you’ve created around your current situation. If you make an unsatisfying result mean that you’re a failure, you will stay stuck in that rut. But there are a lot of different ways we can interpret a situation. We can write a better story for ourselves. I guarantee that whatever makes you feel heavy, miserable, and checked out isn’t true. We are always one thought or belief upgrade away from a better emotion. Then from that elevated emotion with good intention, we can take good actions. 

Do the verb until you become the noun

Imposter syndrome is one of those things that everyone deals with at some point. Even Susie! In fact, she feels like she’s probably coasting if she doesn’t feel like a little bit of an imposter all of the time. However, if we don’t intentionally address it, imposter syndrome can wreck our confidence and negatively impact our success. We’ve all heard the adage “fake it until you make it”. Especially in relation to dealing with imposter syndrome. However, Susie prefers the idea of doing the verb until you become the noun. Our actions are completely up to us. You may not be a marathon runner, but you are if you run a marathon. You do things until you become them. Even the idea of an art practice means we are practicing this thing called art. You became an artist the second you decided to engage with that. This doesn’t mean you necessarily have the results you’re looking for, but to reiterate Susie’s question: What are you a one-degree action away from? What could you achieve if you just decided to do it no matter what?

Resources & People Mentioned

• Susie’s Podcast – Let It Be Easy: Apple Podcasts and Spotify 
• Susie’s Course: Become Your Own Life Coach

Connect with Susie Moore

• Visit Susie’s website
• Follow Susie on Instagram 
• Subscribe to Susie’s YouTube channel 
• Follow Susie on Twitter 
• Follow Susie on Facebook 
• Email Susie

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