My 5-year-old related to the main character: her fear of stepping into a school classroom full of strangers for the first time; her fear of falling when riding a bike; and even her concern of not making a friend.

This book had the power to illustrate through words and pictures the real feelings my son felt.  This book also helped him face his fear of new things, communicate about his fears, and work through them.

My son lacked confidence and embodied worry, fear of new.

Confidence is the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust in the self and others.

Best-selling author and motivation speaker Mel Robbins defines confidence as the willingness to try.  She provided some tips on her podcast to overcome the fear and be more confident.

1. Take action – move through the nervous feeling by counting “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and just move and do.
2. Objectivity – make the fear less personal and be the person you want to become.
3. Mindset – Why it’s worth trying? Everything you do in life is preparing you for something you haven’t done yet.  Focus on the growth and wanting to experience as much as you can
4. Prepare – take the time to plan out your speech or presentation.  This softens your anxiety.
5. Focus on you.  Tap into your energy and improves your state of being.

Here’s the link to Robbins’ podcast episode on confidence:

Let go of judgements of others, assumptions.

What do you know to be true? Do you know the full story of the other?