How does one become self confident in their social circles, school groups, clubs, and organizations (like your volunteer groups, school groups, or PTAs, etc.)? I have become self confident in my social circles and organizations using the following techniques. I use these techniques to varying degree depending on how much I want to be involved with each group and how important it is to me.

To be self confident in my volunteer organizations, my women's club volunteer group, I held a leadership position and volunteered for the committees that I had the most interest in. This was how I became comfortable with the women that ran the club and became self confident and comfortable when I went to the meetings, fundraisers, and social events. I was then able to know what was going on behind the scenes and had plenty of women to hang out with and talk to. I didn't feel like a stranger but a self confident contributor to helping the club raise funds to give back to the community.

I became self confident in my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group by serving on the craft committee for 3 years. We would come up with, shop, prepare, and help 75 women, every other week, make a simple craft activity. I met a lot of the women when I would help them with their crafts. In my last year, I became a table leader and was in charge of a group of 8 women. I always chose volunteer positions that I enjoyed. This not only made the volunteering fun but I also felt a lot of self confidence, pride, and contentment knowing that I was making a difference in MOPS.

I became confident in my social groups by doing the following. When my sons started Kindergarten, I invited my friends (that also had a child starting Kindergarten) to meet at the park and to invite their friends. I got to know a couple more people so when Kindergarten rolled around I knew more people. I also organized a park day every Friday and invited everyone I knew (who had a Kindergartener) to come and I encouraged them to invite their friends. This way I was able to meet and know enough people so that when I was waiting at the front gate (during pick up) and during class events, I felt very comfortable and self confident.

Another great idea, to feel self confident in a social group, is to plan get togethers at a local restaurant for lunch or girls' night out or even just going out for coffee. You can ask a couple of people, or you can ask a couple of people and encourage them to ask their friends, or you can ask a group of people. This way you can get to know them better and meet more people so when you see them, at your child's school, or in that social circle get togethers or organizations, you can feel more self confident and comfortable. If it is a big organization, then it is probably easier to ask a couple of people, instead of the whole group (especially if it is a big group). This idea has helped me, through the years, to make friends and to feel very self confident in my children's schools. It helped me go from 2 friends (that I knew when my first child started school) to knowing a lot of people at my children's schools.

Anyway, these are just a couple of simple and easy suggestions that have helped me, tremendously, become self confident in the different clubs, organizations, schools that my kids have attended, and social settings that I have joined or belonged to. It has also made my journey into self confidence very fun and rewarding.