5 Benefits of Confidence

The Conversation Corner, By Brook Fieldman

Part 3 of 8 – There will be 2 blogs each week in this series with a night of in-person recap at the end of the month.

Building Confidence

Building confidence in individuals with Down syndrome is essential for heightening their well-being and success. Confidence empowers all people to navigate challenges, embrace opportunities, and pursue their goals with determination.

Benefits of confidence include:

• improved social skills
• an enhanced quality of life
• better mental health
• greater self-advocacy
• increased independence

One effective strategy for building confidence is to provide consistent support and encouragement. By
offering praise for an individual’s efforts, you can foster the development of a positive self-image. Setting realistic goals and expectations is also important, allowing individuals to experience
success and progress gradually. Providing individuals with opportunities for independence and decision-making is essential for creating a sense of autonomy.

Additionally, I challenge you to provide resources for reflection; whether that be a journal for writing and drawing or videos for guided meditation and deep breathing exercises. It’s important to provide a space to visualize success and reflect on negative and positive thoughts.

Lastly, it’s essential to encourage individuals to view setbacks from a new lens. Setbacks should be viewed as valuable opportunities to learn and grow. Building confidence is a journey that encompasses motivation and self-compassion, so be sure to model what that looks like. Moreover, building confidence contributes to a more empowered sense of self and encourages one to recognize and celebrate their strengths.

Thank you for reading.
~Brook

Submitted by, Brook Fieldman, Augustana Intern

• Augustana College Class of 2024
• Communication Sciences and Disorders Major
• Disability and Asian Studies Minors

Handouts from this blog series can be seen here as they become available.

Join us for a recap night! Family Speaker: Communication & Expectations Monday, April 29th at 5:30

Register using this link.