To ask your tips on rebuilding confidence after bullying

[Sandstar]

Im in a rut where I’ve completely lost my confidence in myself which makes me feel SO awkward… and Im sure other people pick up on it. It’s harder to make new friends etc in the new area we’ve moved to…. Which is feeding further into my confidence…

Im a single mum of two young kids (no dad involved). I was shy as a yp (and I’m neurodivergent) and was bullied - I had this same ‘cringe’ feeling then.

got myself out of it through my hobbies in my 20s and started to find life/people much easier and in fact enjoyable… but these hobbies, they’re mostly not available to me due to time/money for babysitting (active stuff like climbing that helped me get mentally an physically stronger
and had a brilliant community)

I was v badly bullied recently (long story and over) but it’s set me right back…. and it’s so hard to dig myself out with two young kids. But I’m determined to!

I’m happy in my parenting though and love my kids to bits.

any easy tips (even slow and steady)? I can do stuff at home myself, and with the kids but evenings are mostly out (in terms of going out atm).

Why don’t you do the Freedom Program (online)? It should be helpful to show you signs and symptoms of bullying and coercion in all sorts of relationships, how to identify them and how to identify your own feelings and thoughts while this is happening that give you cues that you should listen to. That would be a very good start and should empower you in the future.

Thanks - I had a look and that actually looks very right. I’ll see if I can sign up to one. That’s v appreciated.

Something that helped me in the past when being bullied was volunteering. Now I realise with 2 young kids it might not be that easy or feesible to do, but is there something that you are passionate about that you could do on a very part time or adhoc basis? Or even from home?

Also this might sound silly but at the end of each day I would write down good things from that day, achievements however small in a diary and it helped me to keep my mindset focussed on sort of moving forward if that makes sense!

That’s a great idea re the evening activity - just the sort of thing I can manage and might help shift some of the internal dialogue and self criticism I’ve got going on.
I’ll keep an open mind and have a think re volunteering too…
Thank you