How often do you pause on a Sunday—or any day—and actually check in with yourself before the noise of the world crashes back in?
Welcome to week three of Sunday Sermon.
Look around at the world right now. Between social pressure, endless comparison on social media, genocide, economic uncertainty, wars, global division, it’s really easy to just default to playing small or trying to not stand out from the crowd. We tend to naturally magnify the abilities of others, minimize our own unique gifts, and allow fear of judgment to limit our choices.
That’s why today’s topic from Chapter 3 of Satisfy Your Soul is an essential part of reclaiming your life.
The Beyoncé Lesson
Chapter 3 opens with a quote from Beyoncé: “The world will see you the way you see you, and treat you the way you treat yourself.”
Imagine Beyoncé as a shy child sitting after dance class, hearing her instructor hum a song. She had a choice in that moment: stay quiet out of self-doubt, or sing. She chose to sing. That single moment of courage altered the trajectory of her life, leading to over 160 million records sold and a historic legacy.
How many times have you allowed the voice of self-doubt to keep you quiet? Our natural tendency is to minimize our own strength and magnify the perceived abilities of everyone else. But that isn’t reality. You are braver than you believe,stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and twice as capable as you have ever imagined.
High Esteem
True self-confidence isn’t built on positive mantras or self talk alone; like trust, it is earned through action + time. There is a direct, unbreakable link between having high self-esteem and doing things of high esteem. When you live with integrity—when you keep your promises to yourself, do the right thing when no one is watching, do what you say you will do, and act in alignment with your deepest moral code—you build an unshakeable sense of self-respect. You always know who you truly are. You cannot genuinely respect yourself if your daily actions contradict your values. True confidence is the natural, beautiful byproduct of living a life of high moral integrity.
Unfuckwithable Confidence
In Chapter 3, I define a core mindset: Unfuckwithable Confidence.
It is the constant, quiet awareness of what an amazing, capable person you are—regardless of what others say, do, or think about you. What other people say and do has everything to do with what is going on inside their own minds, and almost nothing to do with you.
When you stop making other people’s opinions your business, fear loses its grip on your choices.
Eliminating Relationship Neediness
Confidence also fundamentally changes your relationships. When you lack self-love and self-approval, you become “needy” for external validation. You look to partners, friends, or employers to fill a void that only you can fill—which sabotages relationships before they even have a chance to thrive.
When you take inventory of what you like about yourself and build a healthy relationship with yourself first, you stop showing up needy. You begin to attract healthier, more fulfilling connections.
Homework for the Week
* Self-Approval Inventory: Sit down with a journal and make a physical list of 10 things you like about yourself and 5 things you are genuinely proud of achieving.
* Catch Self-Deprecation: Notice whenever you make a self-deprecating joke or minimize your abilities this week. Catch it, pause, and replace it with a positive affirmation of your strength.
* Practice Unfuckwithable Confidence: Step into one situation this week where you would normally stay quiet or seek approval, and own your space with calm certainty.
A Quick Note…
This podcast is based on the core principles of my upcoming book, Satisfy Your Soul: 10th Anniversary Revised & Expanded Edition. Packed with new chapters, practical tools, and resources, this edition is designed to help you begin living your biggest dreams.
While you wait for release day, October 29th, check out my new What Would Dolly Do? apparel line—with proceeds directly supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring books to children everywhere. Plus, if you need a moment of deep peace, my spoken-word guided meditation track, Sanctuary, is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms.
Visit feelfreetogrow.com to pre-order the book, grab your merch, or stream Sanctuary today.
I will leave you with a Reflection for Your Week
“What is one dream or choice you have been putting off out of fear of what others might think, and how would you show up today if you operated from unfuckwithable confidence?”
Thank you for being here for Episode 3. Join me next Sunday for Episode 4 as we dive into the first BRAND NEW chapter in my new book, Chapter 4, titled A Higher Power, exploring how to reconnect with the sacred after walking away from rigid religious dogmas.
Until next week, take a deep breath, protect your peace, and satisfy your soul.
Warmly,
Joshua Hood
Get full access to Sunday Sermon with Joshua Hood at feelfreetogrow.substack.com/subscribe
