By Rolf the Moose.

You all know my story – Rolf, the poor moose who believed he was a tiny mouse. That moose was me! When I was younger, I got lost in the woods close to my house. Then a small mouse, Hedda – who is my best friend now – helped me find my mama. On our way through the forest, Hedda also helped me to discover my self-worth. And for that, I am forever grateful!

But what about the days after all that excitement and adventure, you might wonder. How did I keep believing in myself when times got tough once again?

I struggled with this questions for many days. Although my mother and Hedda never stopped encouraging me, I needed practical advice that I could apply to my own life. I saw in the weekly forest paper that the wise owl, Mr. Woody, started lecturing self-esteem courses at the local library. So I decided to attend the three-day course. The difference in my life was tremendous.

So now, I want to share that recipe with you. This will help you to be the best you can be!

Firstly, you have to practice daily.

You are learning a new way of thinking. This is the most important and hardest part of the process. It forms the big framework, and all the other factors only fill the frame.

So, you have to make a conscious cognitive decision daily. I love beautiful colors so I made a big bright banner and put it on my wall, saying:

I will believe in myself and I know that I can conquer anything!

It really helped me to keep my head up high through the difficult times. You should never let your emotions influence whether you believe in yourself or not.

Life will be easy for the first few days, because animals have a natural high willpower when they tackle a new task. Unfortunately, our willpower gets exhausted fast. Then it’s the perfect time to get out that banner!

Secondly, you have to conquer the forest.

Just as bad things happen in a forest, it is inevitable that bad things will happen along your journey. The best way to handle bad things is to convert them into good things.

You’ve got to apply your new “skill” to your everyday occurrences in your life, like going to school. When an animal at school hurts your feelings with a mean behavior, you have to remember that their childish act does not have the power to decrease your worth. Instead, try to became friends with that animal. If you are strong enough and try to do the right thing, you will inspire others, which will boost your confidence even more.

I leave the best for last – like a pudding…

The golden rule is to never compare yourself to other animals, not in any way!

We are all unique. It is time that we recognize our own true beauty. If another animal is more successful than you, congratulate him from you heart. Or if you are more successful than some other animal, never be snobbish.

Always measure your success against the standards that you set for yourself.

This recipe has been proven again and again in the animal kingdom for centuries on end. Start applying these three easy steps in your life, and your children will follow your example. Never stop believing in yourself and your abilities!