The typical confidence inspiring objects to begin with are the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. To reflect on the Buddha. What he did as a human being. What a great man he was. This gives us confidence that we can maybe do the same. Similar with the noble Sangha. When the word is Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha in this way, the Sangha means the Noble Ones. People who are partly or fully enlightened. It doesn't mean all the monks and nuns, it does not mean all Buddhists. Those are the other two levels of Sangha. But reflecting on the Sangha for confidence inspiring, is to reflect on the Noble Ones. That is, reflecting on the people who have already partly or fully purified themselves. They were average people just like you one time, long ago. They developed, just like you're trying to develop. By reflecting on someone else, who's already done the work and finished, or even partly finished, it then gives you some confidence that, someone else did it similar, you can do it, too.
To reflect on the Dhamma, this wonderful medicine, this is a great medicine. Polio is almost eradicated on the planet. Almost, there's still bits and pieces here and there. But in 1952 there was no cure for it at all. Nothing. Doctor Salk discovered the cure. It got improved after he did it. It immunized so many people. We all got a sugar cube or a shot in the arm, etc. obviously, because none of us have shriveled legs. The woman down the hill has a shriveled leg, I had a friend who had a shriveled leg. They didn't get the medicine. The medicine is so valuable to protect people's legs and some people died as well from polio. So the Dhamma itself, to treat it as a medicine that's so precious, so wonderful for saving our lives, truly saving our mental lives, our heart and mind. To reflect on that gives you more confidence that you have it. You have this wonderful medicine.
Then there's reflecting on your good past Kamma. Reflect on what you've done. Reflect on how you've grown. Reflect on how you've improved. This gives you confidence to do more. Reflect on Sympathetic Joy with other people's growths and good qualities. You guys see me as someone who's done the practice longer than all of you. Someone who's developed, who's grown. Reflect on that, take joy with that. I was not always this type of person. I was a normal kid you know. If somebody had told me when I was 19, I was going to end up being a meditation teacher, a Buddhist meditation teacher, living on a little island, in the Gulf of Thailand, I would have just laughed, told them "they were a jerk. Forget that. That ain't for me". When I was 19, "forget it, no way!". How nice that things change! So Sympathetic Joy with people who have grown, as well as Sympathetic Joy with yourself, reflecting on your good past Kamma, and the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha are the classic confidence inspiring objects.