Success and enjoyment of life depend on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. All you can do is put yourself in the best possible position to make the most of all that life can bring.
A person’s confidence has a hugely significant impact on their experience of life. Thankfully, while it’s often spoken about as something you either have or do not have, there are things you can do to nudge it in the right direction. In this post, we’ll run through some of the most effective methods. Any of these will work when done on their own, but when you put them all together, the effects can be profound. Let’s dive in.
Positive Self-Talk
It’s easy to dismiss the power of positive self-talk, but the fact is that it works. How you speak to yourself is going to have a subtly influential impact on your confidence. After all, it’s not hard to see the difference between saying “I can do this” and saying “I can’t do this.” There are meditations you can do to learn how to talk to yourself in a better way. Mostly it comes down to just catching yourself when your mind goes to a negative space, and changing the narrative. If in doubt, then talk to yourself as you would a friend; many of us are much harsher on ourselves than we ever would be to those we care about.
Set Goals
We get confidence by achieving goals. The problem is, once we’re in adulthood, we very rarely set ourselves goals. After all, we’re too busy with our usual routine. Moving forward, look at setting yourself a target. It really doesn’t matter what it is, so long as it’s somewhat challenging. This could be giving up drinking for a month, taking a solo trip, or otherwise stepping outside of your comfort zone. By the time you’re done, you’ll have given your confidence your boost and will be wondering what else you’re capable of achieving.
Invest in Grooming
Sometimes, it’s the simple things that make all the difference. If you’re an avid social media user, you’ll have seen the meme about how making the bed or doing laundry can be enough to improve mental well-being. The same can be said for grooming. It’s one of those things that is easy to do with a few products, yet it can nudge your confidence forward in pretty big ways. Who doesn’t feel more confident going to a social gathering knowing that they’re clean, well-dressed, and smell good?
If you’ve been using the same old grooming products, then consider splurging on some new, better products. It might just make all the difference.
Handle Body Issues
No one is perfect. We all have body issues that we’d rather live without. The thing is, in this day and age, it usually is possible to live without them. After all, there’s a treatment for everything! If you have skin issues, then visit a dermatologist and see what they recommend. If you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your chest, then speak with a doctor who offers surgery to treat gynecomastia. If you don’t have any pressing issues, then you can still join a gym and get into shape. If you speak to people who regularly go to a gym, then they’ll often tell you that they’re significantly more confident since they started going. Plus, in addition to getting your body into shape, visiting the gym helps to boost your mental well-being, which can also lead to an increase in confidence.
Limit Social Media
Now, don’t get us wrong — social media can be good for us, but only if it’s used correctly. Most people have a complicated relationship with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you’re not currently as confident as you’d like to be, then it may be worthwhile limiting the amount of time you spend on social media or giving it up completely. Studies have shown that it can have a negative impact on overall mental well-being, including confidence. The reason for that is that it constantly shows you other people’s highlights and not their low moments. If you think social media is reducing your sense of self-worth, then take a break — you won’t miss anything important.
Setting Boundaries
We lose confidence when we don’t believe that we’re in control of our own lives. There are times when it can be good to do things for others, but equally, sometimes automatically saying yes because we think we have to can cause us to lose some of our autonomy, impacting our confidence. It can feel empowering to say no, especially to things that might limit your self-worth. Don’t be afraid of losing or hurting people — if they really care for you, then they’ll respect your wishes.
Value Your Attributes
Many of us feel less confident when we focus on all the things that we don’t have. But that’s the wrong way to look at things. Instead, you should focus on what you do have. When you really look at yourself, you’ll likely find that you have a lot of great attributes that other people would love to possess. You can work on giving yourself skills and attributes that will push your confidence forward but don’t focus on them too much. Remember, if you’re a nice person and are generally capable, then you’ll have a lot to be thankful for.
Confront Your Fears
We lose confidence when we live in fear. Being afraid is OK, but it shouldn’t stop you from living your best life. If there’s something you’re avoiding doing because your confidence isn’t as high as you’d like it to be, then ignore it and do it anyway. You’ll likely find that your confidence and fear had no impact on the final result. For instance, some people stop themselves from taking solo trips because they think they’re not ready. Well, you learn by doing. Overcome the voice that says you can’t do it, and just do it anyway.
