Self-confidence can be elusive to some. Having low confidence in yourself can be crippling too. It can affect your success, how you deal with people, and how you face life in general.
No one is born self-confident. People are self-confident because they worked on themselves to achieve it. Here are some practical steps that you can take, from working out to visiting the nearest dentist’s office, to boost your self-confidence:
First things first. What Is self-confidence?
Self-confidence is how you believe you are likely to achieve your goal, based on your experience. It reflects how you generally view your self. Over time, you can build your confidence through practice. It can affect how you think you are likely to blend in socially. If a child has been made fun dancing on stage before, chances are, he will shy away from dancing in the future.
Self-confidence is trusting your judgment, abilities, and skills. You know your worth, regardless of how others perceive you. People tend to put their trust more on confident people. You wouldn’t want to entrust an essential project to a fumbling and nervous employee. Self-confident people are also more likely to try new things because they believe that they can do it.
Practical Ways To Be More Confident
Take care of your self.
It’s hard to be confident about yourself when you’re not taking care of your body. Eat well and get a good night’s sleep. A healthy body and sound mind is the first step to achieving self-confidence.
Take it a notch up, and indulge yourself. Get a massage, go to a spa. Schedule regular visits to your dentist. If you don’t feel confident about your teeth, your dentist might recommend cosmetic dental services such as braces, veneers, and teeth whitening. A healthy set of pearly whites will make you more confident to interact with other people.
When your body feels good, it’s hard not to be confident with yourself. Pamper yourself every once and a while and watch your self-confidence rise.
Exercise regularly.
Exercising is also a way to love yourself. Exercise can significantly improve your mood and can help fight depression and anxiety. Regular exercise can be a big boost to your self-confidence. It enables you to think clearly and improves cognitive function.
Another payoff for exercising is that it acts as a stress reliever. It boosts the production of endorphins, which helps alleviate stress. It helps you gain a positive outlook, making you feel good about yourself and improving your self-confidence.
Go out of your comfort zone.
Stepping out of your comfort zone can be scary. It can be uncomfortable to the point that many people avoid doing it. However, confidence includes being able to take on the things that others are not comfortable with doing.
Stretch your comfort zone little by little every day. Soon you will have a large comfort zone, and you will feel more comfortable doing other things.
Stepping out of your comfort zone does not mean you have to try bungee jumping, although that would be fun. It means doing unusual things. It can be as simple as trying a new cuisine or saying hi to that stranger at the coffee shop. It can be volunteering yourself to go on a field immersion for your company. These little victories can make you feel good about yourself, resulting in a higher self-confidence.
Maintain good posture.
Here’s the thing: your posture can tell people how you feel about yourself. Stand up straight and don’t look down, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable (step out of your comfort zone, remember?). Look people in the eye when you talk. You can effectively get your message across when you maintain eye contact.
You can be tempted to slouch at your desk, but pull yourself together and sit up straight. When you sit up straight, you will feel more confident about yourself and what you are doing.
Don’t compare yourself with others.
Comparisons are never healthy. It can lead to envy and make you feel bad about yourself. The more envious you get, the worse you will feel about yourself. Remind yourself that comparing yourself to others will not help you boost your self-confidence. Both of you are living your own lives, and each of you has problems to face. Treat yourself with kindness when you feel that you are lacking. Be forgiving to yourself when you fail. Remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes sometimes and that you can do better next time.
It’s normal to struggle with self-confidence. Do not let it interfere with your life. Pull your shoulders back, raise your chin, and smile confidently. Face the world with confidence and watch as life begins to change for the better.
