17 Proven Ways To Boost Your Self Confidence

17 Proven Ways To Boost Your Self Confidence

Having confidence means being self-aware  - you must know your strengths,   as well as your weaknesses, and be able to  convey this information to other people.  It’s the opposite of arrogance - where you  overestimate your abilities; or low self-esteem   - where you severely underestimate your value. Most people regard confidence as an extremely   attractive quality, making it  easier to establish platonic or   romantic relationships or to find success. Getting into the following habits can help   you boost your confidence and set you up for a  more successful personal and professional life! 

Number 1 - Stop Playing Different  Roles Just To Impress Others

Stop trying to adjust yourself to meet  other people’s expectations of you - or  changing your personality to fit theirs. This may seem obvious, but it will always   be incredibly important, no matter what, to  be your AUTHENTIC self. Be the person who has   things they are great at and love to do. This part of yourself is the easiest to   be and it’s inherent around your  close friends and in your hobbies. Bringing this authenticity into every aspect  of your life, such as your WORKPLACE and in new   environments, can make you more confident once  you notice how positively others react to you. 

Number 2 - Learn To Catch Yourself  When You Think You’re Not Good Enough

Learn to catch yourself when you start  having negative or limiting thoughts.   Using words like “can’t” or “won’t” can  severely limit your self-confidence. Replace these words or phrases  with more positive ones. Tell   yourself that you “can” and  “will” achieve your goals.  Your mindset can make or break you, so keep  it positive to avoid dragging yourself down.

Number 3 - Laugh At Yourself For Being Silly

Everyone messes up or makes a fool of themselves  now and then. The key is not letting it stop you!  Trying something new allows for the possibility  of success, but also the possibility of making   a mistake and a fool of yourself. A bigger  mistake would be to let it hold you back.  It’s okay to be embarrassed, but you should  always try to laugh it off when you stumble   along the way - to appreciate when you gain  progress and confidence in whatever you’re doing. 

Number 4 - Don’t Think For A  Second That You Can’t Be Confident

There are many mundane activities that you already  do with natural confidence. You just have to take   notice of them and get familiar with the feeling. For instance, brushing your teeth, talking to a   friend, or completing a routine task are things  you do naturally and with self-confidence.  That feeling of self-assurance that  you might not even be aware of can   be transferred over into other parts of  your life in which you lack confidence. 

Number 5 - Listen To Your Doubts But  Be Ready To Make Definite Decisions 

Your doubts can be beneficial, and  they let you know when there are   problems you need to prepare for. But  most of the time, they’re just doubts.  You should get into the habit of determining  whether your doubts are the product of   unrealistic anxieties or whether they have some  validity. If they do have some validity, use them   to your advantage to help shape your decisions. Maybe you’ve just gotten a lucrative job offer,   but you still have doubts about whether  or not you’re capable of doing the job.  Take some time to analyze these doubts,  to see whether they’re a reflection of   your actual abilities or just negative  thinking that could be holding you back. 

Number 6 - Change Your Self-Imposed Rules

You probably aren’t aware that  you have a series of out-dated   rules that continue to dictate your  actions - what you do, don’t do,   should do and shouldn’t do. But these rules only hinder   your success by limiting your thinking  and behavior. You have to change them!  Once you’ve gotten rid of whatever  self-imposed rules are holding you back,   you’ll notice a feeling of freedom that lets you  make more challenging and exciting decisions.

Number 7 - When You Lose, Pause And  Ask Yourself What You Have Gained

Are you easily annoyed and frustrated  by every failure or shortcoming? Don’t be too hard on yourself -  it’ll only make you feel worse.  Look at the situation objectively and try  to be brutally honest. Ask yourself what   you might’ve learned or gained,  and also what you missed out on.  Whatever conclusion you come to, can help you  make a more informed decision the next time. 

Number 8 - Let People Know You  Don’t Deserve To Be Put Down

If there’s someone in your personal or  professional life who is always putting you down,   the best decision for you is to tell them what  they’re doing and that you deserve better.  Now, I’m not suggesting that you have a major  ‘public confrontation,’ but you will need to   toughen yourself up for the conversation. If they genuinely care about you, their   behavior should start to change once you talk  to them, and it will make you feel much better.  Taking control of your life and relationships  will help improve your confidence and happiness.

Number 9 - Instead Of Complaining,  Say “I Can Do Better Than This”

More often than not, people tend to complain  about less than optimal circumstances in   their lives, instead of trying to change them. If you find that things aren’t going your way,   look for solutions - and implement them. Having the decisiveness to do something about your   situation will not only boost your confidence,  but it will also help you reach your goals.

Number 10 - Confidence  Means Admitting You’re Wrong

It’s never easy to admit it, but  sometimes, you have to be able to   change your mind if something isn’t working. Not every idea you have will be a home run,   and you need to learn to distinguish  when things are clearly not working out.  The good thing is that you still have  control. You can decide to either try   to adjust and get things moving  again or toss the idea altogether.

Number 11 - Do Something Bold In The  Face Of Your Challenges And Fears

To make more informed and better decisions, we  are generally told to weigh the pros and cons.  And this is excellent advice. Indeed, some choices do require  careful deliberation, but sometimes,  you just need to go with your gut. Doing so will help you feel much  stronger and more confident.

Number 12 - Act Until You Make It

Before you can shift into a confident mindset, you  must first try to reflect confidence in yourself. This is more of a ‘fake it till  you make it’ sort of thing.  If you want to come across as bold  and strong, act bold and strong;  if you want to come across as successful,  act successful; And if you want to come  across as confident, act confident. You’ll be amazed by the results.

Number 13 - When You Feel Like  Giving Up, Push Through It

It’s easy to get demotivated when you get to  the very end of something you’re working on,  and it seems like the results aren’t coming. Despite this feeling, you have to keep pushing  forward. The most struggle tends  to happen around the 90% mark,  so refocus yourself and push through to the end. When you keep your efforts up, you’ll not only  finish whatever you may be working on, but you’ll  also boost your self-confidence in the process.

Number 14 - Recall A Time When You Were  Riding High And Achieving Great Things

When you feel hopeless, and your  confidence is at an ‘all-time’ low,   try to remember the high you felt  when you were achieving your goals. What were you doing that fueled this feeling?  Are you able to recreate the passion and drive? Thinking back on the good times can help you  get back on the horse - and get back to work!

Number 15 - Treat Your Body Well

Body image is important. Not loving  yourself and your body can significantly hinder your ability to feel confident. Think about it. One of the first things we do in the morning is look in the mirror.  Waking up and feeling good about your physical  appearance can start the day on a positive note.  But if you don’t like what you see, it can throw  off your mood for the rest of the day. If you’re unhappy with your appearance,  try and do something to improve it.Exercising more, eating healthier,  and grooming yourself can help improve  your body image and your self-confidence.

Number 16 - Look Up To Confident  People And Learn From Them

Take a closer look at the confident people  you respect. You’ll notice common traits, beliefs, and behaviors that they exhibit. Try and identify their actions that convey  confidence so that you can learn from them. Start adopting some of these positive traits,  and people will surely start to notice!

Number 17 - Never Beat Yourself  Up For Failing Or Screwing Up

Life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine; it  fluctuates daily and has its ups and downs. To keep up with its ever-changing  ways, you must know how to improvise  and take whatever is thrown at you with stride. Learn to be stable, no matter what comes your way,  and don’t let the randomness  of everyday life get to you. Confidence doesn’t happen overnight;  it’s an ongoing process that  doesn’t really have an end-point. You can compare it to learning. Only gaining  knowledge in one area and never learning  anything else won’t help you grow and improve  your life. Confidence works the same way. So, keep pushing yourself forward. Your  confidence will develop along with you!

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