7 Tips How To Boost Your Confidence Today
How you view yourself and the things that you believe you can do greatly affect how you live your life. Having self-esteem means feeling a sense of contentment with who you are and your capabilities. Even if you do doubt yourself sometimes, if you have a healthy self-regard, you will find ways to encourage yourself and overcome any obstacle at hand.
The case is different if you have low self-esteem. People who persistently feel this are typically unhappy or discontented. The severe sense of doubt can also cripple your ability to start new tasks or goals. If you have been constantly suffering from this, remember that your lack of personal assurance is not your fault. The first step to boosting your self-confidence is to understand what low self-esteem is.
How do you know if you have low self-esteem? Here are the tell-tale signs:
- Has a habit of undermining positive characteristics
- Always condemns self
- Is usually the first to criticize self (like calling himself/herself boring, ugly, or fat)
- Has severe inferiority complex
- Believes that his/her achievements are because luck and not because of his/her capabilities
- Regularly has self-talks, which usually ends in self-blame
- Primarily blames self for any mishap and does not consider other factors that may contribute to the setback
- Has difficulty receiving compliments or praises
If you think that you are suffering from low self-esteem, the good news is, you can overcome it. If you are looking for ways to improve your self-confidence, here are the most recommended actions you can take:
1. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Repeat this: Everyone makes mistakes. If you slip-up, remind yourself that it is not the end of the world, it is not entirely your fault, and that there might be other opportunities available if the one at hand does not work out. You might find this difficult to do at first but you can start by facing the mirror and saying something encouraging to yourself every time you wake up. You can also list down the negative things that you say to yourself and then write down any positive things about you. Even if there are 15 negative thoughts and only one positive thought, reflect and focus on that one positive thing.
2. Avoid comparing yourself to other people.
People do not achieve growth or success at the same time, otherwise living in the world will just be one monotonous journey. If there is one thing that can kill your confidence, it’s if you compare your life or achievements to other people. Understand that there are no perfectly identical individuals – even twins have their differences. This means we all have distinct journeys in this world. If you are on page 25 of your life and your cousin is already on page 125, it does not make you any less of a person. You do you.
3. Exercise your negative thoughts away.
Get your body moving. Engaging in daily physical activity will not only keep you fit, but it will also stimulate happy hormones in your body. Every time you break a sweat, your brain releases endorphins, a group of hormones that makes you feel good. When you exercise, you are hitting two birds with one stone – you tone your body and you reduce your stress and negative thoughts.
4. Start grooming yourself.
A good way to mark your willingness to pursue the improvement of your self-esteem is to do simple little makeovers to yourself. Haven’t shaved for months? Try shedding off that beard! Are your unruly long locks getting out of control? Visit a salon and get a haircut and hair treatment! Put on a different perfume. Donate your old clothes or sell them in a garage sale and then change your wardrobe style. The things you that you consider insignificant – like plucking your eyebrows and putting on some tint on your lips and cheeks – will make a huge difference in your overall image projection. Start small but be consistent.
5. Practice smiling.
Try this: every time you wake up in the morning and before you sleep at night, face the mirror, say a word of encouragement, and smile! Flashing those pearly whites will immediately give an air of confidence and composure.
6. Prepare every time.
If you are scheduled to give a presentation or a report, thoroughly review your slides. Then, practice how you deliver your presentation or report. Planning everything and knowing your materials will assure minimal mistakes. Preparedness is a big confidence booster especially if you are facing other people.
7. Find support.
Want to hear from other people? Research support groups on Facebook or online forum groups. Surround yourself with friends, family, and other people who can support and encourage you. Cut off people who trigger your anxiety and negative thinking in the meantime. Avoid toxic situations or people. Take your time to breath and bond with yourself. If you need to talk to a therapist or life-coach without going to a walk in clinic Calgary, try here booking for appointments with online doctors.
Anything is possible if you put effort into it. Constantly practice these things to start developing yourself confidence.