Self Confidence
Think back to a time when you felt on top of the world. What do you remember from then? How did it feel? What routines or activities did you have established during that time?
This feeling for most of us stems from being confident. However confidence is not just a thing that happens all of the sudden, it is more of a state of mind achieved by having a balanced view of yourself. This view consists of you being aware of your flaws but choosing to focus on your strengths and your abilities to achieve goals competently instead.
So the question remains, how can we become more confident? Here are 5 strategies we have found for you to try:
PRACTICE SELF-ACCEPTANCE.
Try to examine your strengths and weaknesses from a position of self-love and acceptance. Address your weaknesses without being overly critical of yourself. Let yourself know that your worth is not dependent on your successes or failures. Check out our previous post on affirmations.
FOCUS ON SMALL ACHIEVEMENTS.
Take some time to sit down and make a list of things you have already achieved in life. It doesn’t matter how small or large your achievements are. Creating this list will help you develop a sense of achievement and self-confidence. It also gives you something positive to look back on when you experience a setback or failure.
SET MANAGEABLE GOALS.
Set small, manageable goals when it comes to improving skills or addressing weaknesses. Becoming comfortable with small steps can make the big steps seem far less daunting and anxiety-inducing. Check out our previous post on S.M.A.R.T goals.
SEEK OUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.
Being around critical, judgemental individuals can affect how we feel about ourselves. Try to surround yourself with positive experiences and people to boost your self-confidence.
CONSIDER A REWARDS SYSTEM.
Coming up with a rewards system can be helpful for building your self-esteem and confidence. It can make a scary step or project seem much more fun and worthwhile. Simply being kind to yourself can also work as a self-confidence boosting reward.
Maintaining a confident mindset takes work, determination and continuity. Start by trying one or all of the tips listed above and see what works for you. Remember that every person is different and you have to find a system that works for you. When it comes to confidence, implementing strategies at the beginning might seem forced and unnatural at first, but don’t let yourself get discouraged, after a while you’ll start seeing that confidence will start to become a part of who you are and that confidence will start transferring into everything you do!