Boost Your Self-Esteem
Confidence: some people are born with it, some people aren't...right? Wrong. Confidence is a skill, and just like any other skill, it comes with practice. Read on to learn how you can boost your confidence and put yourself out there!
1. Limit Your Screentime
This may sound counterintuitive seeing as how you're reading this on a screen, but we promise that cutting back on your screentime can make a world of difference. We'll further explore the impact of comparisons to others on this list, but for now, put the tablet down. You can't see yourself the way others do until you get out of your head.
2. Be Realistic
No matter how hard you try, you're not going to wake up one day and be the perfect social butterfly. At least not until personality transplants become a thing. Change happens so gradually you may not even notice it.
3. Celebrate Success
Life is made up of a series of small victories. If you don't celebrate your victories when they're small, you won't be able to build up to bigger and better ones. Rewarding yourself is one of the best ways to ensure progress.
4. Excel At Your Skills
Competence builds confidence. If you're good at something, show off your skills! Of course, this doesn't mean that you should hog the spotlight whenever you have a chance, but if you have a chance to flex your skills, you should take it!
5. Keep An Open Mind
A big part of confidence is having a "come what may" attitude toward life. Things won't always go your way, and sometimes, there's no helping that. On the flip side, you'll miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
6. Play A Part
Even if you have stage fright, you can play the part of a confident person. If you're feeling nervous, there's nothing wrong with stepping out of your skin and doing a little daydreaming. Imagine how royalty would walk down the street, or celebrities, and channel that energy.
7. Recite Affirmations
Affirmations aren't for everyone, but there's no shame in trying them on for size. While a lot of being confident is about getting out of your head, affirmations help positive thoughts stick in your head. You're in your own corner, even if it feels like nobody else is.
8. Laugh At Yourself
Even the most confident people mess up and make fools of themselves. Nobody is going to be perfect, at least not all the time. Learning to laugh at your mistakes rather than spiral is the first step in unlocking your confidence.
9. Be Prepared
Everyone knew that one kid in school who never did homework or studied yet passed every test with flying colors. It's easy to mistake luck for confidence, but while luck will eventually run out, confidence is renewable. You're more likely to feel assured in yourself if you know what you're doing.
10. Start Small
Even the moon landing used small steps to reach a larger goal. Trying to change too much could be overwhelming, so start small and try your best. Your goal can be as small as starting conversation once or twice, that way it's achievable.
11. Smile
You're never fully dressed without a smile. We know it's trite, but that doesn't mean it isn't also true. Smiling helps us be kinder to ourselves and to others.
12. Stand Tall
How's your posture right now? Are you slumped over like a shrimp or standing tall and proud? Something as small as posture can go farther than expected, both in helping you feel confident and in helping others perceive you as confident.
13. Face Your Fears
Everyone is scared of something; even the most confident people are scared of failure sometimes. If you're scared of doing something because you think you aren't confident enough, you're going to be putting it off for the rest of your life. Once you face your fears, you'll realize that a few mistakes aren't that bad.
14. Know When To Say No
Confidence isn't all about saying "yes" to every opportunity that comes your way. Sometimes, it takes more confidence to say "no" and protect yourself rather than going along with everyone else. Have confidence to put yourself out there, and have confidence to pull yourself back in.
15. Squash Negativity
Imagine that your negativity is a bug, something that's infesting your mind. Now, while we prefer to release creepy-crawlies in real life (unless they're invasive), there's nothing wrong with squashing imaginary ones. We encourage you to stomp these ones.
16. Own Your Mistakes
This goes hand-in-hand with learning to laugh at yourself. A few bumps on the road are inevitable. When you hit these bumps, don't give up or act like they never happened, take things in stride and leave room for growth.
17. Take Care Of Yourself
Confidence comes from self-care. We don't mean just face masks and bubble baths. Self-care is also maintaining boundaries and protecting your peace; emotional and mental self-care is more important than physical pampering.
18. Look The Part
If you're going to play the part of a confident person, you're going to need a costume to match. You don't need to wear head-to-toe Gucci for a run to the grocery store. Any clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin will do the trick.
19. Be Kind
Kindness is key in every social interaction. Extend yourself the same grace we hope you give other people. Self-compassion allows for greater emotional flexibility, especially in difficult situations.
20. Stop Making Comparisons
Comparison is the thief of joy. Sure, your friend or coworkers may appear to be more put-together in every conceivable way, but you don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Comparing your life to someone else's will only serve to belittle your own accomplishments.
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