6 Ways to Improve Your Self-Confidence
Try things that make you feel uncomfortable
I can say I am pretty confident, can you?
There are steps to take to become more self-confident and it can be a fun process.
This is a guest post by
.Grace is a published author and multidisciplinary passion-led mentor, mental health advocate and holistic healer: author, well-being coach, yoga & kindergarten teacher.
Follow Grace’s publication Mindful Moments: Cultivating Inner Peace & Emotional Growth on Substack.
Being self-confident is about feeling comfortable in your skin and having trust in yourself.
It isn’t about waking up at who knows what time in the morning and having a routine (although that does help!), but it involves small steps.
Everything is about taking one step at a time.
So here are 6 ways to improve your self-confidence because, my friend, it is a superpower.
1. Be very honest with yourself
First and foremost, do you accept yourself for who you are?
If the answer is no, then you must. If you aren’t going to accept yourself for who you are, then others will have a hard time doing it too.
Accept everything about yourself and don’t be afraid to share it with others.
The thing is: It is harder than it seems, right?
I know this because I used to struggle with accepting myself wholly. I used to go to high school with make-up plastered on my face because I felt uncomfortable in my own skin.
People would comment on my acne and it would make me feel worse.
There was a point when I realized that actually, the make-up I was using to cover up my spots was making them worse.
There was a point when I realized that I am the one that isn’t accepting myself, so others won’t either.
It was from that day on that I changed my perspective about make-up and instead didn’t smother it on but would enjoy putting it on every now and then.
My perspective shifted when I became honest with my reasoning and became comfortable in my skin.
Is there something you struggle with when accepting yourself? Learn to be honest and come to terms with it. Find clarity.
2. Exercise and work out
Did you know regular exercise releases endorphins in the body, which improves your mood?
I think we all know it, but we don’t do it.
Sometimes when I wake up, I know I should maybe do some yoga stretches but then don’t feel like it.
It is only when I come to the mat and stretch that afterward I feel 100 times better.
Movement with your body will make you feel more confident and reassured in yourself.
I know this because of my boyfriend too.
He is currently in rehab, but before he was in the mental clinic (where we both met):
3 Things I Learned About Love in a Mental Clinic | by Graceygee | ILLUMINATION | Medium
Before, we used to have sports therapy every other day first thing in the morning. I could tell how this engaged him to have a better day than normal and become more confident in what he says.
You see, his self-esteem is very low as it is, but simply by playing sports first thing in the morning, he would feel a lot better.
I am not telling you to practice sports first thing when you wake up, but when you have time, make it a regular part of your routine as it is bound to make you feel more confident and comfortable in your skin.
3. Try things that make you feel uncomfortable
This one is a funny one, but it still applies to improving your self-confidence.
Why is that, I hear you ask?
Well by stepping outside of your comfort zone, you will feel more capable and able to take on bigger challenges.
This might mean that you talk to a stranger in the street or you ask your neighbor if they want to go on a walk.
These communication skills will help you break out of shyness and enable you to communicate with others around you better.
I know that a coaching client of mine did exactly this.
We are trying to make her feel less lonely in a pandemic-fuelled world. She lives alone and is not working due to the pandemic, so feels very lost and sad.
However, she loves nature and company.
So I told her to ask her neighbor to go on a walk, and she did!
Afterward, she felt revitalized by being around someone and sharing that wholesome experience outdoors together.
What are you going to do that makes you feel uncomfortable?
4. Try a new look
When becoming more confident, it is compulsory to try out new things. One way is to simply try out a new look and see how you feel.
How you dress will make a difference in how you feel.
Try different outfits to help discover what you like and dislike.
This may be something fun to try out no matter what your age and now is the perfect time with spring clean and all!
I remember I did this when coming home and finding a wardrobe full of clothes that I hadn’t worn in a while.
I mixed and matched many clothes together and found my own unique style again.
It made me feel confident because I wasn’t following any social norm or fashion, but was instead following my flow.
What flow are you following?
How about you find your flow and mix it up.
5. Challenge your limiting beliefs
Limiting beliefs suck and can drain us when always around.
I know for a fact that my boyfriend listens to his thoughts and limiting beliefs far too often that they become a part of him.
One simple tactic to challenge a limiting belief is to name it.
Personifying your limiting belief or negative emotion will disconnect you from the feeling and make you aware that you are not your thoughts.
For example, you could call your anxiety Angie.
Imagine Angie as a mean person with characteristics and features that you don’t necessarily like about someone.
You could even imagine her as someone you might not like so much — a former teacher, for example!
Another way is to always remind yourself of your accomplishments, no matter how big or small.
There will be days when your limiting beliefs are louder than anything else in your mind, trying to pull you down, but don’t take it — challenge them and change them by becoming aware and moving on.
6. Adjust your posture
Last but not least, one way to improve your self-confidence is to stand tall.
How you stand will affect how you feel about yourself.
Practice powerful stances and make them into positive habits.
One way you could do this is in the morning, first thing when you wake up and look in the mirror - practice smiling and standing tall and upright.
Whenever I am sat down at my desk I always realize I am not sitting up straight.
When I realize and become aware of it to change it, I feel much better. I feel more confident and calm in whatever I am doing.
Have you ever noticed this?
Try it out and see how you feel!
The Takeaway
6 ways to improve your self-confidence include:
Improving your posture
Challenging your limiting beliefs
Trying a new lookout
Trying things that make you feel uncomfortable
Exercising and working out
Being very honest with yourself
I hope this helps you in your journey of becoming more self-confident!
Before you go
Thanks for being here.
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