If you’re in need of a confidence boost, there are a few things you can do, both for short term and long term effectiveness. Confidence is something some people are born with naturally, but it is also something you can build if you don’t feel you have enough of it. Here are 13 things you can do for a confidence boost that really work to help you when you’re not feeling the most confident:
- Work On Your Posture
Your posture (and in the same vein, your body language) can make a big difference to how confident you feel. Standing up straight with your shoulders back and head high can make you feel so much better. Plus, it’ll help you to keep a healthy posture in the long run. Try to keep a healthy posture whether you’re sitting or standing and you should feel better throughout the day.
- Be More Mindful of Your Self Talk
Most people don’t realize that they actually have pretty negative self talk, but it’s always running in the background so they are pretty much used to it. Pay more attention to how you speak to yourself. Do you call yourself stupid when you make a mistake? Do you say nasty things when you look in the mirror? It doesn’t matter if this is in your head or out loud: it can have a huge effect on your mindset. Here are some pointers for you:
- Interrupt negative thinking patterns as soon as you notice them.
- Try to reframe your thinking. Is there a way you can put a more positive spin on this thought?
- Why is this thought not true?
- Are you simply copying a caregiver that spoke to you/themselves this same way?
- Speak to yourself as you would a friend. You should be friends with yourself, so talk to yourself like it!
- Smile Wide
Smiling, even when you don’t feel like it, can encourage the body to release endorphins and quickly put us in a much better mood. It can be hard to smile when you don’t feel like it, but you’ll soon feel the difference if you try to remember to smile throughout the day. If you avoid smiling because you don’t like your smile, using high quality veneers can make a huge difference and make the effects of smiling that much sweeter.
- Get Some Exercise
Exercise gives us a huge endorphin booster, amongst other happy hormones. When we exercise, we begin to realize how strong and capable we actually are. We can see ourselves getting stronger and faster and instantly feel good. Exercise is amazing for both short term and long term boosts, so find something you really love to do and then stick to it.
- Dress The Way You Really Want To Dress
Don’t save any clothes for special occasions! Of course, you might not want to wear a sequined outfit to do your food shopping, but making a little more effort to dress in clothes you love each day can make a difference to how you feel. Even getting dressed in clothes you love while spending time in the house can make a big difference to your confidence. This is in no way about making yourself look presentable to please other people. It’s simply about pleasing yourself: spending more time choosing clothes that fit how you want to feel and grooming yourself can make a big difference.
- Get To Know Yourself
If you rarely spend time alone doing the things you want to do, chances are, you know yourself very little. Most people fill their time with other people and distractions as a way to avoid getting to know themselves. Some people simply don’t like what they find when they are faced with time alone, whether that’s because of their negative outlook or something else. Getting to know yourself with the intention of becoming your own best friend can make a big difference to your confidence and how you feel day to day.
- Visualize
Have you ever visualized who you would be if you had an endless amount of confidence? You should! Athletes and entrepreneurs swear by visualization to affirm where they want to be, get them into the right feeling space for it, and to help propel them closer to where they want to be. It’s a powerful technique when used regularly!
- Do Something Nice For Somebody Else
Doing something nice for another person, even if that person is a stranger, can make us feel better than when we do something for ourselves. Can you do something small for somebody else today? How about paying it forward in your local coffee shop?
- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone Regularly
Push yourself out of your comfort zone regularly, even if it’s just a baby step. You don’t need to do anything huge and scary. Just keep on pushing yourself and you’ll build steady, lasting confidence.
- Spend More Time With Confident People
The more time spent with confident people, the more it rubs off on us. We become like the people we spend the most time with. If you spend time with people who have high self esteem, that will definitely rub off on you. Spend less time with toxic or negative people, or at the very least, set boundaries with them.
- Start Your Day Right
A morning routine can help to get your day off to the best start. If you start the day in a rush, you’ll feel rushed all day, as a rule. If you start the day with time to spare, you can carry that relaxed, high vibe feeling with you all day.
- Figure Out Your Limiting Beliefs
What are your limiting beliefs – you know, the beliefs that are holding you back? Figuring out what they are and why they aren’t true can help you to move forward.
- Use The Power Pose
Simply standing in the ‘power pose’ can give you an instant boost. Stand up straight, legs apart, hands on your hips – a bit like a superhero! You’ll be surprised at how confident this can make you feel.
