How to build Confidence

 Confidence can make or break your success in life. It affects how you navigate relationships, what kind of opportunities you go for and how your perceive yourself. 

Confidence is defined as a feeling of self assurance arising from one's own abilities or qualities. It's as simple as that, a feeling. 

Before you continue reading, I want you to think about what confidence means to you and why you want to build it. Does confidence mean being able to speak up for yourself? does it mean walking away from situations that no longer serve you? 

Defining confidence in your own terms and having reasons why you want to build it will give you more motivation and clarity as you start this journey. 

Practice self care

Practicing self care is the best way to start building your self confidence. it makes you feel loved, respected and taken care of. The more you take care of yourself, the better you feel about yourself. Here are some ways you can do this;

• Sleep well
• Schedule regular breaks
• Meditate
• Journal
• Exercise
• Eat healthier
• Establish morning and night routines

Positive self talk

We all have an internal dialogue going on whether we realize it or not. It's that voice that tells us we can't do this or be that. It is based on the unconscious beliefs and biases we have. 

Make this inner voice your cheerleader instead of a critic, talk to yourself like you would to your best friend. 

• Recite affirmations
• Put a baby picture of yourself in the mirror (remind yourself that that kid is still inside you)
• challenge your thoughts 

"You are not your thoughts, you are simply a witness of them." ~ Vex King

Stop comparing yourself to others

I struggled so much with this, I would walk into a room and I immediately would start picking myself apart and compare myself to others.

Stop sabotaging yourself like this and embrace your uniqueness, imagine how boring it would be if we were all the same. Everyone has their own special traits that make them who they are and you are doing a major disservice to yourself when you go down the comparison spiral.

Remember that other people's beauty do not take away from your own. Their blessings are not your blessings, we all have our own life path. Instead of fixating on what everyone else has, be obsessed with yourself. Build up on your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

Challenge yourself

Remember the confidence definition? a feeling of self assurance in one's abilities (can't believe you forgot already). what better way to do this than by challenging yourself?

Our brains are hardwired to seek comfort but when you challenge that and try something new and make yourself uncomfortable, you feel more confident. 

• Go up to a stranger and ask them to take a photo of you
• Have that hard conversation with your partner
• Sign up for an improv class

Be willing to face your fears and take risks, you'll see your confidence skyrocket. 

Build your self trust

If you only take one tip from this article, then let it be this, build the trust you have in yourself. If you don't trust yourself, you won't be confident the way you want to.

Think about that one friend who always blows you off last minute, do you have confidence in them? that's because trust and confidence go hand in hand.

Do the things you tell yourself you are going to do, and build up your portfolio of proof. Make it part of your identity to keep the promises you make to yourself. 

Conclusion

Confidence is a skill that you can learn, practice and excel at. Being confident will help you elevate your life to a level you could only dream of. I challenge you take one small action today that will be the first step to becoming a stronger more confident version of yourself.

Until next time

xo xo