Many books and articles have been written about confidence. I used to read them all the time, because I wanted to be like all the confident people out there. Being an introvert, anything to do with confidence was always a bit alien to me. A big shift happened, when I began attending a personal development seminars and courses in my mid-twenties. On top of that, throwing myself into an occasional situations that were out of my comfort zone gave me a great amount of confidence too. Over the years, I learned a lot and I’m constantly doing so. The truth is, not all of us (myself included), will be confident in every life’s situation. But still, there are some useful tips you can apply to your daily life, which can definitely help you to increase your confidence. Life is an exciting journey and there is always something new to be learned and experienced. Why waste some great opportunities, because we lack confidence? Listed bellow are five of my favourite ways which can help you. I hope they’ll inspire you.
1) Healthy body = Confidence
Physical exercise will not only increase your energy levels, it can also help you boost your confidence. I personally like yoga and I take ballet classes. Those two activities are very dear to my heart and always make me feel good. Even when I have a bad day or I feel de-motivated, after just a few minutes of yoga or a going to a ballet class, I feel energised, more confident and motivated once again. When I’m in this state of mind, anything is possible. On top of that, many creative ideas come my way as a bonus. Do whatever works for you. Is it an exercise in a gym, a dance class, or is it running? Do it! It will definitely make you feel good and will help you increase your confidence. And lastly, but very importantly, don’t forget to drink lots of water and eat healthy food every day. Look after yourself the best way you can.
2) Positive self-talk
Throughout the day, notice your self-talk. Is it positive or is it negative? How do you talk to yourself? Our minds are constantly active and we often don’t realise how our self-talk affects our reality. Start paying attention to your internal dialogue. Don’t judge yourself, just notice. Start filling your mind with the thoughts of love and appreciation towards yourself. Stop being hard on yourself. You are doing the best you can. Choose your thoughts wisely, they really have a lot to do with the world you perceive and of course with your confidence. Here is a tip for you: When you wake up in the morning, begin your day with positive affirmations such as ‘I am healthy, beautiful, confident, successful and happy’ and repeat it throughout the day. Repeat it hundreds even thousands times. It works.
3) Inspiring literature
They say, all the great leaders are a good readers. But even if your desire is not to be a leader, you can become a good reader. Books are magic, especially, adding some inspiring or a self-help literature as a prescription to add to your confidence, would be a wise choice. What I find incredibly helpful, is reading couple of pages of something inspiring first thing in the morning. This always sets my day right and on a positive note. The same applies to evenings. Reading something inspiring before retiring to bed, can help you have a better night sleep, because you are feeding your mind with positive ideas, not worrying about what you have to deal with tomorrow.
4) Celebrating your little successes
It is always a great idea to celebrate your little successes, even the smallest ones. This will definitely boost your confidence. Even if it’s something like making a phone call you were afraid to make. When you do that, congratulate yourself for stepping out of your comfort zone. Acknowledge every little thing you do well. Praise yourself. Why not? Celebrating your little successes will increase your confidence.
5) Your appearance has a lot to do with your confidence
This is really important. Remember, when you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you can do whatever you want! Dress up for confidence. If you are a lady, put on a little make up. Visit a hairstylist and have your hair done. Looking good will definitely increase your confidence. And don’t forget to smile. Smiling does not only make you look beautiful, but it also shifts your frequency to a higher and positive vibration. Your happy internal state will be mirrored back to you by the outside world you perceive. Isn’t that wonderful?
Feel free to add to the list and share your ideas in the comments bellow. This will help other people, and can definitely create a seismic shift in the entire Universe. Remember, your positive vibration matters to us all.