One thing that I’m sure everyone has struggled with in life is confidence. Whether that is being worried you don’t look good, or won’t perform well in a sport or in theater. Here are 10 tips on how to start becoming more confident in yourself.
1. Everyone struggles with it.
Everyone at one point has struggled with confidence. Whether it is with how they look, how they do in school, what they know, etc. Everyone has been in a place where their confidence was low. It is important to remember that you are not alone. If you feel comfortable enough, talk with a loved one or someone you trust if you’re struggling.
2. Wear what you want.
This might be obvious, but wearing something that makes you feel bad about yourself can lower your self-esteem and confidence right away. If you try to fit into what is “trending” or what all of your friends wear, but you don’t feel comfortable in it, there’s no reason put yourself through that. It’s normal to want to follow the trends or if all of your friends are wearing short black dresses, it makes you feel like you have to wear one. However, in the long run if you feel uncomfortable, then it is not worth trying to “fit in” So wear what makes you feel happy and good about yourself. Don’t be afraid to express your personality through your outfit, and don’t hold back! By feeling good in what you’re wearing can increase your confidence!
3. Smile.
No one wants to see or talk to someone who isn’t smiling or looking happy. Sure you might have had a bad day, but it doesn’t work out well in your favor if you take it out on other people. Smiling allows people to be more comfortable around you and if you force yourself to smile, it boosts your happiness. You look prettiest when you are smiling. So get rid of that frown and even if it’s a half, fake smile, that’s still pretty dang good. Fake it til you make it works a lot of the time.
4. Be positive and kind.
This kind of goes along with the smile thing. People want to be around other positive and kind people. It’s just a fact. A bad mood can spread more quickly compared to a good one, so make sure what you are giving off is positive and kind vibe. Kindness can go a long way and doing something kind for others without expecting anything in return can be super rewarding. You will always makes feel so much better about yourself if you do something for someone else that makes someone happy. Knowing that you are making a difference in someone’s life, no matter how big, is such a great thing.
5. Know your strengths and weaknesses.
Focus and use your strengths. If your strengths are organization and writing, then use those to your advantage in your everyday life. Improve your weaknesses. If one of your weaknesses is being late, then force yourself to stick to a schedule and be on time. By knowing and understanding your strengths and weaknesses, you are better able to understand yourself as a person and that will increase your confidence.
6. Accept Compliments
Let’s be honest, when someone gives you a compliment, it can be hard to not say “oh no that’s not true”, and you put down the compliment with a negative tone. DON’T DO IT. It can make the other person feel awkward and you feel even worse about yourself. Accept the compliment gracefully and with gratitude. And THEN realize it’s true. Most often, compliments are genuine and they really do admire your hair, or your shoes, etc. So understand that they mean it and accept that what they’re saying is something they think is true, so you should think it’s true also.
7. Rest, eat, move.
When your body feels physically good, your mind feels good. Mental health is very important, but you can’t forget about physical health as well. Get enough sleep at night, eat the right foods that make you feel good (and don’t let someone tell you what you can or can’t eat, it’s your body) and get active. Whether it is taking a walk, bike ride, run, working out, etc. just get active and get your body moving.
8. Drop people who bring you down.
Negative and toxic people will bring you down. The hard part about this is accepting it. Accepting that a certain person in your life is not adding a positive value and is in fact hurting you. If they are constantly negative, rude to others (or even you), or not a fun person to be around, you need to think about whether or not they are worth it to keep in your life. This in not only in a physical sense, but also online. If you’re on Instagram, for example, and you’re still following that one girl from high school who was rude to you, it’s time to unfollow. Once the toxic people are out of your life you will feel so much better about yourself and your choices. You shouldn’t have to stand people who make you feel stressed or who always try to put you down. Removing them from your life has can make you feel happier and more relaxed.
9. Embrace your interests.
Doesn’t it feel good to do things you are actually interested in and love? Fully embrace things, no matter what people say about it. If you are so happy doing what you love and what you’re interested in, it can help you boost your confidence and put yourself out there. It will make life more fun and allow you to have more choices and opportunities. Everyone has different interests and hobbies, and you don’t have to do everything your friends do. So if what you love is a little out there, as long as you love it there shouldn’t be a problem.
10. Take care of yourself.
Preach self-care! It is incredibly important to take care of your mind and body, and to also take time to yourself to do things you love and be happy. Appreciate yourself and who you are, and most importantly, love yourself. There is only 1 of you in the entire world, so embrace that. Take some time to yourself each day, even if it’s just for 5 minutes.
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