10 ways to boost your confidence

Do you wake up every day feeling accomplished, confident and great about yourself? Or do you find yourself doubting your abilities? If so, you aren’t alone, many of us can struggle with low confidence at points of our lives.

Self-confident people are usually comfortable in their own skin, they believe in their abilities, feel secure with who they are and are able to confidently go after what they want.

If you’ve ever struggled with low confidence below are 10 ways you can instantly inject more confidence into your routine.

1. Set Goals Setting goals gives you direction and purpose. Not having a purpose can cause you to feel lost and drifting through life without feeling like you have anything to look forward to. When you are clear on your intentions and make a plan to take steps towards achieving them you automatically move into a space of meaning and feel motivated to take action which can boost your confidence and sense of self. What goal would you like to achieve within the next 3 months?

2. Prepare Whatever your goal is, learn everything you need to know to assist you with your progress. If you want to be more successful in your career, maybe you can invest your time in learning relevant skills or industry news to enhance your knowledge, if you are delivering a presentation maybe you can practise going over it a few times around close friends or family who can give you feedback, if you are planning on running a marathon maybe you can dedicate time to running everyday up until the marathon date to help you prepare. When you feel prepared and have the required knowledge it can help your self-confidence to soar.

3. Surround yourself with positive people Spending a lot of your time around people who are miserable, grumpy or negative can dampen your spirit. When you make a conscious effort to spend more time around people who are positive, who look on the brighter side of life and are supportive it rubs off on you too, helping you to view life with an optimistic lens. Make a list of hobbies or topics that you are interested in and research local classes or meetups that are available so you can invest your time into being around like-minded people.

4. Dress to impress If you don’t feel like you are looking your best, give yourself a mini makeover. Go the extra mile by styling your hair, giving yourself a clean shave or dressing in clothes that are flattering. When you look the part, you feel better about yourself too and this shines outwards. Maybe you can buy yourself a new outfit, book yourself in for a haircut or pamper yourself at home all of which are ways to help you feel good from the inside out.

5. Adjust your body language How often do you walk around with slouched shoulders or avoiding eye contact? When you adjust your body language you automatically shift your state. Pulling back your shoulders, making eye contact with others and smiling at strangers not only makes you feel better it also allows others to feel more comfortable around you, putting your best foot forward not only projects a more confident you it also makes you feel more empowered.

6. Avoid comparing yourself to others You are the only one who has your body, mind and soul. The dreams you own are uniquely yours and there are special qualities which only reside in you, if you spend your time comparing yourself to everyone else you may find it difficult to focus on your individual strengths. Instead of focusing on what you ‘aren’t’ shift your focus to what you are. Write a list of 10 things you love about yourself, what do others compliment you on? Keep this list to hand and read it daily to re-affirm them to yourself so you can make your special-ness grow!

7. Write down your achievements Write a list of everything that you have ever accomplished no matter how small. So often many of us can forget to acknowledge ourselves for all of the things we have achieved. Whether it was having the courage to step outside of your comfort zone, passing a test, successfully learning a new skill or committing to taking action to better yourself, whatever it is give yourself a pat on the back and celebrate all of the wonderful things you have achieved. Keep the list somewhere you can see it and in any moments of self-doubt review your list and remind yourself that you’re more capable than you may think!

8. Declutter It has been scientifically proven that a cluttered and disorganised environment can restrict your ability to focus and limits your brains ability to process information, not only does it muddle your thoughts but it can also impact your mood. Choosing to surround yourself with beautiful objects, calm and cleanliness can boost your level of self-appreciation and leave you with a clear mind!

9. Be gentle with yourself Sometimes we can take life too seriously and may forget to stop, take a break and lighten up. If you have been working like there’s no tomorrow remember to take some time for you. Set some time aside to prepare healthy nutritious meals to boost your energy, to exercise so you can loosen any cramped muscles, to spend quality time with loved ones, to treat yourself to a spa day or even have a duvet day watching movies. When you set aside time to replenish your energy you’re able to show up as the best version of yourself for others too.

10. Be thankful How often do you stop to thank and appreciate all of the great people or things in your life? Keeping a gratitude journal near your bed or as a notes folder on your phone and writing down 5 things you are grateful for each day instantly boosts your mood and directs your mind to all of the great experiences you DO have in your life! You could also take your thankfulness a step further by thanking others. Maybe you could call someone or send them a note to acknowledge them for their good deed, generosity or kindness? Sharing the love may inject some positivity into their lives too!

Confidence is a mind-set and just like any other skill with a bit of practise it can be mastered, by applying the above to your daily routine, you give yourself a head start.