We all have different confidence levels. Therefore, How To Be More Confident can be different for everyone. Confidence can be affected by things that have happened in your past. The way that you view the world. How your parents have brought you up. The list is endless. For some of us, a lack of confidence can sometimes overwhelm us.
Although I have lots of confidence, I am only human. I have had my fair share of bad experiences in the past:) Note I put a happy smilie after that. When your confidence is rocked you can always find it again. I am very aware that confidence can disappear, and it can be crippling if you have had bad experiences. Learn to live with these experiences and to put them behind you. Thinking in a different way, can help you on your journey. Here are some tips and tricks on How To Be More Confident.
Start To Manage Your Thoughts
Every time I have a negative thought, that can affect my confidence, I filter it out. It takes practice, but it can be done.
I have hundreds of different thoughts throughout the day. They are all fighting for my attention. I love the positive thoughts and I listen to them and act on them. For any negative thoughts I have I literally stop them in their tracks. I imagine physically pushing them out of my head and then they are gone. I do not need to listen to negative thoughts, that are only there to affect me in a negative way. And neither do you!
Meditate For A Few Minutes – If you do not do so already start meditating a few minutes each day. You do not need to be trained in this and you can do it anywhere. Sit calmly, close your eyes and relax. Ignore any thoughts that come into your mind that our distracting or negative. Bat them away with an imaginary cricket bat. If you don’t like Cricket, you can use a Tennis racket 🙂
You will find that when you are completely relaxed you may have some great ideas. Confidence can grow from such a practice. You will find that even when you are walking down the street you can hit those negative thoughts away. If you need more ideas to get rid of stress and organise your thoughts. Check out this article!
Eat Food That Boosts Your Confidence
Year after year, research shows that what we eat can directly affect our bodies and our minds. Making sure that you are eating a diet that is nutritious is so important to maintaining good health.
When are body feels healthy inside this is projected outside. Are you confident with what you eat and how it is affecting your body? It is best to aim to eat as much healthy food as you can. Here are some great tips from Kritka Manchanda from Let’s Expresso on foods that can boost your confidence.
How Do You Eat Your Food? You also need to make sure that the diet you are eating is balanced. That you are eating at roughly the same time every day. If you skip meals and start eating erratically, you can become demotivated and feel less confident. Breakfast for instance is missed by many people, but is one of the most important meals of the day. It gives us our energy to get started and take on the day ahead!
Of course it is always great to eat a scrummy pizza with your favourite toppings, every now and then. My absolute favourite is Tuna with Sweetcorn and Garlic! But if you can aim for only one or two “naughty” days a week, this will be better for your body and mind. You can then be more confident with your food choices and not feel guilty. This way your confidence will remain high every week!
Take On New Challenges
Challenge yourself to do something that you have never done before. Of course it is going to be scary, as it is not in your comfort zone. It is something that is going to be alien and unusual for you.
Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.”
– Thomas Carlyle
The quote above is so true! Make sure that what you decide to do, is something you would like to do, if you had more confidence. Get ready and go for it and be more confident!
As soon as you have accomplished this, do not rest on your laurels. Repeat the process for another thing you have always wanted to do but have lacked the confidence to try. By repeating the process your confidence will automatically grow. Take the plunge!
Also, think about talents that you already have and work on improving these areas even further. This will be easier for you. If you focus on your weak spots, this can knock your confidence and make you feel more stressed. As time goes by, you will feel more confident after accomplishing each challenge. You can then start tackling your weaker areas.
Be More Confident in Your Relationship
In the “honeymoon” period, at the beginning of a relationship, everything is great 🙂 This article in Scientific America from Gary W. Lewandowski, Jr., the associate professor of psychology at Monmouth University, discusses the physiological changes that take place in the brain, during the honeymoon period. It also shows how they can change over time in a relationship.
As time goes on, it is very important that both people in the relationship can adapt. There must be a conscious effort to maintain balance and respect. If these are missing, there will always be a niggling doubt that something is not 100% right. Your confidence will suffer. You will start questioning your own decisions and even the relationship itself.
Assess Your Relationship
If you are in a happy relationship and you are fully confident that everything is fine, you are surely on to a winner! But remember not to become too complacent. Miscommunication is one of the main reasons for a relationship breakdown.
If you are having problems and you are not feeling confident, act before it is too late. Think about why you cannot speak to your Partner about the problems that you have together. Be honest with yourself, is it you or them – or maybe it is both of you!
The whole point of being in a relationship is to have a companion and to share each other’s company. To be there for each other both mentally and physically. If the relationship is not fun and you feel you are banging your head on the proverbial brick wall, then you need to act.
Make steps to address the problems. Talk to each other openly and get to the bottom of what the problems are. This is a good base to work from. Try and do this together. But if you feel you need professional help, seek it out.
As soon as you start communicating with each other, you will find that your confidence in the relationship will be ignited again. You will also have the confidence to make the correct decisions in the relationship going forward. Both of you will start giving each other the right level of respect and the balance can be restored.
New Hobbies & Interests
Some people are nervous about meeting people and talking with them on a one-to-one basis. If this is you, joining a group of like-minded people can be a great idea. You will immediately have something to talk about. This avoids any awkward silences. It is also a great way to make new friends and gain the confidence to make more friends.
Starting a hobby that is completely different to your work can help you relax. It can also boost your confidence. Especially if it is a hobby that you are good at, such as dancing, golf, painting. The list is endless and is down to your own personal taste.
I enjoy walking. It is completely free, and I can do it by myself or with family/friends. My hobby is to find natural items like pine cones and shells and decorate my home with them.
Physical Activity & Sport To Be More Confident
Any physical activity can help you to de-stress. It can boost the happy hormone, Serotonin. It can also help you improve your body confidence and this in turn can be great for your confidence overall.
This interesting article by Andrew Hamilton at Peak Performance, gives some great insight into Sports Psychology and Confidence in Sport.
Be More Confident – Do Not Give Up
The key to be more confident is to keep going and do not give up! Making little baby steps forward are best. Taking one big step forward and then three steps back, because it did not work out, will not help you.
Also remember that is completely fine to be yourself. We see every day in the magazines and on the television the ideal you! This is not true. Be yourself. Embrace who you are. Nobody in this world is perfect. Have the confidence to be yourself 🙂
Let me know how it goes in the Comments section.
I always love to hear about positive changes 🙂
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Sally Leslie is a motivational coach and optimist. She helps freelancers and entrepreneurs create balance in their lives and work towards their personal and professional goals. Sally is also a B2B freelance writer for entrepreneurs, SMEs, and startups. A lover of plants, freedom, and football!
