Eight Steps to Boosting Your Self-Confidence Levels

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Self-confidence is something that most people struggle with from time to time. Even the most impressive and dominating people doubt themselves and worry. If you have ever looked up to someone who seems so sure of themselves and is confident in their actions, but wondered why you could not feel like that as well, than follow these eight steps to boost your self-confidence levels:

Act It

If at first you feel uncomfortable and shy in a situation, try to act like you are not. Your body language will show your emotions a great deal to those around you and if you look and act more confident, they will believe it. Hold you head up high, sit up straight, and try not to fidget too much. Offer a firm handshake and make eye contact with people. As others respond to your actions, it will make you feel more in control and relaxed.

Positive Thinking

Positive energy turns into positive outcomes, so banish the negative thoughts from your head. We can be so cruel to ourselves sometimes; telling ourselves we cannot do something or that we are not good enough. But you would not say that to a friend or colleague, so why would you say it to yourself? Smile and fill your life with happy and positive things. The next time you begin the negative self-talk, stop it immediately and focus on your positives and what you are good at.

Health And Exercise

Finding an exercise or sport that you are successful at can dramatically improve your self-confidence. Teamwork and socialising, combined with achieving and performing well, can really boost your mood and self-belief. Even if it is just a gym workout or morning run, at least you started the day off well and achieved something. Working towards a goal and focusing on an end result shows you the progress you are making and how far you have come. Regular workouts and exercise will also improve your health physically. When we feel healthier and fitter in ourselves our goals seem much easier to achieve.

Speak Strongly

A strong speaker will speak confidently in a steady tone. Whether speaking to strangers, colleagues, or a crowd, use an assertive and calm voice. Avoid ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ if you get stuck, as these will interrupt and disrupt the flow. Simply pause and refocus on what you are doing. People will take you much more seriously if you speak confidently and avoid nervous giggles and panicked expressions.

Dress To Impress

If there is an upcoming event that you are nervous about, take extra steps to make yourself feel as confident as possible. Whether it is a new dress from Minkpink for a date or an outfit for meeting your child’s new teachers. If you look your best, you will find it much easier to concentrate on other aspects. Dress appropriately and give yourself plenty of time to prepare yourself. While looks are not everything; people will respect and trust a well-presented individual much more than someone who looks like they have rushed to get there.

Push Yourself

There is no point looking and sounding confident if you do not stand for anything. Push yourself to try new things and expand your experiences. Take the first step and introduce yourself to people instead of standing in the corner. Again, even if you are feeling nervous, fake confidence until you feel it. Push yourself in other ways as well. Do not listen to the negative voice in your head telling you that you are not good enough for something. You will never know anything if you do not at least try.

Planning And Preparation

Whether you are nervous about a job interview or visiting somewhere new, plan and prepare beforehand. Make sure you know exactly where you are going and get as much information as possible. If you are prepared and know what is coming, you can avoid too many unpleasant surprises. It is better to over-prepare for things, but remember unexpected issues can always arrive not matter how much research you have done. Do not panic if they do, keep a level head, and think things through.

Try Again

If you do fail in something, do not let yourself get too down. Everyone sometimes fails in life, and if you are not struggling with things, then you are not trying hard enough. Take time to evaluate where you went wrong and either try again or try something different. You may not face rejection by standing still, but you will not achieve anything either. It is important not to let any self-doubt get in the way of what you want. Next time, simply try harder and keep going until you achieve what you want!

Andi Perullo de Ledesma

I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.

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