How to Improve Your Self-Confidence

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Self-confidence is about trusting yourself and acknowledging your own value and worth.  Confident people aren’t afraid of failure because their trust in themselves is implicit, whatever happens in the moment, they trust in their ability to bounce back.  Self-confidence comes from within – it’s not conditional on what other people are doing – confident people do their own thing and make no apologies for it!

More than this, a confident attitude has a significant impact on your ability to succeed, with confident people earning more and getting promoted quicker, according to a recent survey at the University of Melbourne.

Being confident is advantageous in so many ways. So what can you do to improve your self-confidence?

* Ask yourself “What is the worst that can happen?”

It’s easy to get wrapped up in what could go wrong – but if you can face the worst case scenario, then you can face everything in between.  You’ve got this!

* Get to know what motivates and boosts you.  It may be a piece of music, for example, that energises you before a big meeting or an interview.  Find YOUR thing!

* Don’t be afraid to try new things.  Fear and avoidance go hand in hand and, in fact, avoidance simply exacerbates anxiety.  Breaking out of your comfort zone and pushing yourself to expand your horizons allows you to see what you’re really capable of and what you can really achieve.  Chances are it will be a lot more than you thought.

* Use positive affirmations to reinforce confidence and motivate yourself.

* Focus on the things you CAN change about yourself and your life experiences – set yourself up for success, not failure.

* Don’t compare yourself to others. You have a unique skill-set and a unique mind.  You’re not in competition with others – forget what others are doing, this is only about you.

* Listen to your inner voice and reinforce the positives.  You can either be your own worst critic or your best supporter, the choice is yours.

* Do some exercise. Regular exercise improves energy levels and releases endorphins, feel-good chemicals that put you in a more positive frame of mind.   And feeling fitter and healthier often has positive knock on effects for your appearance too, which can be a great confidence boost.

* Acknowledge that your past doesn’t dictate your present or your future.  Only you have the ability to change things. If you keep doing the same things, you’ll keep getting the same life.  Make the change and commit to it!

* Become your own best friend – how would you support and encourage your friends?  Show yourself the same respect and consideration.

* Surround yourself with supportive friends, people who can be cheerleaders for your success.

* Reframe ‘failure’ - mistakes are simply apprenticeships to achievement.

* Don’t strive for perfection – it doesn’t exist.  Do your best - it really IS good enough.

You are enough … and don’t let yourself forget it.

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