10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Self-Confidence

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

I read an article once that stated men are more likely than women to apply for a senior role when they are only 60% qualified, and women are more likely to only apply for that same role when they are 100% qualified. The funniest part of that whole scenario is the man will probably get the role. Why? Because he is self-confident, he has faith in himself and therefore everyone else does too.

Where does our lack of Self-confidence come from?

• Childhood
• Our parents
• Society
• All of the above ✅

We come into this world with no fear, no knowledge of judgment, no idea of what’s about to come – and we’re cool with it.

• When we fail, we try again
• When we fall over, we get back up
• We accept ourselves and we’re not ashamed

The unfortunate thing is that as we grow, that freedom starts to fade and everyone else’s fears, insecurities and expectations begin to clog up our minds. Before you know it:

• We’re afraid to try, because we may fail
• If we fall over, people will laugh
• We want to fit in, not be ourselves

The self-confidence we once had is gone. The confidence we now have is fuelled by what others think of us.

How do we gain back control?

Let’s start with 10 Easy Steps:

1. Change your Inner Monologue

That negative self talk is the most damaging thing to our self-confidence and the worst thing is – it’s all in our head! Here are 3 ways to change that voice and start gaining back control:

• Say 5 nice things to yourself everyday in the mirror. If you have to repeat it, repeat it.
• At the end of every day, think of 3 things that went well.
• When you catch yourself thinking negatively, squash that thought and flip it to something positive

2. Acknowledge your Weaknesses

They’re there, we all have them and it’s fine – because no one is perfect and we know this. Acknowledge your weaknesses, have a laugh at them, work around them, work on them but do not let them define you.

Pull out a journal and reflect on them, break down the fears that you have around your weaknesses.

3. Embrace your Strengths

I once heard in an interview an applicant was asked “what is a positive aspect of teamwork?” their answer: “diversity, because everyone brings different strengths to the team”. No truer word was said.

We all have them, they’re not all the same and that’s the best part. Acknowledge and embrace your strengths – What are they? How can you use your strengths? How can you make them better? What can you achieve with them? This is another journal moment for sure.

4. Be Kind to Others

Have you ever helped someone put something in their car when they were struggling? Or you see someone’s not having a great time, so you say something that makes them smile? Can you remember how that made you feel?

Helping other people or being kind to them, makes you feel so good! And the benefits last well beyond the act itself – for both parties. It gets you out of your head, it helps you connect with other people and it boosts your confidence.

5. Ignore your Perception of What Others Think

“What other people think of me is none of my business” – Gary Oldman

We could all watch the same movie – some of us will like it, some of us won’t and some of us will be pretty neutral about it. The movie hasn’t changed, people just have different tastes and it is impossible for the movie to please everyone. It is impossible for us to please everyone – So just be the best person you can be and don’t worry about what other people think.

6. Challenge your Negative Thoughts of Others

I was waiting outside the barber once for my kids to finish up. As I stood there I caught myself judging the people walking past, two in particular grabbed my attention – person number one was wearing makeup a tad too light for her complexion, while person number two was just wearing makeup up and hiking boots. Their actions had absolutely nothing to do with me and yet I felt I had a right to judge them… I didn’t though, and here’s why:

My negative opinion had nothing to do with them and everything to do with how I was feeling about myself.

When you start thinking negatively about others, honestly question where that’s coming from. It will help you understand your own insecurities, so you can challenge them.

7. Learn a New Skill

Have you ever heard the saying: “A jack of all trades is a master of none” – It has a very negative connotation but did you know that the full quote is actually: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”. It’s actually a compliment.

You don’t need to be perfect at everything you do but learning new skills and developing yourself is a great achievement that helps build your confidence. You also never know where it may lead you.

8. Embrace Failure

Did you know that success and failure often go hand-in-hand and success is usually a result of past failures? By embracing failure, you’re accepting yourself and your situation as a part of life. You know it’s not a measure of your self-worth.

Failure is nothing to be afraid of, and it’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of – When we fail, an opportunity to learn is presented and it’s up to us to either take that opportunity or not – take the opportunity.

9. Stay Active

Exercise lowers the body’s stress hormones, which helps combat emotional stress. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins which elevate your mood and make you feel optimistic and relaxed.

You don’t need to go to the gym everyday. A little bit of walking and yoga can help. If you don’t know where to start, check out my posts on these below:

How To Guide: Youthful Yoga For Working Mothers

How To Guide: Easy Exercise For Working Mothers

10. Adopt a Growth Mindset

“If you are not moving forward, you are moving backward” – Mikhail Gorbachev

Mindset is important. Some of the benefits of a growth mindset include:

• Ability to embrace failure as a learning opportunity
• Feel more comfortable receiving feedback
• Feel more positive
• Improved self-esteem and self-confidence
• Improved resilience

Constantly push yourself to be better, even when things are going well. Do more, achieve more, embrace change and be open to new ideas.

By tweaking our inner monologue, laughing at our weaknesses, and acknowledging our strengths, we’re flipping the script on confidence. Acts of kindness? They’re like our secret weapons, boosting not only our spirits but creating this awesome ripple effect of good vibes.

Let’s ditch the worry about what others think – it’s none of our business, right? Instead, let’s challenge those negative thoughts, learn new things, and high-five failure like it’s just another step on our journey to awesomeness.

Getting active, whether it’s a casual stroll or a bit of yoga, becomes our daily power-up. And that growth mindset? It’s our super serum, helping us turn setbacks into setups for success.

As we wrap up, remember, this isn’t a one-time fix. It’s an ongoing adventure. So, gear up, be your own master, and let the world see the confident person you’ve always been meant to be!

So, there you have it – 10 simple yet powerful steps to reclaim that lost self-confidence and embrace the awesome person you truly are. It’s like our own origin story, where we battle the villains of self-doubt and societal expectations.

Ready to prioritize self-care and make ‘me time’ a non-negotiable? Subscribe now for exclusive content, tips, and inspiration to help you reclaim moments for yourself. Your well-being deserves it – let’s start this journey together!

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