Being confident: the best strategy to boost your self confidence

Self confidence can be improved, or even learnt. It’s a skill that takes practice, and there are a few strategies that if followed will definitely boost your self confidence. You have to keep in mind though, as with anything that takes practice, consistency is key. Remind yourself of these strategies daily to keep to it. You will most certainly experience a difference in your self confidence, eventually others around you will also notice the change in energy. 

Here are 7 best strategies that will help you boost your self confidence:

#1. Believe in yourself

This is the first step towards developing your self-confidence.  Multiple studies link self-awareness and self-evaluation to higher levels of self-confidence. Know, accept and trust your skills and abilities, strengths and weaknesses and believe your capabilities are limitless so you can leap beyond boundaries. I do acknowledge that this is easier said than done, most especially if you are just starting out on this journey of boosting self confidence. It might seem counterintuitive to tell you to believe in yourself when you are quite literally trying to do that by building your self confidence.

But, hear me out; 

A.

No one knows what you are thinking in your head but yourself. That right there, is your power. People only perceive what you let out. This is probably a good time to say ‘fake it till you make it’. 

No, literally, fake it till you make it. When it comes to dealing with people, act like you are the most confident badass in the room, and that is exactly how you will be treated. There’s an old saying that goes; ‘you teach people how you want to be treated’. I love that saying because it emphasizes the fact that it starts with you. It really does. Tested and proven. 

B.

  You fake believing in yourself will start to rewire your subconscious to start making you feel like you truly are the baddest ever lived. I mean you are. You are just not tapping into it right now because you don’t believe it. But once you start to believe in yourself, all of that energy starts oozing out of you. Not only will others believe it because you are playing the part, you also start to believe it. It gets to a point you forget you’re playing a part.

It just becomes you, being able to walk into a room and command attention. People listen to you when you speak, because you do have something important to say. All the things that come with self confidence will quite literally be happening to you. A great way to remind yourself daily how absolutely awesome you are is affirmation. Talk about hard rewiring of your brain. Daily affirmations can transform your life. Here are 100 morning affirmations you can start doing today to switch up your life. 

#2. Enhance your skill sets

The most powerful tool in your arsenal is your skillset. Sharpen and polish up your skills and knowledge through regular practice, and ample training sets you apart from your peers and makes you feel good about yourself. Gaining a competitive edge over your peers builds your confidence. 

A lot of times, lack of self confidence comes from lack of a skillset. A skillset you are probably working on, maybe a subject in school or a project at work. The best way to combat that is to work on yourself and build your craft. Really hone into your craft, work on it daily if need be. As we have established earlier, self confidence comes from you believing in yourself. So if proving to yourself that you are good in this said skillset is what you need to do for you to show up confident, then do that. Practice in private alone, or with friends. 

And remember, people only see what you let out, so act the part.

#3. Grooming to boost self confidence

Creating an outward positive impression makes one feel good about themselves. Your outfit speaks volumes about your level of confidence. Emphasis on personal hygiene, dress code can elevate your mood, emotions, and feelings, boosting confidence. When you dress well, you feel and perform better.

Dress up to look good, the better you feel about yourself and how you look, the better you present yourself. Wear what you’re most comfortable in, not what you think others might like. Do not get sucked into that lifestyle of trying to please others. All you need is to dress up in outfits you love and are comfortable in. It makes you feel good and that energy is undeniable. Again, how you feel about yourself is what gives off that self confidence aura.

#4. Maximize the number of daily social interactions

We often experience some form of rigidity and nervousness while trying to converse with others, especially on heated topics. Attending more social gatherings and talking to larger and unfamiliar crowds helps us numb this desire to retreat. Soon one will overcome the fear of interaction thus becoming more confident.

If you find yourself struggling to communicate with people, or pss your point across. Practice, practice, practice. Self confidence is a skillset that needs practice. Start with your friends, make sure you speak out during conversations and let your point be made and heard.

Then you can graduate to small crowds of people you find yourself in. join the discussion, make your points. Once you start to understand that people hear you and care about what you have to say, it becomes a lot easier to interact with people. Speak confidently, make sure you are heard, and don’t be afraid of being wrong. I guarantee you that 70 percent of people are not completely sure of what they say all the time. Speak up, say what you need to so they hear you clearly and loudly. 

Usually when you speak this way in a crowd. People are so convinced you know exactly what you’re saying, because you sound like you do. No one even thinks to second guess your statements. Again tested and proven by me. Although it does help to truly know about the topic, which is why if it’s work or school related, really learn about it. If it’s just regular banter, better get in there and speak up.

#5. Practice self-talks to improve confidence.

Talking to oneself can tremendously improve self confidence. The words we use every day profoundly shape our interactions and relationships, which simultaneously affect our lives positively or negatively. Talking to the self can develop one’s self-confidence. Self talk ranges from the little thoughts we have about ourselves or our capabilities through the day. Another aspect can be literally speaking out loud to yourself. Which everyone you find yourself doing, just make sure it's positive self talk.

Through the day, make sure the thoughts in your head are all positive. A good way to implement that is by speaking positively about yourself, that can easily be done through daily positive affirmations.  This will slowly help change the kind of thoughts you have about yourself through the day. Even if it is just in your head, it makes a huge difference. Remember self confidence is all about what you believe. Speak to yourself daily, you can use these 100 morning affirmations to improve your self thought.

If by any chance you catch yourself about to say a negative statement about yourself, you stop yourself, and i don't care if you've started the sentence, cut it out right now. For actually speaking negatively  out loud, don’t even think about it, I'm coming for you. Do not make dumb jokes about yourself in a crowd to get passed what you perceive as an awkward moment, do not. Once you start making jokes, you give people the liberty to repeat those words back to you. Don’t even start it.

The truth is, talking to oneself is the most natural yet undervalued skill we can use to build our confidence. Positive self-talk generates positive benefits. 

#6. Take care of your body

Practicing self-care is an effective and proven strategy for being confident. Some of the most common self-care practices include:

Diet:  Eating healthy foods at the right time nourishes your body and makes you feel healthy, energized, and stronger, which naturally makes you feel more confident.

Skincare: Get your skincare routine in through the day. Consider this the chill needed self-care break through the chaos of the day. I like to do my skincare routine early in the morning as i mentally prepare for the day. I usually do it while I say my affirmations in the morning. After a long day at night. I make sure to end the night with my skincare routine. A needed pamper me routine, plus it makes my skin glow and make me feel better about myself. If you don’t have a skincare routine, here is The ultimate guide for beginners!

Exercise: Numerous studies show that physically active people have higher levels of self-confidence.

Sleep: Good quality sleep is linked to positive physical, emotional and mental health, such as self-confidence and optimism

Meditating: Engaging in relaxation practices helps one help me get in tune with my body and inner self. It also clears negative self-talk and helps one disconnect from stress and anxiety, which interferes with self-confidence.

You can actually keep track of all these on our annual undated planner. It allows you to plan a better life for you. You get to plan your meals, workouts, sleep pattern, new habits, daily todos, and finances to mention a few. The good thing about planning is that it not only ensures you stick to your plan, it helps you keep track of your progress and see visible progress written down. You can check out the undated annual planner here.

#7. Be kind to yourself

Being confident requires practicing self-compassion even on days that we fail and make mistakes. Expressing self-compassion helps us become more emotionally flexible and handle challenging emotions while maintaining a positive self-image. Research links the ability to connect to ourselves compassionately to self-confidence.

Treat yourself exactly how you would a best friend. If your best friend was in the situation you are in right at this moment, what would you say to them. Say that to yourself, be as kind to yourself as you would to others.