Adding an extra spark to your life is easier than you think
There are many ways to give your self-confidence a boost. Some are more difficult than others, and some can cost you a lot of time and even a lot of money.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were some simple steps you could take to get more out of yourself and more out of your life? The good news is – there is!
It doesn’t take a great deal of effort, but you will need to dedicate your energy to the most important part of building up your self-confidence – that’s You.
You could read a long list of self-help books and do all kinds of workshops on increasing your confidence and self-esteem, but without a commitment to yourself, it just won’t work.and
Before you think this is a huge mountain to climb, remember that it is all about small steps. Little things that you do and say to yourself will make all the difference.
The 5 basics in boosting self-confidence
There are many theories about how to best build your confidence, but these five key factors are the ones that will do the best work and the ‘heavy lifting ‘ for your self-esteem.
The things to concentrate on the most are;
- Self Image (and what you feel about yourself and who you are)
- Thoughts and self-talk
- Motivation (and commitment to self-improvement)
- Well-being (including exercise, what you eat and how well you sleep)
- Achievements
There are other important factors that can affect your mood and your whole frame of mind, such as quality of sleep. The point is that sleep is part of your well-being, and any problems you have with sleeping will probably diminish once you look after and out for yourself better.
There is no particular order in which you should approach each of these key factors. They all go hand in hand if you give it some thought. Without motivation and commitment, you won’t be able to boost your self-confidence as strongly or for the longer term.
An important thing to remember is that just because you may miss a day or take a misstep at some point, that doesn’t mean you should give up. It’s similar to undertaking a diet of no sweets for a month and then having a chocolate bar on Week 2, but then thinking that you should just eat a bowl of ice cream and cakes from then on because you slipped up that one time.
Stay with the commitment to help yourself gain confidence and celebrate the little wins along the way. It can be a fun thing to do rather than an onerous or exhausting challenge.
Looking after yourself
Self-confidence is a belief in yourself. We all have it, but some of us talk ourselves down rather than boost our self-esteem. That doesn’t mean going all out in the opposite direction and being self-absorbed and overconfident. Such behaviour often only masks a feeling of inadequacy or insecurity. It can be a self-defence mechanism that some use to protect their ego. You can avoid this with realistic goals and self-talk.
To feel better about yourself, you need to… feel better in your own skin.
A basic component of this is to keep yourself active, and this is where exercise and goal setting can do wonders. If you are constantly sitting around and wasting your time when you know there are things that you would love to do, then make a small change and see the difference it can make.
As an example, you may want to get fitter and meet new people. These go together more closely than you might realise. By simply going for a walk each day, you will help your body with increased blood flow and endorphins and also clear your mind in the process. The more you do it on a regular basis, the longer you can walk, or you may start to jog part of the way. As a bonus, you might see others out and about, taking a stroll or walking their dog, and suddenly, you have an opportunity to say Hello to someone new.
Exchanging simple pleasantries such as a morning or evening greeting can get you to come out of your shell and stop hiding from the world.
With the increase in your fitness, you might see the chance to try a new sport and join a club. Don’t try to jump in too fast unless you feel comfortable. You want to go out of your comfort zone but not with too big a leap in case you are not emotionally ready.
What you say and think matters
It may help to write down what you hear yourself say to yourself, especially if you are too hard on yourself for making simple human mistakes. Looking at those words can give you a new perspective and help you to change the voice in your head to one that is more supportive.
Examining your own self-image can be beneficial. Who do you think you are at the moment, and what do you want to be? You may consider yourself shy, awkward and tongue-tied when you want to be more open, self-assured and social.
By trying something small like chatting briefly to a neighbour or the person serving you a coffee, you can build up your confidence in a controlled way. You could say to yourself that I will pause before I speak, stand straight and look people in the eye more often. That signals to others that you are not as awkward as you may think you are and gives them a chance to approach you more openly.
Then you can go into something more surprising to yourself and change your self-image.
A new you in a whole new way
Some people can take more drastic steps to boost their confidence.
This is when a new hairstyle, hair colour or new wardrobe can bring out another side of their personality.
It’s one of the reasons that is making changes, as with coloured contact lenses so popular. Suddenly a brown-eyed person can be wearing blue contacts or vice versa.
There are also the chances to go a little ‘out there ‘ with different party looks, such as bold and striking looks that come with Halloween contacts and the freakiness of full sclera lenses.
You don’t have to be a Cosplay devotee to enjoy dressing up as somebody or something else.
It certainly can be an opportunity to ‘dive in the deep end ‘ with a new look and prove to yourself that you are more than meets the eye.
Whatever you choose to do to boost your confidence, remember to be kind to yourself along the way. Only you are the best person at being the real you.