In a world, that is increasingly too fast-paced and competitive to allow genuine, deep and lasting relationships and self-care. It really should not come as a shock that low self-confidence has become a pandemic. Over 80% of the world’s population is said to suffer from low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence.
The world cannot continue to run well on individuals who have no confidence to be leaders and to stand up for what is right.
The good news is that there are not “confident people” and “un-confident people”. As though it were a genetic trait you are stuck with. If you, like the majority of people in the world, struggle with a lack of self-confidence, know that you don’t have to struggle with it forever. You can achieve healthy self-confidence.
In this post, I will explain the importance of self-confidence and provide practical tips on how to develop self-confidence. And also positive attitude so that you can begin moving forward toward a more confident and effective you.
Let’s Clarify
It is important to understand what is meant by “self-confidence” and how to develop self-confidence.
Unfortunately, many assume that self-confidence is just arrogance or narcissism. For many suffering from low self-worth and confidence, this thought pattern can actually be a part of what holds them back from trying to change their outlook on themselves. They do not want to be “arrogant” and so don’t pursue a better view of themselves.
However, there is healthy self-confidence that is neither arrogant nor narcissistic, and it is vitally important for individuals to develop.
How to Develop Self-Confidence
If you are wondering: how can I be confident in myself? You can be encouraged and know that it IS possible. It will take a little time. But be patient with yourself and after a while, you will start noticing a difference.
If you are ready for a more confident you, try following the self-confidence tips listed here:
- Change your thought patterns: Your battle for building self-confidence is won or lost in the mind. Negative thoughts, such as “I can’t do this,” “I’m just going to fail again”. “I don’t have anything valuable to say” tear down your confidence and prevent you from even trying. To change your negative thoughts into positive ones, first, start identifying with them. And calling out negative thoughts as soon as they occur. Second, replace the negative thought. Change the “I’ll never be able to do this” to “If I work really hard. I think I can do this”. When you think about something you can’t do or something you don’t like about yourself, change it by thinking about something you can do or something about your personality that is positive.
- Create a gratitude list. One of the best ways to start changing your mindset (self-confidence) is by focusing on the good things that you do have in your life, instead of all of the seemingly bad or lacking things. Each day, spend time writing down good things that happened to you, things that you have that you are thankful for, and things that you did or felt that day that you can feel good about. Big or small, write them down.
- Take care of yourself. How we treat our bodies translates into how we think about ourselves. Taking a shower each day, brushing your teeth, combing and fixing your hair, wearing nice clothes that fit you well. And being able to take pride in your appearance will all contribute to making you feel better and more confident about yourself. Self-care is looking after yourself, telling yourself that you are worth the time and attention. You feel confident about how you look.
- Give yourself permission to make mistakes. If you strive for perfection, you will easily fail. And/or keep yourself from even setting goals or trying new things. If your expectation is perfection, then you could easily think “Why even try – I won’t be able to do it right”. Or “Why do I always screw up.”No one is perfect. The most successful individuals in our world made huge mistakes on their journey to success. Failure, when handled with the right attitude, can actually be responsible for future success. So set reasonable, small goals for yourself that you can achieve one at a time, but then be ok when you make a mistake or something doesn’t go right. Instead of beating yourself up about a mistake, focus on how you can change your approach next time.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. With things like social media, we often only see the best and greatest successes of our friends. And we often have a “grass is always greener” approach when looking at everyone else. This can make you feel like a failure or like you’re not doing things right. But this is not true, as every single person has ups and downs and struggles. But what other people are doing or not doing is irrelevant. Focus on YOUR goals, what matters to YOU. If you don’t know what these are, spend some time pondering it and writing your thoughts down. If you try to strive for those goals and be satisfied with what you have decided matters most.
Next Steps
If you feel like you may need help retraining your thoughts and learning how to develop self-confidence while speaking or just in general, consider seeking professional assistance.
Learn more of how to overcome stress and anxiety to build your self-esteem: https://formindssake.com/2018/05/29/help-for-low-self-esteem/
Andrea Smith is a Qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Cognitive Behaviour Therapist with a Masters in Psychology. To discuss your situation and learn about her unique process, book your free consultation with her now to develop self-confidence! https://formindssake.com/contact/
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