A feeling of trust in your abilities, qualities, and judgment?
Research suggests that confidence is important to health andpsychological well-being.
As cheesy as it sounds, you do have to believe in yourself!
Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images
Fortunately, there are several ways you’re able to increase your self-confidence.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Do you compare how you look to people you follow on Instagram?
Or maybe you compare your salary to what your friend earns.Social comparison theoryexplains that making comparisons is natural.
But it isn’t likely to help boost your self-confidence.
It may even have the opposite effect.
And the more envy they have, the worse they feel about themselves.
How do you build self-confidence when you notice that you are drawing comparisons?
First, remind yourself that doing so isnt helpful.
Everyone is running their own race and life isnt a competition.
Keep agratitude journalto better recall the areas in life where you are blessed.
This can help you focus on your own life versus focusing on the lives of others.
“Social media is especially nefarious in this way,” says Owens.
“It is a system practically designed to foster comparison.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Take a moment and think about how your friends make you feel.
Do they lift you up, or do they bring you down?
Are they constantly judging you, or do they accept you for who you are?
So, pay attention to how others make you feel.
Instead, surround yourself with people who love you and want the best for you.
Seek out others who are positive and can help build your confidence.
Self-confidence and a positive attitude go hand-in-hand.
double-check you are getting what you should probably feel good about yourself and your abilities.
“Taking care of your body doesn’t just mean looking good,” explains Owens.
Do your best to navigate these experiences with compassion toward yourself.
Then find a way to turn those thoughts around into morepositive self-talk.
One of the best ways to build your confidence in these situations is byfacing your fears head-on.
Practice facing some of your fears that stem from a lack of self-confidence.
If youre afraid youll embarrass yourself or think that youre going to mess up, try anyway.
A little self-doubt can even help improve performance.Tell yourself its just an experiment and see what happens.
You might learn that being a little anxious or making a few mistakes isnt as bad as you thought.
And each time you move forward, you gain more confidence in yourself.
In the end, this can help prevent you from taking risks that will result in major negative consequences.
Consider this a kind of exposure therapy - even a little progress is still progress!”
Do Things You’re Good At
What happens when you do things that you are good at?
Your self-confidence starts to soar.
Your strengths become even stronger, which helps improve your belief in yourself.
Taking this approach also has another benefit: it can increase how satisfied you are with your life.
Then, work to make them stronger by engaging with them regularly.
Building on your strengths can also help you build your self-confidence.
Saying no to activities that tend to zap your self-confidence is okay.
At the same time, there’s nothing wrong withknowing your boundariesand sticking to them.
Setting social and emotional boundaries enables you to feel safer psychologically.
It can also help you feel more in control.
The next time someone suggests doing something that you know will lower your self-confidence, respectfully decline.
You don’t have to avoid that activity forever either.
Set Realistic Goals
Pursuing your goalsoften involves failing several times until you figure out what works.
This can make you wonder if you have what it takes to succeed.
It can also leave you questioning how to be more confident while still achieving your dreams.
The answer lies in setting realistic goals.
And the more you achieve your goals, the greater your confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Toset realistic goals, write down what you want to achieve.
Next, ask yourself what chance you have of attaining it.
(Be honest!)
If the answer is slim to none, the goal may be a bit too lofty.
Dial it back so it is more realistic and more achievable.
This may require doing a bit of research on your part.
Click below to listen now.
Confidence vs.
Here are just some of the differences between the two.
Keep in Mind
Everyone struggles with confidence issues at one time or another.
Fortunately, there are several things that you’ve got the option to do to boost self-confidence.
In many cases, learning how toactconfident can actually help youfeelmore confident.
Sometimes low self-confidence is a sign of a mental health condition such asdepressionoranxiety.
One way to develop self-confidence in a relationship is to recognize your worth.
When you know the value you bring to others, it helps you feel more confident in yourself.
It can also be helpful to stay in the present and not worry about the past or the future.
Just as you might not be for them, they might also not be for youit’s nothing personal.
If you do make a mistake, admit it, learn from it, and move on.
No one is perfect, so you shouldn’t expect yourself to be either.
If your self-confidence is tied to your physical appearance, developing a more positive body image can help.
Another tip for how to become more confident is to not compare your body to anyone else’s.
No two bodies are the same and each has its own strengths.
Remember that there is room in this world for people of all shapes and sizes.
Perry P.Concept analysis: Confidence/self-confidence.Nurs Forum.
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doi:10.12968/bjon.2018.27.21.1246
Duke University Personal Assistance Service.Self-care tips for the body & soul.
Results from a large community-based sample.IntJ Behav Med.
2013;22(2):221-232. doi:10.1177/1069072713493761
University of South Florida Counseling Center.What is self-confidence?
2021;12:704790. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704790
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is healthy weight loss?
2018;5(2):2055102918799963. doi:10.1177/2055102918799963
