[AD] This post contains gifted content. Please see the disclaimer for more information.
Are you always on the lookout for new ways to boost your confidence? I spent an evening hunting for the best pieces of advice from the web so you don’t have to! And what’s more? A lot of these are also beneficial to any ongoing recovery efforts! Who knew that gaining confidence could be so good for our mental health?
What does it mean to be confident?
Before I could even comprehend the fact that I, me, could be confident, I needed to find out what exactly it was. It’s not a concept I’m exactly overly familiar with, so I tried to make it as simple to understand as possible.
In short, confidence is feeling sure of yourself and your abilities. It’s not about being arrogant, but rather realistic.
Seems simple, right? In reality confidence is a very difficult thing to master. You can be here for over ninety years and never experience confidence. Which, if you think about it, sounds like a pretty unfulfilled life. So why not take the time to change that? Below are ten simple yet effective ways to help boost your confidence.
10 Ways to Boost your Confidence.
Take time to get to know yourself.
As humans, we’re comfortable in places or around people that are familiar. With that in mind, if you don’t take the time to get to know yourself, then how can you expect to be comfortable? You’ve probably never thought of it that way, have you?
What are your values? Are you aware of your own strengths and talents? Have you a defined purpose in life? Or are you just passing through, enjoying things as they come? While you don’t need to have a clear, set-in-stone list of these things, it’s good to have a rough idea.
Stop caring about other people’s opinions.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again.
“Their opinions DON’T pay your bills, honey. “
While we might hear this all the time, it’s easier said than done. So much of our self-worth is based on the opinion of others. But it’s not our fault. Rather, it’s how we’ve been brought up by the world, and generations of people doing the exact same thing. The only way to combat this is to practice the art of “not giving a f**k “.
Spend time doing the things you enjoy.
I spent years running from the creative person I know I am. There were years when I didn’t write anything or sketch. Eventually, I even avoided video games. I did nothing that brought me joy. And then I burnt out. My confidence was at an all-time low and it took years to find the person that I should have been all along.
Spend time wisely. Sit down with your sketchbook or IPad and push past perfectionism. Write until your fingers are sore. If you enjoy running, then use the good weather to your advantage. Too often we get bogged down by the ‘must-do’s of life and we don’t take time to enjoy the things we love.
Accept who you are.
Self-confidence starts with self-acceptance. The sooner we learn to accept who we are, the more our confidence can grow. Much like getting to know ourselves, we need to accept ourselves so we can become comfortable in our own skin. With that comfort, comes confidence!
Do you struggle with self-esteem? Check out this post to learn about different ways you can improve it.
Celebrate all your accomplishments, no matter how small.
Too often we can get caught up in the big accomplishments. Graduating, getting a job, buying a house, getting married, having a baby, or even starting your own business. While all these things are wonderful, they aren’t the be and end-all. You can and should take the time to celebrate your small accomplishments too. Like that time you got out of bed when you really didn’t want to. Or walking to a cafe when you could easily have eaten crisps for lunch. We accomplish so many small things every day that we simply let them pass.
Practice self-care daily!
One of the biggest things we need to unlearn in life is the hussle. We’re constantly being told to go, go, go towards the next goal. I lived with this mentality for years and it did nothing but bring me closer to burnout. Eventually, my body broke down completely, and my mind quickly followed. But now, after years of recovery, I’ve learned the importance of self-care. And not just once in a blue moon; Every damn day!
Challenge yourself and take action.
Life is nice inside our comfort zone. We’re comfortable in spaces, places, and situations where we feel familiar. Living with a chronic illness teaches us that while life is easier in our comfort zones, it’s often stunted. It’s important to challenge ourselves from time to time.
One of the most daunting things we can do is meet new people. Especially having spent the majority of the last twelve months social distancing. But, the internet has made it easier than ever to keep in touch while staying at a safe distance. Whether you’re hanging out with friends on Facebook or signing up to Tik Tok, there are so many ways to get yourself out there. That goes double for dating! With various niche dating sites for things like amputee dating and over 50’s, COVID-19 needn’t get in the way of your love life.
Be more self-aware.
When it comes to being more self-aware, it’s about listening to and understanding yourself. Why do you want to boost your confidence? What attempts have you made in the past, and what works? The more self-aware we are, the better equipped we are to deal with ourselves and others. We’re able to recognise our own flaws and mistakes and work on them. And by default we’re able to grow in the confidence we feel towards ourselves.
Embrace your emotions.
I spent a long time running from my emotions which ultimately led me down a dark path. It wasn’t until I entered recovery that I took the time to not only explore my emotions but understand them. The more we push down and ignore what we’re feeling, the less confident we feel. There is always the fear that the mask will slip. That the you that you present to the world will eventually make themselves known. But if we embrace what we feel and who we are on a daily basis, then the fear disappears. Why? Because the mask is no longer there. You’re not hiding anything from anyone, and isn’t that a much better thought than the former?
Be yourself 100% of the time!
We grow up being told to just be ourselves while also being encouraged to stand in line. Shut up, look like everyone else, and don’t express your thoughts or opinions. And, for goodness sake, don’t draw attention to yourself! We were fed mixed messages at best. But as I approach my thirties I’m no longer hiding behind ‘everyone else.‘ I’m a massive introvert which isn’t helped by my fear of standing out. But I am different from others around me. I think differently, feel differently, have different opinions and ambitions. Life would be boring if we were all exactly the same, so embrace who you are! Whether you’re in your early twenties or hitting fifty, never be afraid to show your true, authentic self. No matter how weird that might be.
What other ways have you tried to boost your confidence? Have you any top-secret methods, or are you still finding your way?
Very good post! We will be inking to this grat content on our website.Keep up the
great writing!
these are great tips. self care is so important
I love this! I am all about sharing positive posts that help people lead a better life. I completely agree with 100% being yourself.
I love this! I myself struggle with confidence but I’m trying to get better with it and accept the parts of me that make me doubt myself and my beauty and self-worth. You touched on a lot of key points, which. I think serves as a great reminder of who we can be and truly are.
Those are some great points to keep in mind and thanks for sharing them with us. Don’t let other people’s opinions affect you.
Good points. Positive thinking, practice, training, knowledge and talking to other people are all useful ways to help improve or boost your confidence levels.
I love this so much ❤ I think during lockdown & my first year of uni, I have become a lot more confident within myself. So many amazing ideas you have, it is so important to be yourself and not be scared of what others think. xx
Stop caring about other people’s opinions. This is the only way for us to be truly confident. I agree with other points too.
These are good tips for helping boost confidence. I have never let what other people think about me bother me.
My absolute favorite piece of advice in this post is “Stop caring about other peoples opinions.” Yes, it’s a hard thing to learn, but it is so worth working on. I learned that not caring what other people think is one of the most freeing feelings.
I will still have moments where I worry about other peoples opinions, but then I just stop and ask myself, “does their opinion REALLY matter to me?
“
I’ll keep coming back to this post because I have a lot of days when I feel like I need a boost in self-confidence.
I love this post! Being confident is all about finding yourself and learning to accept who you are – and it’s so important to learn to not care what others think of you in order to grow x
I jump back and forth when it comes to confidence… this definitely gives me something to think about.
I had some episodes of low self confidence especially during that time that I quit my corporate job. Working from home is a blessing, but it also can cause you to forget taking care of your self. Thank you for these tips. I will try to do these everyday.
I totally agree with all these points! Success is all about making progress. So yes, be proud of all your accomplishments!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
I write about these articles, I read about these articles because I like helping others as much as making my soul reflect more. Very beautifull!
I love the part where you write about embracing your emotion, I think that’s so super important to get to know your own emotions before they swallow you 🙁
“Their opinions DON’T pay your bills, honey. “ That’s the word, sis!
Love all these points! I think getting to know myself over the last year and a bit (especially through coaching) has done wonders for my confidence! I still have down days but I’m so much more sure of myself than I have been in a long time x
I think each of these 10 points offers so much truth and represents solid building blocks to ensure an individual can achieve self-confidence without being arrogant or big-headed. These are great tips and places to start to build your self-esteem if you are feeling down.
Love these tips, they’re so simple but something we need reminding to do!
Corinne x
I’m a huge fan of #2. Honestly, the older I get, the less I really care what others think about me as long as I’m doing my part.
I love these tips. I think all of use can stand to boost our self-confidence.
This is such a great article. Believing in yourself and having self-confidence is the first step in changing your life. So many people struggle with this and there are ways and people to inspire and help you along the way. Good read.
My confidence level has plummeted over the last few years. I’m working on it and always appreciate the tips!
These are some great ideas on how to help boost your confidence! I especially like #7, challenge yourself and take action. Getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things has definitely improved my confidence.
When I was younger self-confidence was such a struggle. It took me many years to get to a point where I felt good about who I am. Although I feel pretty good about myself now, I do have days where my self-confidence takes a hit. These tips are perfect for those days. Thank you for sharing them!!
This is such a wonderful post. I’ve come to it late in life but now I’m ALL about celebrating my achievements. They’re mine and I shouldn’t expect anyone else to shout about them. Love all your tips, especially no. 2, that’s spot on! x
Hi Nyxie,
Some excellent tips there, thank you.
In particular, I’m a big believer in 2. “Stop caring about other people’s opinions”. I remember at school one of my teachers saying “If an opinion comes from somebody who you know, and whose input you value, then take it into consideration. If it comes from somebody whose input you don’t value then don’t give it a second’s thought – it is, literally, valueless.” Fortunately I was paying attention at school that day! 😉
Lovely tips as they are all accessible and feel like something I could actually do. Thanks for sharing!