If there is one quality which a lot of people wish they could have, it is an increased sense of confidence. Take Blair Waldorf as an example. This upper eastside queen slays because she is so confident in herself. I'm surprised her picture is not next to the word in the dictionary. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always feel like the easiest thing to come by. Especially when your Instagram feed is all fitness promoters and "public figures," our idea of confidence is diminishing.
I like to think I have a fair amount of confidence but it is because I take care of myself mentally and physically. Simple daily rituals I do have helped me to take control of my confidence and feel I am ready to tackle anything life has to throw at me. Including my ability to go 80 in a 45... sorry, mom. These are my little mantras that work. In the spirit of new years resolutions, I encourage you to find your own mantras to help boost, well, you.
Look Your Best
Feeling confident in your appearance gives you a good basis to be confident in other areas of your life. Simply taking a few extra minutes grooming yourself and choosing an outfit can make all the difference. I’ve really grown accustomed to my two-thirds rule. If there are other areas of your life that you don’t feel confident in such as your weight or hair loss, find out more info on how you can influence these things. Once you feel like a hottie wit a body, it is time to move onto stage two.
Think Positive
This is where the internal process comes into play. Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones is a major challenge for many people, but this is going to be your key kicker for confidence. Be aware of the thoughts that you are having, and aim to be a realistic optimist rather than a relentless pessimist. Most people have a voice in their head which stops them from doing things, stresses them out and berates them when they get things wrong, so you need to aim to recognize this and control it.
Be Kind and Generous
People would naturally assume that becoming more confidence only involves focusing on themselves, but if you take some steps to make other people’s lives better, this can really make a big difference to your own self-image. Helping others helps you to feel like you are a good person. Even something as small as a little note of appreciation, or a genuine comment on a Facebook photo can lift someone’s mood and your own.
Practice Your Hobbies
The only way that you can become good at anything is through practice, so if you feel that you aren’t good at something, rather than shying away from it, you should take steps to improve yourself. Do not let your hobbies get away from you. Everyone should have their own “thing” that makes them happy. Mine is writing and reading. I sit down and write in a journal or read part of my book for at minimum 20 minutes a day. Others indulge in a bath every morning or do yoga in the evening.
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Most people tend to spend their lives firmly inside their comfort zones, so rather than staying wedged inside yours, take steps to put yourself in situations that scare you. I went waterfall repelling last summer. I am terrified of heights. I don’t even like it when my boyfriend picks me up, let alone scaling a 180-foot waterfall. This is the only way that you can hope to grow and develop as a person. You are likely to find that the more you do this, the more rewards start to come your way.
Set Small Goals and Achieve Them
Many people have big goals, but they don’t set themselves smaller goals which are more measurable and achievable. If you don’t break your goals down, they can easily feel overwhelming and you will never reach them. However, if you go step by step towards them, they will feel much easier and you will get a sense of achievement from ticking each one off the list.
Find your calling and run with it, because at the end of the day all you have is your own happiness.
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