We have all been there. When your name was called for an interview for a big opportunity you always dreamed of. But then you felt that adrenaline rush, your hands and palms started to sweat and you started to doubt yourself despite being well prepared. These are some of the signs of low confidence
In fact, 60% of people have doubts about their capabilities and competency, which leads to low confidence. However, knowing how to build that confidence can make all the difference.
Fortunately, boosting your self-confidence is possible in more ways than one.
The Best Methods to Boost Self-Confidence
Here are some of the best tips to boost self-confidence. These tips work great, whether you feel low in one aspect or overall confidence. Remember, following all of these tips is not necessary. So try out a few that interest you and see which ones work best.
Let’s begin!
Don’t Compare Yourself!
We all compare ourselves to the people around us. It is human nature to do so, but it may not help boost your confidence at all. On the contrary, it will backfire!
It is as simple as that: when we compare ourselves to others, we might envy what they have. This further lowers our confidence. In fact, research on self-esteem and envy from 2018 shows that our self-esteem drops when we compare ourselves to others, and the more envious we feel, the worse it becomes.
At this point, we must remind ourselves that everyone has their own path and that life is not a competition. So try to focus on your strengths and success rather than comparing your life to others.
Try the Quick-Fix Method
There are a few quick-fix methods that will give you an immediate confidence boost in the short term. These can be quite helpful if you stumble upon a difficult task.
Here are a few which you can try:
- The first thing you can do is to imagine your success before beginning any tough task.
- The second quick fix you can try is to think of a time when you did something courageous or of all the things you have achieved.
- And lastly, you can try listening to music with deep bass, as it has been found to promote feelings of power.
The idea is to find the easiest means you can use each time you need a confidence boost. So try out these and see which one suits you.
Face the Fears to Boost Self-Confidence
Fear is the root of low self-confidence. But did you know that your fear can be used to boost your self-confidence by facing it head-on?
A little self-doubt can also help boost confidence. For example, you really want to join a yoga class, but you are afraid that you will look silly or mess up the poses in front of everyone. Or you might be interested in someone but hesitate to tell them how you feel. Here, your self-doubts and fears are completely normal, but getting over those fears will boost your self-confidence.
If this is the case, overcome the fear by joining the yoga class or sharing your feelings even if you think you will mess up or embarrass yourself. Of course, it is easier said than done. But these small victories can surely help. You can take this as a form of exposure therapy in which the more you face your fears and doubts, the more you become familiar and confident with them.
And with each brave step forward, you will see that confidence grow.
Self-talk Can Be a Real Deal
How would you encourage a nervous friend in a situation? You would probably be saying something like, “Hey Mark! Stay calm and keep moving. You can rock it!”
Now turn those words inward and say the same thing yourself.
Using this self-talk technique has been proven to be a powerful way to boost self-confidence in any situation. It works when we consciously choose to believe in our abilities and reinforce positive self-belief. A study even found that people who talked positively to themselves had higher levels of self-confidence over time.
Now that we know that self-talk can be a great tool for boosting your self-confidence, let’s learn some ways to use it. One method is to write down or practice some affirmations and use them in a way that you would do to encourage your friend.
Another method is to say these affirmations aloud and see what you feel. For example, try saying, “I can handle whatever comes my way.” Try such phrases a few times and see what works best for you.
Power Posing
While not known to many, power posing is a science of its own. A social psychologist at Harvard Business School, Professor Amy Cuddly, shared in her famous TED talk about the concept of “power poses.”
According to the concept, when we shift our bodies to a more alert position, it helps raise testosterone levels and lower the cortisol level in the body. This makes us feel less stressed and more confident.
To practice, Professor Cuddly also recommended adopting a power pose for at least two minutes to help boost self-confidence.
Her best power pose, called “the Wonder Woman,” involves standing akimbo, that is, with hands on your hips and elbows pointing to the left or right. Or you can try to sit; put your feet on the desk or the table, cross your hands behind your head and have your elbows wide. This pose might be familiar to everyone, as it is commonly used in movies and can be called “the Wall Street.”
Set Small But Achievable Goals
Many times, people usually make the mistake of shooting for the moon and when they fail, they feel discouraged. This unrealistic approach has been found to really shatter confidence.
But let me tell you, there is a very simple way to overcome this. Try to split your main goal into smaller achievements and reach those small goals.
For example, if you want to lose weight, don’t just decide to run a marathon in one day. Instead, try running for one mile a day. When you meet that goal and are proud of your growth, set a new goal of two miles, and so on.
It is a great way to give yourself a confidence boost. It also makes you ready for bigger wins in the future.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
It is very easy to get lost in your circle of self-doubt, especially when many people around you are critics and enjoy tearing other people down.
And if you ever feel this way, you always have the choice of choosing your own company. Stay away from such negative people, as they suck out energy and confidence.
Instead, try spending some time with the people who lift you up and believe in you. They can be your friends, family, or colleagues who make you feel valuable and capable.
Being around such a positive and helpful company can give you a huge boost in confidence and also improve your mental health. So choose people who feed you with good thoughts and confidence.
Dress Yourself
This seems like an obvious one, but it’s amazing how much difference a good outfit can make to your confidence level. This phenomenon is studied scientifically and is known as “enclothed cognition”.
Psychologists have found that the clothes we wear can change how we feel, act, and work. This means that dressing in a way that makes us feel good about ourselves can actually make us smarter and boost our self-confidence.
It also makes sense if you think about it. When you put the effort into a look you feel great in, it will make you happy and help build confidence in yourself.
It doesn’t mean to spend thousands of dollars to look good. Just spend a few minutes on your attire to look your best, whether it’s your favorite shirt, a perfect business suit, or anything else you feel comfortable with.
When you look fresh and more put-together, you will look more confident to others and to yourself as well.
Practice Self-care
It’s hard to feel confident when you are not nourishing your body as it should be. But when you prioritize your health, you will know how much you can do. Here are some of the best self-care ways to boost self-confidence:
Exercise
Exercise can surely have a very positive effect on the body. Research has found that daily exercise can help people maintain a better body image and, hence, boost their confidence levels.
And doing this is not hard. All you have to do is take a walk a few times a week and you will eventually see the difference.
Meditate
Meditation is not only a relaxation practice; it is also one of the methods to boost self-confidence. Researchers have found that regular meditation can actually increase gray matter in the brain that deals with self-control and emotions. This can make you more emotionally strong and confident.
It also teaches you to stop thinking lowly of yourself and tune out the negative thoughts that are making you doubt your own confidence.
So meditate; start with a short session of a minute or two. Then gradually add more time, reaching up 10-15 minutes daily.
Sleep
It might sound unusual, but getting enough sleep is as important as anything to boost your self-confidence.
In fact, a study has shown that not getting enough sleep can cause anxiety, which can make people who are already having confidence issues feel even worse.
So, to boost your confidence and feel good about yourself, remember to put your sleep first. It’s the easiest way to increase your self-confidence – most importantly, it’s free and fun!
Summing It Up
Building and maintaining confidence can be hard sometimes. But remember, it is a constant journey that requires patience and effort. While you may encounter moments of self-doubt, the best is to take small baby steps by following these tips above, and you are already halfway there.
So, whenever you feel like your adrenaline is rushing at a high pace, use that rush in a positive way and perform at your best.
And if you are interested in reading more about personal growth and finding peace in your life, we suggest reading our next blog post, “Finding Peace with Where You Are in Your Life“.
References
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[2] Vrabel, Jennifer K., et al. “Self-esteem and envy: Is state self-esteem instability associated with the benign and malicious forms of envy?” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 123, Mar. 2018, pp. 100–04. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.11.001.
[3] Hsu, Dennis Y., et al. “The Music of Power.” Social Psychological and Personality Science, vol. 6, no. 1, Aug. 2014, pp. 75–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550614542345.
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[7] “Your body language may shape who you are.” https://www.ted.com, www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are?subtitle=e. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024
[8] Höpfner, Jessica, and Nina Keith. “Goal Missed, Self Hit: Goal-Setting, Goal-Failure, and Their Affective, Motivational, and Behavioral Consequences.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, Sept. 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704790.
[9] “Positive relationships boost self-esteem, and vice versa.” ScienceDaily, 19 Sept. 2019, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190926092416.html.
[10] Adam, Hajo, and Adam D. Galinsky. “Enclothed cognition.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 48, no. 4, July 2012, pp. 918–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008
[11] Sani, Seyed Hojjat Zamani, et al. “Physical activity and self-esteem: testing direct and indirect relationships associated with psychological and physical mechanisms.” Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, vol. Volume 12, Oct. 2016, pp. 2617–25. https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s116811.
[12] Hölzel, Britta K., et al. “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.” Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging, vol. 191, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006. [13]. “Sleep and mental health.” Harvard Health, 17 Aug. 2021, www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health.
[13] “Sleep and mental health.” Harvard Health, 17 Aug. 2021, www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health.
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