Photo by George Bohunicky on Unsplash
Building unshakeable self-confidence to create your ideal life is what we all strive to achieve. However, it can sometimes be challenging, especially after experiencing hardships and taking time to piece yourself back together again. It’s a daily practice to show up and be confident in yourself by taking action to achieve the results you want. Here are some easy and practical ways you can boost your self-confidence.
1. Do the Power Pose!
The Power Pose by Amy Cuddy is a simple stance similar to that of a superhuman—stand up tall, back straight, hands on your hips, and legs hips-wide apart. It might seem silly to do out of nowhere (especially in a public space), but don’t let it fool you! The pose itself is proven to be highly effective in building self-confidence before high anxiety situations such as an interview or a presentation. Watch Amy’s TedTalk for more tips!
2. Wear Your Power Colour
Did you know that wearing your power colour can increase your self-confidence? Because when you look good, you feel good. Just like how you dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Think of it as a form of self-love and an expression of who you are when you wear a colour that you glow in. What’s your power colour? Find out by doing a fun quiz here. Psychologists reveal that the colours you wear will showcase your unique personality. You will feel stronger, more empowered and energized.
3. Use Visualization to Create the Life You Want
Visualization is a powerful tool because you train your mind to believe that you have succeeded in a specific situation. Visualize the life you want and the person you aspire to be, and it will manifest in itself. By truly believing in your visions and proactively working towards them, you can turn them into reality! Moreover, you can even create a vision board of your life goals to support your visualizations. Display it in a space where you can be reminded of it daily.
4. Write Out a List of Accomplishments
Write out a list of accomplishments you’re proud of in your career and throughout your life. Include significant and small achievements and make a weekly accomplishment list by asking yourself, “What did I learn today?” Think about your successes and your ‘failures,’ which are significant lessons to learn from. Refer back to your lists whenever you feel down and need a reminder of the challenges and hardships you’ve overcome to get to where you are today.
5. Repeat Positive Affirmations
Repeating positive statements is an effective practice that helps you become more aware of any self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. This not only enables you to put things into perspective but brings you in a constant state of gratitude. Some fun ideas include:
posting your affirmations on your mirror to read every morning and night while brushing your teeth
record yourself repeating affirmations and listening to them daily
listening to Affirmation Pod while doing yoga
6. Take Risks to Expand Your Comfort Zone
Despite the fear and possibility of failure, confidence comes from being brave enough to try. It’s a skill you can build over time by taking risks outside of your comfort zone. For example, apply for EF tours and possibly travel the world! Or you can apply for the job you think you’re underqualified for but go in with the mindset of, “Why not me?” Taking action towards what you want and deserve no matter the outcome is how you become exposed to experiences that shape you into a better version of yourself.
7. Practice Self-Compassion
You might have been doing a lot of self-work over the years and feel that your progress is too little or slow for your own expectations. You might find it difficult to forgive yourself for a mistake you made at work. Shift your mindset to be more compassionate with yourself by toning down your inner critic and practicing positive self-affirmations. Celebrate all the progress you’ve made and take ownership of your mistakes while you reflect on areas of improvement. Speak kindly to yourself and give yourself grace.
Self-confidence can be learned over time by practicing the above tools and reframing your mindset. It is not something you start with, and it requires effort and consistency. Ask yourself: what’s one small action I can do today to boost my self-confidence?
Originally published at TalentEgg.