It goes without saying that confidence is a virtue. However, despite it being one of our most valued attributes in both our personal and professional lives, it is a trait that is often hard to obtain. In fact, a recent study has found that “roughly 85% of people worldwide (adults and adolescents) have low self-esteem.”
However, there’s no denying that confidence can open doors. For example, it can ensure you excel in a job interview, meaning you’re able to take the next step in your career. It can also help you combat any mental health struggles you are dealing with.
As a result, it’s important that we are always on the lookout for ways in which we can make a real, positive change to our confidence levels. However, don’t wait for the new year to roll around to introduce these changes, as starting now means you can enjoy the benefits sooner, rather than later!
With that in mind, here are some simple ways to boost your confidence before 2023!
Photo by Thomas Mowe on Unsplash
Figure out what is harming your confidence in the first place.
In order to grow your confidence, it’s important that you consider the different factors that may be limiting your confidence and self-belief. For example, you may be internalizing the negative opinions of others, which causes you to think negatively about yourself. Alternatively, you may be putting too much pressure on yourself by holding yourself to exceptional standards – instead of realizing that we’re all human and it’s okay to make mistakes from time to time. To put it simply, figuring out what is stopping you from being confident will help you make positive changes.
Step away from toxic friends.
When it comes to building your confidence, it’s important that you spend time with people who uplift you as opposed to tearing you down. This is because the latter is a clear example of a toxic friendship – and an alarming 84% of women and 75% of men report having been in a toxic friendship at some point in their lives. As a result, pay attention to how you feel after spending time with certain friends. Do you come away feeling happy and content, or are you anxious, sad, and filled with self-doubt? If they do not invoke happiness within you, it may be a sign that this relationship should draw to a close.
Develop a skincare routine.
Our confidence levels are often tied to the way in which we feel about our physical appearance. While many different factors contribute to this, developing a skincare routine is a great way to ensure you feel confident in your own skin. After all, this means you can deal with any skin complaints you are facing, such as redness and itchy skin, while also restoring your natural, youthful glow. Furthermore, starting your new routine now means that you will notice the full benefits by the time the new year rolls around, as it sometimes takes a few weeks for them to kick in.
Practice self-care.
Making a conscious effort to indulge in self-care on a daily basis, as opposed to only doing these activities when life gets you down is another great way to enhance your confidence. This is because a consistent self-care routine encourages you to take good care of your mind and body, meaning you’re investing in yourself and your happiness. Consequently, you’ll find that confidence comes more naturally to you. Self-care also encourages you to ensure your needs and wants are met, which helps you to put yourself first and remove yourself from toxic or harmful situations.
Shake up your sense of style.
Our confidence is also tied to the way in which we present ourselves. As a result, if you’re looking to enhance your confidence in time for 2023, you may want to look into the ways in which you can improve your sense of style. For example, you could work to better understand which clothes suit your body type. However, it’s also important to remember that you should dress for yourself, not others. This means that you don’t have to follow ‘trends’ if you don’t love them, or wear clothes because other people are wearing them. Where clothes you love, you’ll soon begin to feel much more confident in your style.
Be your own biggest fan.
We’re often taught that it’s important to recognize where confidence ends and arrogance begins, and while this is useful advice, it’s crucial that you do not let this stop you from being your own biggest fan. When you begin to champion yourself, whether this relates to your personal or professional goals, you’ll find it much easier to take everything in your stride. After all, celebrating your successes will show you the many reasons why you should be confident moving forward. One way in which you can get better at being your own biggest fan is by rounding off each day by writing down some things you’ve done that you are proud of. This can relate back to bigger events, such as getting a promotion at work, but also smaller moments, such as giving a stranger directions. Either way, it’s a great way to challenge negativity and promote positivity.
Practise Positive Affirmations.
Our confidence increases when we begin to be kinder to ourselves. One way we can achieve this goal is by making positive affirmations part of our routine. For example, you should start each morning by standing in front of the mirror and repeating three or four things you love about yourself. This could relate to both physical and personal attributes, from your smile to your kindness. While this may seem difficult, to begin with, it’s a great way to reprogram your mind and ensure that you are kinder to yourself. Furthermore, “when you repeat them often and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.”
Get into exercise.
It goes without saying that exercise is good for both your physical and mental health. As a result, it’s no surprise that it can also be a great way to boost your confidence, especially as “exercise enhances our mood and puts our mind in a more positive state.” With that in mind, it’s time that you start making room in your schedule for exercise – even as little as thirty minutes a day can make a huge difference. Don’t worry if you’ve never been a big fan of exercise in the past, as there’s truly something out there for everyone to enjoy. For example, you don’t have to become a gym bunny to get fit, you simply need to focus on finding a fitness activity you enjoy.
Start saying ‘no’.
Sometimes, our confidence is depleted because we continue to put others before ourselves. This is particularly common amongst people-pleasers, who always find themselves saying yes when they’d rather say no. For example, you may find yourself agreeing to plans when you’d rather stay home and relax. As a result, you can begin to rebuild lost confidence by making a real, conscious effort to prioritize yourself by beginning to say ‘no’ from time to time. Remember, you don’t have to be available to those around you 24/7 in order for them to like you.
Remember that you can’t please everyone.
Low confidence and self-esteem are also caused by feeling as though those around us do not actually like us. After all, it’s within our nature to seek out appreciation from our peers. However, while it’s perfectly natural to feel disheartened when someone doesn’t like you, you must remember that it’s impossible to please everyone. And, the more time you put into trying to please everyone, the less you’ll spend trying to please yourself. Furthermore, other people’s perceptions of you often say more about them than they do about you!
Step outside of your comfort zone.
There are many ways in which you can begin to step outside your comfort zone. For example, you may go on a date after being single for some time, pick up a new hobby, or even ask for extra responsibility at work. No matter which path you choose to take, this can be a great way to boost your confidence while also adding more fun to your life. This is because it proves that you can do anything that you put your mind to, while also helping you develop a range of confidence-boosting skills.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
If you’ve encountered a situation that has knocked back your confidence, such as by missing a deadline at work or embarrassing yourself in front of friends, it’s important that you learn not to ‘sweat the small stuff’. That is, you should not agonize over small mistakes and let them control you moving forward. Instead, view them as either a learning opportunity or something you will look back on in the future and laugh. Doing so will enable you to move forward from events that trouble you, without having to let your confidence take a hit. As a result, you’ll feel more confident than ever!
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