7 Small Ideas to Reclaim Confidence in Big Ways
7 Small Ideas to Reclaim Confidence in Big Ways
Children are absolutely fearless. If you ever doubt this fact, then spend some time on a playground, and you’ll see exactly what’s meant by this statement. They jump into play, enlisting the help of perfect strangers for companionship and to meet their goals. They climb and run and jump, frequently with unbridled enthusiasm that adults come to envy.
We’re actually born with confidence. Sadly, this becomes lost through experience. All it takes is a nasty trip and fall to teach a child to approach life with more care. As we grow older, the process continues. We lose confidence with every failure and start taking to heart every harsh criticism. Soon we become so immobilized we see no way out.
The good news? Confidence can be fixed just by making several small changes in your life. Read on to find out how.
Honor Small Achievements
If you’re feeling like you never do anything right, making a list of the things you do well, and the accomplishments you’ve made is a great place to start. Enlist the help of someone who knows you well, as they’re apt to think of the things you might be too close to see. Once you have your list, keep it handy and re-read it when you feel confidence flagging.
Pull Yourself Together
A lack of confidence can make you want to hide in your own clothes. Rather than losing yourself in baggy, unattractive clothing, pull out the outfits you know you look good in. You’ll find yourself feeling more confident every time you look in the mirror.
Clean Up Your Act
Like dressing well, just taking better care of yourself does wonders for confidence. Eat right, exercise, and be sure to get enough sleep. You’ll feel worlds better, meaning your outlook likewise improves.
Check the Self Talk
Speaking of outlook, what have you been telling yourself? If you’re hyper-critical, it’s no wonder your confidence is flagging. Instead, turn your inner dialogue positive, focusing on the things you like best about yourself.
Challenge Yourself in Small Ways
A little success goes a long way toward improving confidence. Give yourself a task to do you know you can complete then set about doing it. Just the feeling you get when you finish is enough to give you a positive boost.
Finish Something
We all have unfinished projects around the house or at work. Digging in and finishing up something you’ve needed to for a while will serve a twofold purpose: you’ll feel good about getting something done, and you’ll even reduce some of the stress hanging over you. Both things increase confidence in giant ways.
Be Nice
Doing a kindness always boosts your own mood. This leads to increased confidence as you realize you really can make a difference in someone else’s life.
Because confidence comes from acting, use this list as a jumping-off point. Soon you’ll be discovering a multitude of ways to increase confidence. How exciting is that?
