Tips & Strategies for Building Confidence

For some people, confidence can be a difficult thing to achieve. While some have an unshakable sense of self-belief, others struggle with low self-esteem.. 

Psychotherapist Amy Morin believes that the way we view ourselves is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.  If we believe that we are not valuable and destined to never achieve greatness, our actions and behaviors throughout our lives are likely to reflex the same.

However, if we believe in ourselves more, the way we live our life is more likely to lead us to happiness and success. Here are 5 Tips and strategies to follow for building confidence:

1) Acknowledge Your Negative Self-Image

When we are lacking in confidence it is often because we think we are weak, unintelligent, unattractive, or deficient in some other way. So, if we are seeking to improve our self-belief, we must first come face to face with our perceived shortcomings. Sit down and write out your strengths and weaknesses. Put these down on paper so you have a visual representation. It is important to search your soul and be as honest as you can.

If you are lacking in self belief there will likely be more weaknesses on your list than strengths. This does not mean you are weak, this is merely a representation of your feelings. Use this list to examine what you perceive as weaknesses. 

Are they actually important to your life and success? If they are, what can you do to improve on them or change your own view? You may find that you will be able to cross some of those weaknesses out or even make them into strengths.

2) Embrace Your Positives

Psychiatrist Neel Burton M.D. suggests that by embracing our positive qualities and achievements, we can shift our overall outlook in a more positive direction. It’s important to remember that we are all unique individuals and should not compare ourselves to others. Instead, we should focus on our own accomplishments and potential, and strive to achieve our goals through hard work and perseverance.

3) Work on Your Physical Health

When we don’t eat well and neglect exercise, it can be detrimental to our self-confidence as we feel unwell and weak. This not only leads to weight gain but also limits our belief in ourselves. However, if we make a conscious effort to improve our diet, exercise routine and get in shape, we can regain our self-confidence in no time. 

4) Set Yourself Goals

According to Psychology Today when people have goals to guide them, they are happier and more likely to achieve success. When we achieve goals, we get a feeling of having succeeded which actually boosts our mood and self-belief.

It is important to remember when it comes to goals that we must make them achievable. This is not to say we do not try something monumental but rather we should break that goal into smaller steps. A key to motivation is continued success so small goals toward an ultimate achievement will help grow your confidence.

5) Speak Well of Yourself

Who likes a bragger? Not many people really. They often see people who constantly speak well of themselves as arrogant and egotistical. It is different, however, if you talk positively about yourself to you. There is no shame in being proud of yourself. 

Say positive things to yourself, affirm how well you are progressing and where you can go from here. There’s no need to brag to others, the person whose opinion of you that matters most is yourself.

It’s important to remember that confidence and self-belief are not fixed traits and can be improved with effort and practice.

“To grow yourself, you must know yourself.” -John Maxwell