Have you ever met a woman who just radiates confidence? The kind of person who walks into a room and seems to own it, not because she’s the loudest, but because she has this quiet assurance about her.
That’s the power of true confidence. Many people mistake aggression or brashness for confidence, but the truth is, it’s simply about knowing your worth and moving through life with a sense of self-assuredness.
Confidence might seem like an elusive goal, but really, it’s just a matter of having the right mindset that will show in the way you behave.
In fact, confident women often share a set of common behaviors that are both inspiring and incredibly empowering. Let’s check them out and see what we can learn from them!
1) She embraces failure
Reflect on your life right now. The mistakes you’ve made, the errors you’ve committed – they happened on their own. While reading this, some past failures might have crossed your mind.
If you’re going to be a confident woman, it’s crucial to accept that failures are not under your control. They’re a part of your growth.
It’s essential to let go of the illusion of perfection that comes from believing your successes define your worth. They don’t.
You know what does? Your resilience. And it’s most potent when it manifests without conscious effort. When you bounce back instinctively.
I know that the fear of failure isn’t easy to overcome, so maybe it might help to give yourself a pep talk. Start by asking yourself these questions:
- What’s the worst that can happen if I fail? (aka “Will the sky fall down?”)
- What can I learn from this process?
- Who can support me through this process?
- How will avoiding this risk affect my life? How will taking it affect my life?
- What would I tell a friend in a similar situation?
These questions are designed to guide you through introspection and self-discovery and help you build resilience and confidence.
Which brings me to my next point…
2) She dares to take risks
I remember when I was offered a promotion at my previous job – a position that came with more responsibilities and challenges.
My first instinct was fear. I was comfortable in my current role, familiar with the tasks and the team. The thought of stepping out of my comfort zone was daunting.
However, I also knew that this new role was an opportunity for growth, a chance to expand my skills and knowledge. If I were to become a confident woman, this was the moment to rise to the occasion.
So, I accepted the offer. The transition was far from smooth. There were moments of self-doubt, moments when I questioned my decision. But with each obstacle, I learned something new, about the job and about myself.
Looking back now, taking that risk was one of the best decisions I made. It allowed me to grow not just professionally, but personally. It taught me that while comfort zones are safe and familiar, they often limit our ability to explore our full potential.
A truly confident woman understands this. She is not afraid to take risks. She knows that stepping out of her comfort zone is where real growth happens.
3) She doesn’t fear criticism
Just as confident women aren’t afraid of failure, so are they unafraid to be criticized. Unafraid to be disliked, even.
Truly confident women have a unique approach to criticism. Instead of viewing it as an attack, they see it as an opportunity for growth and improvement. ‘
Constructive criticism might feel like an attack to the less confident, but ironically, it actually serves to boost confidence.
For those feeling threatened by criticism, adopting this mindset can provide a sense of empowerment. It’s a reminder that we are in control of how we perceive and respond to external feedback.
Not fearing criticism encourages us to see our journey as an ongoing process, where each critique is a stepping stone towards becoming a better version of ourselves. This can instill a sense of purpose and resilience.
4) She is not her achievements
I have a writer friend whom I consider my mentor. She’s one of the most confident women I know, and absolutely bedecked with awards and stellar publications.
But you’d never know it because she doesn’t volunteer all this information when she talks to people.
See, for truly confident women, they can separate who they are from their achievements. They don’t give too much weight to their successes, simply because they know just how fleeting success can be.
And that if they tie their identity and self-worth to it, they could be on shaky ground once those achievements dwindle.
When you try to “achieve constantly”, you give too much power to your successes. You give up your inherent worth.
So, for a truly confident woman, her achievements are simply one aspect of her life. Sometimes she has ambitious goals. Other times she’s content with where she is. She doesn’t worry about this anymore.
5) She accepts compliments graciously
When someone praises you, do you shy away or reject it? I used to be that way, I’d often reply with, “Thanks, but really, anyone can do it…” Or “Thanks, I guess I got lucky…”
But then a close friend asked me, “Why do you respond like that? It’s a little off-putting, to be honest.” I realized that I was downplaying my worth, and what’s worse is that it was coming across as fake modesty.
If you’re going to be a confident woman, it’s crucial to learn how to accept compliments gracefully. Realize that when someone offers praise, it’s often a genuine recognition of your efforts or talents.
By brushing off compliments, not only are you undermining your own achievements, but you’re also, perhaps inadvertently, dismissing the other person’s judgment or opinion.
So, I started to change my approach. The next time someone complimented me, I simply said, “Thank you, I really appreciate that.”
It felt awkward at first, like I was accepting too much credit. But then I noticed something interesting: the more I accepted compliments gracefully, the more genuine they seemed, and the more confident I felt.
Simply put, accepting compliments is an act of self-respect. It’s about owning your strengths and successes, no matter how big or small. It’s also about building positive interactions with others.
When you accept a compliment with grace, it creates a positive feedback loop that not only boosts your self-esteem but also encourages others to recognize and celebrate their own achievements.
6) She embraces vulnerability
The common misconception about confidence often equates it with invincibility.
But truly confident women understand the power of vulnerability. They recognize that being open about their fears, doubts, and insecurities doesn’t diminish their strength but enhances it.
Real talk: it takes courage to be vulnerable. After all, no one wants to expose their imperfections and shortcomings to the world.
Yet, it’s a reminder that real strength lies not in hiding our human frailties but in owning them.
Embracing vulnerability encourages us to see our journey not as a quest for perfection, but as a path of authenticity and self-acceptance. This perspective fosters a sense of genuine confidence that isn’t contingent on external validation but rooted in self-love.
And that’s important because…
7) She values authenticity over appearances
Over image. Over societal expectations.
Ask any woman about societal expectations, and she can easily rattle off a laundry list of what she’s expected to be. Beautiful. Graceful. Intelligent. A good wife. A good mom. A good daughter. A good friend.
I mean, that’s a lot to deal with, isn’t it?
We all want to fit in, to be accepted, to be liked – all natural human desires. But then it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that appearance matters more than authenticity. One can lose touch with herself as she tries to fulfill all these roles and standards expected of her.
For confident women, though, this is no longer an issue. They’ve figured out that being true to themselves is the only way to live life joyfully. Instead of conforming to every external demand, they prioritize their own values and beliefs.
This isn’t to say that they don’t care about others or disregard societal norms for the sake of rebellion.
Rather, they make conscious choices about which expectations align with their authentic selves and which do not. They recognize that not every role or standard needs to be fulfilled to lead a fulfilling life.
Embracing authenticity means understanding that it’s okay not to be perfect in every aspect of life. It’s about finding balance and being comfortable in one’s own skin, knowing that the real joy comes from being genuine, not from fitting into a preconceived mold.
Bottom line: It’s a process
Becoming a confident woman doesn’t happen overnight. It often requires introspection, courage, and a willingness to stand apart from the crowd. And above all, to live according to their values.
But for those who embrace it, the reward is a life lived with integrity and joy, unencumbered by the weight of constant external approval.
This is the essence of true confidence – the understanding that the most important approval comes from within.
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