13 surprising ways to skyrocket your self-confidence

BY MARIA FATIMA REYES

1. Improve your posture

Maintaining good posture can promote self-assurance, as studies have shown that it can reduce stress levels and improve mood and mindset by strengthening the mind-body connection. 

2. Make eye contact and smile

Body language can communicate a lot, and smiling and maintaining eye contact while speaking can make you appear more approachable, competent, confident, and trustworthy to others and to yourself. 

3. Get active

Simply put: Exercise is incredible for your mental health. It’s a great way to practice setting goals and motivating yourself to achieve them. 

4. Dress for success

Go the extra mile and dress nicely. It’ll help you foster a more positive outlook, which will help you be ready to take on the world.  

5. Talk the talk 

Improving one's ability to speak in public can be a challenging process, but with consistent rehearsal and practice, anyone can gradually become more comfortable expressing their ideas, opinions, and feelings. 

6. Set goals

Having goals, both short-term and long-term, can help you focus on what's within your control and gradually make progress, leading to a sense of capability and motivation to turn your dreams into reality. 

7. Practice gratitude

Gratitude can shift one's mindset from doubt to hope by decreasing negative feelings, and reflecting on the little things that one is grateful for each day can be a helpful practice that can be shared with others through simple acts of appreciation. 

8. Celebrate your wins

Celebrating even the smallest successes by keeping a list of things done well each day and recognizing one's efforts regardless of the outcome can help build confidence and self-worth over time. 

9. Get out of your comfort zone

Trying new things, starting small and growing from there, such as through online classes or hitting the gym, can improve your confidence and abilities over time. 

10. Embrace failure

Mistakes and failures are part of the learning process, and learning from them rather than dwelling on them can help increase self-worth and growth, with progress being the aim rather than perfection. 

11. Stop comparing yourself to others

Avoid the comparison trap by reminding yourself that everyone has unique experiences and focusing on running your own race. 

12. Help someone

Helping others can boost self-esteem by increasing feelings of social connectedness and competence, and looking for opportunities to do so, even through simple acts like sharing knowledge or skills, can also distract from negative self-talk. 

13. Be kind to yourself 

Challenge any negative thoughts and limiting beliefs you have about yourself. Remind yourself of your strengths, and all the things you have done, are doing, and will do well. 

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