How to Build the Self-Confidence You Need to Live Your Best Life

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Believing in yourself is essential if you want to succeed in life, whether that’s in terms of making money, finding a good relationship, or anything else. The trouble is, finding self-confidence is easier said than done. As Psychology Today reports, we’re often held back by negative experiences, harsh judgments from people, and our own (often unrealistic) expectations.

Fortunately, while building self-confidence won’t happen overnight, it’s by no means impossible. Also, the more you work on it, the easier it gets. The Center for Family Guidance offers some advice on things you can do to slowly – and surely – build up your confidence levels.

Build your body up

Your body is critical.  When you look good and feel good, you’re automatically more self-confident. If you don’t take care of your body, on the other hand, your self-esteem tanks. Consider taking better care of your body: start a fitness routine, eat more nutritious food, groom yourself daily, and get plenty of rest.

Work on your mind 

Your mind is just as important as your body. Your thoughts make your beliefs (including your self-belief). Also, they guide your actions and help you create the life you want for yourself. If you want to build a better life, you will have to harness your mind. Here are some suggestions:

  • Practice affirmations: Affirmations are positive, short “mantras” you say to yourself. For example, “I am a confident person”. If you practice them regularly enough, they embed in your subconscious mind and become your new reality. You can rewrite your beliefs with affirmations.
  • Be mindful of your negative thoughts: Your negative thoughts will destroy your self-confidence and sabotage your success. Be mindful and learn how to respond positively instead of knee-jerk react with negativity.
  • Allow room for negativity: Negative thoughts have their place – getting rid of them all will unbalance you. Furthermore, don’t attempt to silence the inner critic. Criticism can help you identify where you’re falling short – and how to improve yourself. Just make sure it’s the constructive and not the destructive kind.
  • Meditate: Meditation is an amazing way to de-stress and unwind. When you’re centered and your mind is calm, the negative thoughts automatically disappear. It’s much easier to build yourself up from a place of calmness, as opposed to a sea of negativity.

Acknowledge your achievements

It’s always easier to believe in yourself when you have proof – like concrete achievements you can be proud of. Knowing you’ve done awesome things in life allows you to believe you can repeat the performance in the future.

Achievements don’t necessarily have to be grandiose. No matter how minor you think they are, they matter. As Inc.com can confirm, just making an achievement list of what you did before bedtime every night can go a long way toward boosting your self-confidence levels – like working hard, facing your fears, or exercising. Over time, you will manage to build up a massive repository of achievements, which will make you feel good about yourself.

Make a career change

Sometimes your external environment is to blame for your low self-confidence levels – such as a toxic workplace or a dead-end job. Don’t hesitate to act and make a career change if that’s the case. You can go back to school to improve your career prospects.

For instance, you could go back to school to earn an accounting degree online and enhance your business acumen, learning about subjects like finance, business ethics, economics, and marketing. A degree in Information Technology is also a good option. IT is in high demand, meaning finding a good job won’t be too hard.

Conclusions

Try to go easy on yourself – life isn’t easy, and everyone has challenges. Do what you can, and try to get a good routine going. Learn how to be resilient and persistent. With time and effort – and support from good people – you will be self-confident before you know it.

 

Image via Unsplash

Guest article by:

Dylan Foster

dylanf@healthwellwise.com