Confidence is a funny thing. It’s not something you can just “get” overnight, and it can be hard to feel confident in yourself. But don’t worry! As long as you make small changes every day, chances are that your confidence will grow over time. Here are 10 proven ways to build confidence:
1. Get to know yourself better.
Get to know yourself better—understand what makes you happy, sad, angry or frustrated; know your strengths and weaknesses. Understand your values and beliefs in life so that you’re clear on what’s important to
2. Focus on what you can change.
One of the best ways to build confidence is to focus on what you can change. When you have a goal, focus on that. If something isn’t working for you, then it’s up to you as an individual to make it work for yourself.
For example: If your boss is a jerk and makes unreasonable demands of his employees, don’t focus on how much he sucks at being a boss and blame him for being an asshole (though I wouldn’t mind this). Instead, use the situation as motivation and try harder at work than ever before so that next time your boss asks for something unreasonable from everyone else but not from you, they’ll regret their decision!
3. Break out of your comfort zone.
Break out of your comfort zone.
If you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to retreat into a cocoon and stay there for a while. But taking the time to step outside of what feels comfortable can do wonders for your confidence. You’ll feel better about yourself when you push yourself to try new things, and taking on challenges helps you grow as a person in ways that staying at home never could. Plus, the more people get to see all the different sides of you, the more interesting they’ll find you!
4. Do things that scare you.
- Do things that scare you.
- Start small, with things that don’t scare you.
- You will feel more confident after doing it.
- You will be more confident when you do it.
Here are some examples: I had always wanted to learn how to drive a car, but I was terrified of driving on the highway or in traffic jams—and so one day I started driving on a less busy street and eventually worked my way up to the highway. It sounds simple now, but at the time it was definitely scary! Another example is public speaking; some people go from never having done this before (like me) to actually giving presentations for their job!
5. Step out of your comfort zone.
- Step out of your comfort zone.
- Focus on the positive.
- Try new things and be open to new experiences.
- Be open to criticism, and don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t like something you’ve done or something about you in particular.
- Learn from your failures—they’re an important part of life!
6. Repeat positive affirmations.
One of the most powerful ways to build confidence is by repeating positive affirmations. Affirmations are statements that you say out loud, usually while looking in the mirror, and they’re meant to help you believe in yourself better.
You don’t need to spend a lot of time on this; just five minutes a day should be enough. Here are some examples:
- “I am beautiful.”
- “My life is full of happiness.”
- “My body is strong and healthy.”
- “I am surrounded by love and support from my family and friends.”
Affirmations work because they actively replace negative thoughts with positive ones, changing how you see yourself in your own mind and allowing that new belief system to take shape over time. The more often you repeat these positive statements aloud—and believe them—the stronger those feelings become until eventually they become an ingrained part of who you are as a person!
7. Remember that failure is a part of life.
It may seem counterintuitive, but the first step to building your confidence is to accept that failure is a part of life. Remember that failure is not something to be ashamed of or afraid of; it’s simply another step on the path toward success. While you’re learning and growing, you will inevitably make mistakes along the way. What matters is what you do with those errors: learn from them and move forward in a positive direction, or allow yourself to get stuck in a downward spiral? The choice is up to you!
8. Make a list of things you like about yourself.
Make a list of things you like about yourself.
It can be as simple as “I like that I am honest,” or as specific as “I like how my butt looks in this underwear.” Don’t be afraid to include things that are small, silly, embarrassing or unrelated to your job. This exercise is all about positive self-talk and the more specific you can get when it comes to what makes you an awesome person (besides being great at your job), the better.
9. Surround yourself with supportive people.
This is a simple one, but it can be so hard to do when you’re feeling down in the dumps about your career and accomplishments. Remember that not everyone will be supportive or understanding of what you want to do or how you want to live your life, so try and find some positive-thinking friends who will support your dreams! You might just have one friend who’s full of encouragement—and if that’s all you need then great! But if not, we recommend finding an online community of like-minded individuals who are trying to achieve similar goals as well as those already living out those goals on their own terms. You’ll find those supportive companions by joining online forums related to what interests you most (for example #careeradvice on Twitter) or even just searching “blog” at Google News – there are tons of amazing blogs written by people who’ve gone through similar experiences in their lives as well as advice columns from more experienced writers/professionals such as [The Muse founder Alex Cavoulacos](https://www.themuse) herself!
10. You can build confidence by taking small but important steps each day.
- Don’t try to do too much at once.
- Don’t wait for a perfect moment.
- Don’t try to be someone else.
- Be willing to ask for help when you need it, even if the situation is embarrassing or uncomfortable.
- Wait until you’ve done what you can before giving yourself a break!
Conclusion
And finally, remember that confidence isn’t something you have or don’t have—it’s a skill that can be cultivated. If you find yourself lacking in self-esteem, don’t worry! You can build confidence by taking small but important steps each day. By working on yourself and focusing on your strengths, you’ll soon find yourself feeling happier and more confident than ever before.