Self confidence, which is the trust in one’s capabilities and talents, is an important quality to have for us all. It helps us in almost every part of our lives, from pursuing job opportunities, to speaking to others about a project idea. People are reluctant to listen to or follow the ideas of someone who comes across as nervous and overly apologetic. Whereas, confident people inspire confidence in others, and so people are far more inclined to listen and follow them.
Despite the importance of self-confidence there are loads of people who struggle to find it. Without self-confidence, it can be hard to become successful, and therefore a viscous cycle of lack of success and lack of self-confidence can ensue. In order to become successful, and happier, you need to build your self confidence, because if you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect anyone else to? The good news is that self-confidence can be built, and developed. By learning to love ourselves, we can learn to accept our strengths and weaknesses, and become confident in our abilities. Remember that we have to learn to love and have confidence in ourselves before we can love or have confidence in anyone else, and before anyone else will truly learn to love or have confidence in us.
Here are 4 top tips for how you can learn to fall in love with yourself, and build self-confidence today:
Work on your appearance
Although your outward appearance is not the be all and end all, and certainly should not be what makes you happy, or what ensures that you love yourself, it can certainly help you to feel confident. By feeling good about what you look like will encourage you to stand tall and smile. When you smile it will not only help you to relax, but it will also help others to feel comfortable around you. Next time you go out, spend an extra 5 minutes on your hair and outfit, check the mirror for any wardrobe or make up malfunctions, and smile at your reflection, before stepping out the door.
Think positively
Even if you don’t feel positive, it is important to put some positive enthusiasm into your day, and into your interactions with others. Don’t focus on the negatives in your life, but instead focus on making solutions to them. Although it can be hard, a good way to ensure that you remain positive is by getting away from people or situations that bring you down. Even a short break from the people who shred your confidence can really help to build you up, and help you to start loving what you have to offer.
Never give up
Make never giving up your new mantra. Not only will overcoming adversity boost your confidence massively, but by keeping positive, even in the most difficult times, you will eliminate negative thoughts, which are the root cause of low self-confidence for many. You become what you believe you are. Telling yourself that you are enough; good enough, smart enough, attractive enough, you will create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Repeat positive, self-loving, affirmations when you next feel down, to give yourself a self-confidence boost
Write a love list
Even the most confident, self loving people will face challenges. It is during the testing times that keeping our self confidence and self love up is hardest. In order to ensure that you stay on the track to self-love and confidence, sit down now and make a list of everything that you are proud of yourself for, and everything that you are thankful for. Consider things like academic achievements, your job, family, your house, or sporting abilities. Once you have your lists, put them up somewhere that is easily visible- e.g. your desk at work, or your fridge door. Then, every time you need a self-love and confidence boost you will know where to look. Let you be the inspiration in your life!
To conclude, loving yourself is the first step to becoming self-confident. When you can accept yourself for who you are, and appreciate all that you have to offer, you will be able to start to build self-confidence, and begin your journey onto greatness. Get started, and join the self-love train today!