Many people struggle with a lack of self-confidence, which can hold them back from fully reaching their potential. It’s always tough when you feel like you’re not your best version of yourself.
And let’s face it: there are so many different powerful stress factors in our lives right now, from the cost of living to GP and dentist waiting times, that it can be easy to feel like things are stacked up against you. Low confidence affects everything from work life to relationships.
The good news is there are proven, practical ways to start cultivating healthy self-esteem. With some effort, you can begin feeling more assured of yourself and your abilities.
Focus On Your Strengths
Often confidence gets eroded by concentrating on weaknesses or perceived flaws. Counteract this by intentionally identifying and writing down your talents, achievements, values, and positive qualities. Set goals in your strong areas to reinforce them.
Remind yourself of accomplishments like earning a degree, raising kind children, getting promoted at work, completing a marathon, etc. Recognise abilities like creativity, reliability, empathy, determination, or public speaking. Aim to build on strengths, not just improve weaknesses.
Adopt Power Poses
Studies by professors like Amy Cuddy at University College London show assuming open, expansive body postures actually boost testosterone and confidence chemically. Posing like a superhero for just two minutes can make a difference before a stressful situation like a presentation or interview.
Don’t slouch or fidget. Sit and stand tall with shoulders back. Shake hands firmly. Intentionally take up space to feel bolder and more self-assured.
Take Care Of Your Skin
Having clear, vibrant skin enhances attractiveness and allows an unmasking of your natural beauty. A lot of people out there feel like their confidence is hurting because of the skin issues that they suffer from. It’s important to remember that a lot of these issues are extremely common. Seeing a dermatologist can help treat conditions like acne, pigmentation, and wrinkles.
Develop a daily skincare routine with cleansing, toning, and moisturising. Apply sunscreen. Exfoliate and mask weekly. Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and sugars, which can worsen skin. There are also a lot of treatments out there that you can use for issues like eczema and dermatitis.
Hydrocortisone cream, Fucidin cream, Betnovate cream and steroid cream in general can make a huge difference. If you’re living with eczema and you are interested in looking for treatments, talk to the team at The Independent Pharmacy.
Their assessment takes three minutes and is reviewed by their UK-based medical team. Approved treatments that are made before 3 p.m. are dispatched on the same day.
Wear Clothes That Make You Feel Good
When you think you look sharp and put together, confidence increases. Determine your style – classic, romantic, modern, retro, athleisure, etc and collect versatile pieces for a flattering capsule wardrobe. Proper fit is essential – get clothes tailored.
Schedule quarterly wardrobe reviews. Remove items you never wear or don’t fit right to make way for new pieces. Invest in a few quality statement pieces like a blazer, designer bag or bold necklace. Dressing well boosts poise and self-image.
Practice Positive Self-Talk
Perfectionism and negative self-criticism sabotage confidence. Make a habit of reframing anxious or disparaging thoughts in your mind to be more empowering.
Don’t call yourself an imposter – remind yourself you’re qualified. Replace “I can’t” with “I’ll try my best.” Give yourself the advice you would give a friend struggling with the same issue.
Studies find cognitive behavioural therapy effective for combating negative thought patterns. Work on consciously reshaping your inner dialogue to be kinder. Don’t dwell on mistakes – keep perspective. The way you talk to yourself matters.
Learn Public Speaking Skills
Fear of public speaking is extremely common, with over 70% of people suffering from speech anxiety per UK research. Conquering those fears can significantly boost confidence. Take a class, join a club, or practice with family.
Start small presenting to groups you know. Make eye contact, slow your pace, and focus on your message rather than nerves.
Memorize a few jokes. Record yourself to see what you do well. Gradually build up to larger, unfamiliar audiences as you gain poise. You can overcome stage fright, but remember that it takes time, and it’s important to be kind to yourself in the process.
Set Challenging But Achievable Goals
Reaching goals through hard work reinforces capabilities, while unrealistic goals breed discouragement. Set specific, measurable targets related to health, career, relationships, hobbies and more. Start with smaller steps if big goals seem too overwhelming. You can always adjust as you go.
Tell others about your goals for accountability. Use apps to track progress. Celebrate each milestone reached on the way to bigger accomplishments. Tackle goals one step at a time to prove to yourself what you can achieve. Small wins build confidence.
Make Time For Joy And Relaxation
Don’t just work and achieve – play, connect and unwind too. Do hobbies you enjoy, spend time with positive friends and family, take vacations, volunteer to help others, adopt a pet, or join recreational teams. Make self-care a priority, not a burden.
Laugh often – research shows laughter lowers stress hormones that inhibit confidence. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Do activities to let loose, be silly and release inhibitions in a healthy way, whether on board game nights, dancing, karaoke, or improv classes.
Joy and relaxation boost resilience. A lot of people feel like the only things that matter are the serious ones. But enjoying yourself shouldn’t be an afterthought.
Develop Excellent Posture
Slouching sends a message of low status, self-doubt, and insecurity, while good posture conveys confidence and capability. Stand tall with open shoulders.
Align your ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees and knees over ankles. Make this proper alignment a habit.
When sitting, don’t slump or cradle your phone to your chest. Sit up straight with feet planted. Gently draw in your abdominals. Walk with your chin up making eye contact. Shake hands with a firm grip. Posture significantly affects how others perceive you.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that poor posture is going to take its toll on your muscles. Remote working made a lot of us think a bit more carefully about how we’re sitting and what we’re doing with our shoulders. This is a great habit to get into on many levels!
Seek Out Inspiring Role Models
Surround yourself with mentors, leaders, and admirable people whose example motivates you to strive higher. Read biographies of influential figures you respect. Follow thought leaders on social media for daily inspiration in your field.
While it’s never going to be possible to copy someone’s path or attitude exactly, don’t be afraid to cherry-pick your favourite attributes from your role models. Imbue excellent principles and work ethic from those you aspire to. Let others’ confidence lift up your own.
Small consistent steps to build your skills, shift mindsets and care for yourself add up over time to lasting confidence.
Recognise your inherent worth isn’t dependent on achievements or others’ validation. True confidence comes from within. Stay persistent, and know you deserve to feel capable, at ease and proud of the wonderful person you are.
