Did you know that the average woman’s confidence actually declines in the workplace the more experienced they become? Or, that around 78% of women have a poor body image?
Self-confidence is an issue that many women struggle with, and if you’ve been feeling down about yourself, you’re not alone.
But it’s important that you reclaim and boost your confidence, learn to love yourself, and take on the world with a head held high.
How do you do this? Keep reading for five ways to gain confidence so you can be happier and healthier.
1. Get Out of the Comparison Trap
The death of confidence is continuously comparing yourself to others. The first step to improve self-esteem is to stop comparing yourself to others. When you find yourself scrolling social media and comparing yourself to people, take a moment to consciously stop yourself and change your perspective.
If you spend time thinking about the wealth, skills, physical attributes, and possessions that other people have that you don’t your confidence will take a massive hit.
Rather, practice celebrating other people’s wins rather than feeling envious about them. When other people’s lights shine, it doesn’t dim your own and this is important to remember. When you’re focusing on what you lack, change the perspective by thinking about what you have and what you’re grateful for.
Limit contact with people that judge you and make you feel less than them. When you weed out this negativity and surround yourself with people that don’t compare themselves to you and vice versa, you will start regaining your confidence.
2. Boost Your Body Image by Looking After Yourself
Are you struggling to love yourself because of poor body image? It’s difficult to feel good about yourself when your physical body is feeling tired or unwell. Practicing self-care and self-love starts with looking after your body. When you feel physically strong and capable, your confidence will be boosted.
Ensure that you eat a balanced diet that is nutritious and makes you feel stronger, healthier, and more energized.
Incorporate exercise into your life as continuous physical activity works to build confidence. You’ll feel stronger and more capable and will notice yourself physically improving over time which helps to boost body image.
Work on creating good sleeping habits to ensure that you get good quality sleep. Good quality sleep is linked to positive personality traits that include optimism and self-esteem.
Lastly, looking after your body helps to increase libido which will boost your confidence in the bedroom. If you’re struggling with the post-children physical toll on your body or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), consider vaginal rejuvenation to take back your confidence and reclaim your sexuality.
3. Practice Positive Self-Talk
It’s easy to slip into cycles of negative self-talk and this is a huge confidence killer. If you’re thinking about how to gain confidence a very powerful tool is the practice of positive self-talk which helps you to nurture self-compassion and embrace self-doubt.
The next time you start to slip into negative self-talk, thinking things like “I can’t do this” or “I always fail” actively change the dialogue to positive affirmations such as “I can do it better next time” or “I’ve become wiser through this.”
Write things down that you like about yourself, positive traits that friends identify in you, and verbally affirm these when you’re feeling low or lacking confidence. It might feel strange to say these things out loud, but the benefits of verbal positive self-talk and affirmations for your confidence are undeniable.
4. Try New Things
So, you want to know how to be confident? Face your fears and try new things. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to try, perhaps dancing lessons or yoga class, but you’ve always been intimidated by it, push yourself to start!
Trying new things not only helps you to overcome fear but once you realize that you can do these things and you can face intimidating situations, your confidence benefits massively.
Additionally, learning a new skill really helps to boost confidence. When you get better at something new it makes you feel good about yourself.
5. Celebrate Your Victories
Sometimes it can be difficult to identify your victories when you’re struggling with low self-esteem. You might get into a habit of focusing on your failures rather than celebrating your victories — regardless of how big or small those may be.
Listing your accomplishments will really help to boost your confidence. Once you begin to do this, you’ll notice that your accomplishments and your ‘wins’ are actually plentiful and it will help you to feel good about yourself and up your confidence.
Additionally, celebrate your successes. When you achieve something or reach a goal, don’t simply glance over it and think “it’s no big deal.” Commemorate them by rewarding yourself with a purchase, or having a drink with a friend.
It’s okay to revel in your wins, it’s not bragging or arrogance, but simply patting yourself on the back when you’ve achieved something. This can be a huge confidence booster.
Are You Ready to Put in the Work to Gain Confidence and Boost Self-Esteem?
There’s no quick fix to gain confidence, but rather you need to put in the daily work to practice positive self-talk, count your blessings and look after your body. Remember, you deserve the wins and should celebrate them, avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your achievements instead.
Did you find this post helpful? Our site is full of awesome wellness tips just like this to help inspire you to live a healthier and happier life — keep exploring for more!
