18 Simple Habits Will Increase Your Self Confidence

Don’t worry, improving your self confidence doesn’t have to be hard! And it doesn’t have to happen overnight, either. Here are 18 ways you can start to build your self confidence right now that will help you reach the level of self-assurance you want in the near future.

1) Have a positive attitude

Having a positive attitude will go a long way towards improving your self-confidence. Focus on what is good in your life, not what you wish was different or don’t have. If you wake up each morning feeling grateful for something in your life, you are much more likely to feel confident and happy with yourself. In addition, gratitude exercises can help us recognize that many of our worries are not nearly as important as we make them out to be. Keeping a gratitude journal is one popular way of creating space for gratitude (and its associated benefits) in your life. Start off by jotting down three things you are grateful for every day.

2) Don't be ashamed to talk to friends

Friends, family, and professional counselors are there for a reason; they're a source of support and can help you improve your self-confidence. By talking about your insecurities with someone else, you can stop those negative thoughts from spiraling out of control. Don't let fear be your guide when it comes to talking about insecurities—that's something that self-confidence is meant to fight against.

3) Get up and get moving

Researchers have found that people with low self-esteem tend to overestimate how others are viewing them. One of my favorite ways to improve your self confidence is by getting outside and moving. The fresh air, sunlight, and natural beauty will help you feel refreshed and improve your mood for sure! When you’re out in nature, be sure to take it all in. It will give you something positive to think about when you return home from your walk or run. Bonus: Walking outside helps combat feelings of loneliness too! Just talk with people whenever possible—that’s a quick way to boost your social life as well as your overall confidence levels.

4) Do what makes you happy

Acknowledging and taking time for what you love, even if it doesn’t seem very relevant to your career at hand, can go a long way in improving your self-confidence. If you’re not sure where to start, pick something that seems interesting or fun and give it a shot. It’s easy to let life’s responsibilities take over and make us think that our time is better spent on other things. As much as possible, we should try instead to make happiness part of our everyday lives so that we feel good about ourselves both inside and out. You never know where inspiration will come from—and who knows? Maybe doing what makes you happy will lead you right back into your career goals!

5) Celebrate the small stuff

It’s easy to get down on yourself when you aren’t achieving your goals, but if you put those things in perspective, they really aren’t all that important. Take time each day to appreciate what you have and what you do well. This is a simple yet effective way of improving your self confidence right now. Instead of complaining about what could be better, look at everything that isn’t broken and feel grateful for it.

6) Focus on what you can change

It’s hard for anyone with low self-confidence to believe that she could ever be loved by a romantic partner, or get promoted at work. The truth is that these things can happen—but if you focus on all of your perceived weaknesses, it will just make them bigger. Instead, think about what you can do differently in order to improve your self-confidence. Even small changes will give you some much-needed confidence boosts; once you see that improvement is possible, you’ll start thinking more positively and become more comfortable in challenging situations (like a job interview). This change in mindset will help you achieve your goals and build even more confidence over time.

7) Remember that everyone makes mistakes

When you're just starting out, it's natural to assume that everyone else has things figured out and that you're somehow wrong for not knowing everything. But here's something very important: Everyone starts at a beginner level and everyone makes mistakes. Everyone! The most successful people are well aware of their weaknesses and how much they have yet to learn—and that's okay. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what other people think about your shortcomings—what matters is that you have a plan for improving your weaknesses and know how you'll get there. So make sure that you take time each day to reflect on your progress so far and where you can improve going forward.

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