How to Build Confidence Today:

Everyday, we face challenges to our confidence. Some days are easier than others, and there are plenty of tools you can use to feel more confident in the meantime. In this article, we’ll outline the top 10 ways to build your confidence today so that you can meet any challenge with a healthy dose of self-assurance that will help you feel better about yourself and your abilities as an business owner, employee, friend, or family member.

1) Know your strengths

There are many reasons for feeling less confident than we should. It could be due to low self-esteem, feelings of low self-worth, lack of a sense of belonging, or from surrounding yourself with negative people who constantly put you down and don’t believe in your ability. Whatever reason you have for feeling insecure, think about what makes you unique and special; that is your greatest strength. Focus on it.

2) Set goals based on your strengths

The key to long-term happiness is understanding your strengths and playing to them. After all, it’s impossible to be happy if you don’t feel good about yourself—and it’s difficult (if not impossible) for people who don’t know their strengths. If you set goals around doing what you do best, success will follow.

3) Focus on your successes, not failures

When you look back at your life, what have you accomplished? There are always going to be times where things don’t go your way, but in those moments, it can be important to remember that there are much bigger things that you’ve done right. If a meeting goes south or an assignment doesn’t come out as expected, remind yourself of all of your past accomplishments and realize how far you’ve come.

4) Listen to what others say about you

There’s no better way to improve your confidence than by making sure people notice you, compliment you and make an effort to get in touch with you. The best thing about boosting your self-confidence is that it doesn’t take much time at all – all it takes is a smile and few kind words from a friend, colleague or family member.

5) Take risks if they are worth it

Taking risks are only worth it if they are beneficial. Think of a risk that you took recently, and analyze why it was a positive or negative outcome. Once you identify what worked and what didn’t, take that lesson into future decisions you make. Don’t be afraid to keep challenging yourself in new ways once you understand how to build confidence!

6) Try new things - but in small doses

Try new things, but do so slowly. Don’t try three new activities in one week! Mix up your life by trying a couple of new activities each month. That way, you won’t feel like you’re running from activity to activity and will have time for relaxation. Introduce yourself - it works! When you introduce yourself to people in your industry, you start building a professional network that can help guide your career and keep it on track.

7) Don’t change who you are just to fit in

When you’re trying to build your confidence, it’s tempting (and all too common) to let other people dictate who you are and what you do. Don’t make that mistake! What makes people likeable, interesting, and influential is how authentically they project themselves into their lives. Being true to yourself isn’t just a nice philosophy; it also feels better—because being someone else is exhausting!

8) Acknowledge that everyone feels this way sometimes.

Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and self-doubt at some point. Even if you’re a confident person by nature, there are bound to be times when you feel uncomfortable in your own skin. For some people, those feelings hit much harder and more often than others—and that’s normal too. But it’s important to remember that these moments of uncertainty will pass—and during them, it helps to have a few simple tricks up your sleeve for fighting off negative thoughts.

9) If you make a mistake, learn from it and move on.

The more you can turn a negative into a positive, or even just make a joke out of it, you’ll find that people will respect your courage and see you as an individual who is not afraid to learn from mistakes. It might sound cheesy, but learning how to laugh at yourself helps build confidence too. Every day we all make mistakes – big and small – but we’re all human so what does it matter? The important thing is to learn from our mistakes and move on; embrace them!

10) Do something every day that makes you feel good about yourself.

Building confidence has more to do with action than it does with wishing and hoping. Sure, you can sit around and tell yourself that you are confident, but it won’t change anything if there’s nothing behind your words. Start by doing something every day that makes you feel good about yourself, even if only for a few minutes at a time.