Building Inner Confidence: You are amazing, first and foremost.   That is something you need to remember always.  It is easy to forget, and let the inner voice in your head say differently, but don’t let your self-doubt win. You are not alone in these thoughts, we all have them; the key is to overcome them. You are far too smart to stand in your own way! So practice the below techniques to help you build your confidence. 

Accept yourself:

We are our own hardest critics, but why? Why do we need to set such high standards for ourselves, with the inevitable result of not being able to live up to our own expectations? The first step in building inner confidence is accepting ourselves for who we are and not some unrealistic bullshit projection of who we think we are supposed to be. Once you accept yourself, you will not worry about what others may or may not think of you. At the end of the day the only person’s opinion that really matters is your own.   

Here are some exercises you can do to help practice self-acceptance and change your mindset:

–Practice Self Gratitude: Remember that no matter how terrible the day is or life seems, we always have something to be grateful for. Keep a gratitude jar on your nightstand and every day write a reason that you are grateful to be alive.

–Mirror: How often do you stand in front of the mirror and pick apart your flaws? We all have done it, but why? Let’s break that habit next time you are standing in the mirror say something positive about yourself. Change that negative mindset to a positive one.                             

-Positive Affirmations: An affirmation is a short powerful state that you can say or write about yourself. This will help to rewire the way that you think about yourself. Here are a few that you can practice today, but write some of your own and practice them daily:

  • I love an accept myself, just as I am
  • I am Enough
  • I am Complete
  • I am Lovable
  • My Life is Beautiful, I am Beautiful
  • I am BRAVE, I am Bold, and I am Strong
  • Nothing is Impossible
  • I Deserve the best and I accept the best
  • I am taking steps to make my dreams a reality
Practice Self Care:

Practicing self-care is extremely important, it gives you time to become in-tune with yourself. This allows you to love yourself and have more confidence in yourself.

Here are some easy ways to practice self-care:
  • Read a book
  • Take a Walk / Go into nature
  • Stretch/Do Yoga
  • Call A friend
  • Journal how you are feeling
  • Take  A Nap
  • Watch Your Favorite Movie
  • Do something creative
  • Listen to podcast (My go to is Crime Junkie)
  • Give yourself a facial
  • Treat yourself to a mani-pedi
  • Cook your favorite meal

For more ideas check out Self Care Checklist. The key is to do something to reward and pamper yourself for being the special and wonderful person you are.

Take pride in yourself:

Take pride in yourself and the way that you present yourself. It may sound cliché, but if you dress the part you will feel the part. So take pride in your appearance and the way that you present yourself. But don’t dress like someone else, or in something you are uncomfortable. Keep your personal style and make sure you are comfortable in what you wear. Practice proper posture and show that beautiful smile of yours. You got this!!!!

Surround yourself with positivity:

Remove the negativity in your life, you do not need people who do not see your worth. Surround yourself with people who hype you up, value you for who you are, and support you. This will not only help with your confidence and self-esteem but it will give you a solid support system that will help you in your journey.

Step out of your comfort zone:

Try to do something every week that pushes your comfort zone: try new hobbies, meet new people, go to new places, sing karaoke, etc. Doing this will allow you to excel in a new environment and learn how to handle new situations and even overcome fears and adversities, allowing you to build up your confidence level. It may be stressful or uncomfortable, but trust me, these situations will help you to grow.

Just remember, no one is confident all the time and in every situation, even if they present themselves that way.  So give up the “I can’t” and “I’m not good enough,” and all the negativity that goes with it.  Change the way that you look at the world, and the world will change the way it looks at you.  You are capable of so much more than you think.

And just remember you are AMAZING!