Appear competent and self-confident, approach other people in a relaxed manner and know your own strengths: That’s what many people want. Why is it that we are often unable to realize this and how can this be changed? We provide tips for more self-confidence.
What does self-confidence mean anyway?
A self-confident appearance evokes positive reactions in most people – from sympathy to admiration. But what exactly makes self-confident people?
For example, self-confident people manage to express their opinions without fear of criticism or rejection. They believe in their own competencies, accept compliments gratefully, and at the same time accept the faults and weaknesses they have. People with high self-esteem are often more outgoing and approach others easily. They can express and assert wishes and demands and believe in achieving their goals. At the same time, they can also say “no” to demands that are made of them.
Where does low self-esteem come from?
Sounds tempting, right? While many people strive to increase their self-confidence, the question arises as to why it is so low for many in the first place. The causes often lie in childhood and basically go back to two fears:
- The fear of failure
- The fear of rejection
However, these fears are often learned or trained and can be overcome.
Healthy self-confidence influences not only how you are perceived by others, but more importantly, how you perceive yourself. People with low self-esteem give more of a damn about the opinions of others – out of fear of being rejected, they try much harder to please others. They are afraid to speak up or even express needs and wants. It is also difficult with low self-confidence to reject demands and simply say “no” sometimes.
Tips for more self-confidence
This creates a false image of one’s own self inside. Increasing self-confidence therefore means first and foremost learning to trust oneself and developing respect for one’s own worth. Therefore, self-confidence can also be understood as self-confidence or self-esteem.
Tips to increase self-confidence and self-esteem, however, can not work overnight, but need a lot of training. You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone. We will give you tips for more self-confidence that can help you if you internalize them.
1. Practice posture
It sounds like a cliché, but it can actually help effectively: Pay attention to your posture. Stand and sit with a straight back, look forward, shoulders back, chest out. Such a posture influences your inner self-confidence and has a much more direct effect on your counterpart. In this way, you start conversations with positive expectations.
2. Accept errors
Everyone has and makes mistakes – no matter how much perfect social media profiles or dubious coaches try to convince you otherwise. Mistakes are human and cannot be avoided. Accept that and realize that other people also make mistakes and have weaknesses. If you make a mistake, look for opportunities to learn from it and gain experience. Do not justify yourself (even to yourself) and do not criticize yourself excessively. Own up to your mistake and try to do better next time.
3. Think positively
Our thinking influences our mood. Sounds like a calendar saying, but it’s really true. Therefore, focus on positive things and make an effort to always have a positive outcome in mind before a difficult task. This is one of the foundations for a positive aura.
4. Smile consciously
A friendly smile not only appears more open and positive, but also has a subconscious effect. This is because the stimulation of the associated muscle activity releases happiness hormones in the brain. So remember to put on a smile when you meet other people. Improving your physical image can also help – hence contacting a Plastic Surgeon in Newport Beach to boost your aspect can also help.
5. Discover strengths
When there is a lack of self-confidence, people often feel that they are not good enough. But this is not true. Everyone has qualities and skills that set them apart. Make a list of qualities that you would consider your strengths and skills that you are good at and/or enjoy doing. Focus on using these strengths in a targeted way. Certainly it is also beneficial to improve weaknesses, but it is equally valuable to know your strengths and to show them.
6. Make decisions
Take responsibility for the decisions you make and make them for yourself. Don’t think about what others would do or say. Ask yourself: Can you and do you want to take on this task? Make your decisions quickly and firmly. Don’t wait for permission or confirmation, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. You can give yourself this permission and thus increase your self-confidence.
7. Play sports
One item that can help you increase your self-confidence is exercise. Regular exercise can help you feel good about your body, improve your posture, and thus be more physically present. It’s not about losing weight or building muscle, but about gaining new energy, achieving goals and giving your mind a break. Of course, it’s up to you what kind of exercise you do – sometimes a long walk or a relaxing bike ride is enough.
8. Learn breathing techniques
Especially when you are nervous, your self-confidence can get lost. Then it helps to learn and apply breathing techniques. When nervous, consciously breathe more slowly and into your lower belly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on your breathing and feel yourself becoming calmer. Regular meditation can internalize such breathing techniques.
9. Contribute
Do you know this situation: During a discussion, you would like to contribute an idea or ask a question – but you don’t dare for fear of being rejected? Realize that the people around you are usually very sympathetic and helpful. If you have questions, you can assume that others in the group have them as well. Get over your comfort zone and the fear of embarrassing yourself and actively contribute questions and ideas. This is the only way you will learn that nothing bad can happen.
10. Accept compliments
People with low self-esteem often find it difficult to accept praise and compliments. Practice this! If someone gives you a compliment, thank them and accept it. Don’t start putting it into perspective or deflecting. Accept it and perhaps write down what your counterpart praised on your list of strengths. This helps tremendously in building self-esteem.
Quick tips for more self-confidence in everyday life
All these tips for more self-confidence need time and patience. Sometimes, however, we spontaneously need a turbo for our self-confidence in everyday life or a quick strategy to be able to appear self-confident. Therefore, here are some power tips for more self-confidence in everyday life:
- Always ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Force yourself to remain realistic. The worst possible outcome is usually not so bad.
- One step at a time: When faced with a difficult task, don’t focus on the overall result or on the last step. Start at the beginning and master the task piece by piece.
- What advice would you give to a friend in your situation? It often helps if you become aware of what you would advise a friend who is in your situation. This is because people are often much more benevolent toward friends than they are toward themselves, and they have more confidence in them. So if you would advise the friend to accept a certain task – then transfer that decision to yourself.
