Research shows that self-confidence is related to nearly every aspect of a happy life. If that’s true, and we believe it is, then being confident is a must for success. It’s not an option to have poor self-confidence if you desire to have any taste of success. If you struggle with low or no self-confidence, there is good news. You can rewire your brain. Isn’t that awesome?! It’s not as easy as it sounds, but with hard work, the right information and motivation, you can change your viewpoint of yourself.
The question you may have is, where do I start? Great question, and we have the answer for you. We could write a book on the many ways you can start to grow your confidence to become a more confident person, but we’ve narrowed it down to these 9 actionable items you can work on that we believe will have the most impact.
- Comparison: Comparison steals your joy. You were born with your own unique purpose designed specifically for you to accomplish. There is no other person who was born to do what you’re supposed to do. Yes, there may be others who work in your same field, do similar things, and have similar goals, but the fact remains, you are an original. You have every gift you need to accomplish your goals, your dreams, and ultimately your purpose. So, start working on you and don’t worry about anyone else. YOU ARE ENOUGH!
- Environment: Who are you hanging around? You must surround yourself with other people who are confident and positive. People who will speak life into you and cheer you on towards success. What are you reading or watching on T.V? What you feed your brain matters.
- Stop saying your sorry: Really, if you didn’t do anything wrong, stop apologizing. You don’t have to be sorry for every little mishap you make. If someone corrects your grammar or edits your mis-spelled word, you don’t need to feel bad and say you’re sorry, simply say thank you to the person for catching it.
- Say it: Speak up when you have something to say. You don’t have to be aggressive, but don’t be afraid to share your opinion. What you think matters.
- Plan: Stop flying by the seat of your pants. This is a confidence killer. When you have a plan and live by a calendar, you are confident in what you should be doing or where you need to be.
- Say no: You don’t have to say yes to everything. Start saying no to things that are distractions for you or don’t make sense for your schedule. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. If someone gets upset with you for saying no, that’s not your problem. You can do it…Just say no!
- Appearance: It’s hard to be confident if you never dress for success. Not that you have to wear suits every day but be aware of how you should dress for the occasion. Smile more. When you make eye contact with someone, smile. It makes them feel better and you. Pay attention to your body language and demeanor.
- Assume the best: Don’t assume the worst in others or yourself. It’s so easy to become over concerned and worried about how someone may be judging you or what they think of you. Remember the golden rule; They are not thinking of you at all. They are too concerned about their own appearance and what you are thinking of them. People are rarely thinking what you think they are thinking. It’s none of your business anyway. Stay focused on you.
- Let go: Stop ruminating on past mistakes and failures. Draw a line in the sand today and begin anew. Whatever you’ve done in the past is gone. Let it go. Focus on who are becoming and who you want to be. Remember, a mistake is a disappointment. It’s not disaster. It doesn’t define you. Let go of anger and unforgiveness. It’s baggage you don’t need weighing you down and holding you back. Forgive yourself and forgive others. It’s time to turn a new leaf.
There are so many more things we could share to help you in your journey of becoming a confident person, but these 9 action items are a great start. We hope you will use this as a guideline for success and start to put these 9 practices into action. If you are intentional, your mindset with start to change and your self-confidence will start to improve. It won’t be long before you will be the confident person you were born to be!