Steps to Improve Self Confidence

Steps to Improve Self Confidence
Photo Credit confidence image by martin schmid from Fotolia.com

When you experience self-confidence, you feel that you are good at what you are doing and you rarely take the time to think about how you are perceived by others, according to YogaJournal.com. Your self-confidence will allow you to feel at ease within your own skin. It can keep you from limiting yourself because you feel you are not good enough.

Get in Shape

Being physically active and healthly can help you to feel more positive and self-confident. According to the HelpGuide.org, when you incorporate regular physical activity into your life routine you will increase your feelings of self-worth, because you are taking the time to invest in you. Incorporating exercise into your life may seem like a daunting task, but it is more achievable than you think. You should pick something that you naturally enjoy doing; if you enjoy tennis, find a tennis partner and begin playing regularly. Also, if you cannot engage in 30 minutes of exercise all at once, break it up throughout your day, such as taking a 10 minute walk in the morning, and going on a bike ride with your children in the evening. As you begin your exercise routine, be sure that you start slowly and build up to more intense exercises in order to avoid injury.

Prepare

If you prepare for things, you will be more confident in yourself when you actually do them. Preparation allows you to feel good about everything you have done, and know that you have everything you need. For instance, taking the time to prepare for a job interview will help you to feel more relaxed and think more clearly. You can prepare for smaller things too, such as laying out your clothes for work the following morning or preparing a lunch to take with you the next day. These steps will help your morning flow more smoothly, reduce your frustrations and increase your confidence as you begin your day.

Encouragement

You know that when others encourage you to do something you feel more confident and comfortable with doing it, but you do not have to wait for other people to provide this encouragement. You can encourage yourself. According to the MayoClinic.com, it is important to give yourself credit when something good occurs and to provide you with positive feedback for a job well done. Acknowledging your own success will allow you to internalize it and become more confident.

Challenge Negatives

You may experience yourself tending toward a negative point of view or dismissing the good. This type of thought process can erode your self-confidence. It is important for you to take action and challenge your negative thoughts. According to the MayoClinic.com, there are several steps you can take to do accomplish this. When you find yourself dwelling on the negative and distorting your view of the situation, you must stop this thought process in its tracks. Also, avoid engaging in self put-downs, jumping to negative conclusions and dismissing the positives. If you avoid these tendencies, and challenge them with positive thoughts when they arise, you will improve your own self-confidence.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jun 11, 2010

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments